Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1875-06-10
HUNTINGTON ELEVATOR DES
TRoYED.
The Work Of an Inoendiary.


Last evening just as we were going
10 press. we heard the alarm of Fire !
and soon learned the Elevator was
in flames When we reached 1t, there
was but little fire to be seen, and that
was in the top of the building.
An efficient Fire Engine might have
saved it, but buckets were ofno avail
TO be carried up 60 feet from the
ground. The flames increased steadi-
" and directly the entire top story
was sfire. In the meantime some
mem hers of the Hook & Ladder Com
pany went to work with their axes,
to cut loose the small Elevator on the
incline which was hauled up to the
top, near the main building.
After a good deal of labor, at con
siderable risk, it VAS cut loose. and
thundered down the incline into the
river, where it upset. The machinery
in il can be saved. The fire in the
building steadily increased; Goals
from above fell into the bottoms of
the great bins 80 #. deep and soon
the entire building, from top to bot
tom was mass of hamesS we have
never seen anything like such lurid
heat. At q hundred yards distance
the heat was almost unbearable soon
the bottoms of the bins were burned
out and the windows being out below,
the draft went up through the bins
like chimneys. and roaring like a
blast furnace the flames mounted sky
ward lighting the heavens for miles.
Owing to the construction ofthe build
ing, the inside being almost solid
mass of wood work, it did not tall,
even the frame of the small upper
stories above the main roof standing
until most of the main building was
burned. Soon the outside was mere
she'll with the fire bursting through all
over it, resembling lace-work meshed
with gold. At last tie ravenous
flames, finding nothing more to devour
went slowly down, leaving what was a
noble building nothing but a pile of
ashes.
The engine, being in a side build
ing of brick, without much wood
work about it, will probably he saved
in damaged condition. The engine
in the small elevator will be saved.
Mr.. Wright, who lives nearest the
elevator, and has been acting as a
Waterman, says he saw little light
in one of the upper windows, and
thought at first it was the reflection
of the moon; he then saw that it
was inside the building, and went to-
ward it, thinking Mr.. Nutter was in
there, but before he reached it, saw
that it was on fire. When he got
there he saw that sash had been ia
ken out of one ofthe lower windows;
he got in and found that fire had been
set near the top of the building, right
on or aside and near the top of the
stairs. so that no one could get up,
and above the flames were spreading.
He was accompanied by one of Mr..
Nutter's sons, and they rushed down
for buckets, but could do nothing
There was no grain in the building,
but we learn that cargo was expect
ed in a short time.
The building was insured in some
New York and Connecticut compa>
MES for about two thirds of its value.
The policies we're issued in New York
There can be no doubt as to the ORR
Gin of the fire, as there had been no
fire in the building at any time since
the engine was tried several months
ago. The loss will be about S25, 900
Insurance about SIS, 5000.