Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-04-09
BRILLIANT FIRE WORKS.
A Destructive ConAagration.
ST. CLAIRSVILLE ABLAZE
The Residence Of Judge
Cowen in Ruins.
TOTAL Loss $4,000.


Tuesday morning, Our town was arous-
ed by the startling, the horrid cry of
fire! fire. resounding through the
streets. Rushing out after a Injracu
lously quick toilet we noticed the
heavens lit UP with a glare of light
from the flames issuing from the
dwelling house of a. C. Downing. II
few minutes the brick building in
front was all ablaZe. By this time
nearly the entire population Of the
town-some persons busy in moving
out the goods of the two grocery stores
adjoining-some on the roofs fighting
the fire almost in the very midst of
Vulcan's forked tongues, aud a very
large number doing vast amount OF
shouting and advising with some little
swearing. In a very little time the
roof of Mr.. Charles Hubbard's house
was all in flames which soon commu-
nieated to the next building, c. a.
Shouse's Grocery. Frantic attempts
were made to here put stop to the
fire-fend's onward march by pulling
down this house. But this was slow
business as pulling down house is apt
to be- by those who don't know how,
especially if the whole stock of tools
consists of a few rheumatic axes and
the heat sufficient to roast turkey.
1t was soon evident that this was not
our last ditch-tha;'s bad rhetoric we
guess but hayn't time now to fix it
the heat soon became too great for oui
brave boys 10 stay on the next roof
that of house owned by Mrs. Mary
Walker and occupied es a residence BY
Alfred Shepherd and Charles McFar.
land. Before the last man was off
the building was in the embrace of the
telement of destruction. The worker:
now removed the furniture from tht
residence of Judge d. d. L. Cover
w hih stood next in the fiery track
and was soon in flames. Here stanl
ioGs made. Between the Judge:
residence and Office adjoining was ;
good brick wall with only two small
Openings, a fire-wall above and ston'
roof on the Office. The efforts mad
here by some of our citizens, and WI
would like to name them, only that i
might be unjust to Others who may
have done as nobly, were deserving O
the highest praise. Their comba
with the terrific smoke amid blindin!
: and suffocating heat was fearful ant
long, but it was successful. If this at
tempt at a stand had failed Welday'
fine block would have been in immi
nent danger. 1t, however, suffered {
loss of some cornice and railing.
All the while that these eXcitin;
events were transpiring on the nortl
side of Main Street, the houses jus
: "over against" were in great peril from
!, the intense heat; and nothing but
, liberal use of water and salt savet
d them, and prevented the vaultini
. demon from leaping the street ant
;e sweeping the south end of town wit
y the besom of destruction. Until tn
It fire reached Governs the air was still
= not breeze-an unusual thing durin
large fires; but now pretty stiff win'
n began to blow, bearing myriads c
o sparks and countless burning shingle
:, and endangering buildings far away
( Fears were expressed that the pin
h roof of the Presbyterian Church woul
l. prove dangerous place for the lodg
l. ment OF these flying arrows of vulcan
~ u but praying and watching averted tha
r. danger.
D. The time had passed almost unheet
0. ed, and soon the brightest rays of oil
g Sol shown down On the scene indignar
II at the attempt of this fiery usurper t
" turn night into day.
d Danger being over, the crowd begu
I'd to scatter home for bed or breakfast.
u The following is an estimate of losst
~ made in the excitement of smokin
or ruins and streets piled with househol
ID gods and goods, and therefore to /
a. a. taken cum Crane sails or perhaps ba
n rel of it: Downing, house and furn
ture, 5000; c. a. Shouse, in stool
III 500, insnred $1,000; Mrs. Wake
Sc house, 81 800; Jacob Carnes, house O
OF cupied by Shouse, 81 200, Judge Cover
S2,506, insured in Columbiana Mutu;
for Sc, 100 on dwelling and Office exce]
the library which suffered no los
It. Charles Hubbard, $1,000; insured
Is Columbiana Mutual for $1,000.
ae ae The losers view their losses as me
5, and women should. Apply that ol
t. piece of philosophy, ''glad it's Z
s, worse" though some of the wome
= and children, we hear, are without
1t change of clothing.
l. AS TO the origin or cause of this col
e, fiagration, the only thing we feel SUI
= II Of is, we don't know. Theories are Ri
n, but the more of them we listened t
he the denser our don't-knowness grew
j. Some talk of smoking meat, some {
u an incendiary, and some of men er
10 gagged in communion with evil spirit
j. 1t isn't the time of year for "spontane
n Gus combustion" SO we must decid
q that this loss to so many Of our town:
o men was caused by the carelessnes
Il or crime of some person to this inques
d unknown.
Talk about fire engine, hook an
ladder, hose companies, &C., will no,
be in order. But let US agitate tn
i matter now, in the light of this las
/ lesson; we know not the fine mornin
when we will wake IN and find on,