The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-10-27
Great Fire In Virginia City-The
Town Nearly Burned Up.

morning destroyed six or seven blocks,
and also the Western Union Office, with
the railroad depot,
LATER,-From a Virginia City dis.
patch just received at the office Of the
Consolidated Virginia Mining Company
here, says: Nothing left Of Taylor street,
all burned; our mills and works all gone;
the fire is still raging; the engines are
useless, and no water.
LATER The California Mill gone,
and the fire ia still spreading; Catholic
Church and other buildings will be blown
up; Ophir works, and the Bank Of Cali
iornia building burned; the whole busi-
ness part OF the town Is destroyed; the
Cutholic Church is now burning.
LATER,-The Virginia City FIRE is now
under control, and it has apparently
burned itself out; all the city north Of
Smith street is destroyed including the
business part Of the town. A telegraph
Office is being provided, and will soon
have full particulars.
Owing to the destruction OF the tele-
graph Office and the press OF private dis
patches over the lines, it has been difficult
10 obtain any connected information con-
cerning the Virginia fire. The following
Ia undoubtedly correct, as far as il goes
The fire broke out about daylight in u
dwelling house on A street. near Taylor,
at point about the southwestern limit
of the business and thiCkly y settled por-
ton OF the city. 1t spread rapidly, OK.
tending eastward toward rayine in
which are situated the works and mills
OF several prominent mines, Reaching
as far as + street nsrthward, the flames
crossed Union and Sutton streets, cover
Ing u space OF about ten blocks, and conf
prising, in the words Of one dispatch,
"almOst every decent building in town."
As the fire worked up q street the Offices
Of the Territorial Enterprise and the ChrOR.
ielc were destroyed. Piper's opera house
was the next building IN flames, and il
became evident that the railroad depot
and hOisting works Of the Consolidated
Virginia were in danger, The water
supply was inadequate and the engines Of
little use. Recourse was had to blowing
up the building. It was too late how.
ever, and In few minutes the depot and
hOisting works were on fire. The latter
we're recently completed at an expense Of
several hundred thousand dollars, and
were TIE finest on the Comstock lode.
Continuing to the north and east the
partially completed mill Of the California
mine and Consolidated Virginia were
soon in flames, which spread still further
north to the Ophir hOisting works de.
stroying them also, which Il about the
limit OF destruction in that direction.
The fire is dying out from want Of fuel.
From Taylor street, near the church, where
the fire originated, II spread southwark
against the wind destroying the branch
Bank Of California and Wells, Fargo
4 Co.'s Express office and every
thing else in its line. At this
point Gold Il Curry's works were in i'm.
minent danger, but were fortunately saV-
ed. In short nearly the entire business
portion Of the town Is in ashes. Hotels,
county buildings, newspaper
telegraph and express offices, are all
swept away. Over one thousand persons
are homeless.
The wind Is piercing cold and much
Ia anticipated before tcmpora.
ry shelter can be prepared.
II ia impossible at the present time to
conjecture the loss In thcdestruction Of the
mills and hOisting works. The above re-
ierred will probably entail the loss Of
q million dollars within the radius OF n
few hundred feet.
Fortunately the shafts Of both Ophir
and Virginia were bulk.headed and the
fire was kept out Of the mines. The
Ophir men say that possibly their loss
maybe less than at first supposed, as the
building was Of light frame and might
burn without destroying the machinery.
The loss Of buildings and merchandise
In the city must be very great, although
covered to u great extent by insurance.
II is not known to what extent the mills
and hOisting works were insured, except
In the case OF the Opliir Mills, where the
loss Is placed at Sl5O,OO0 to $780, 900, and
Is insured for 100000 in this city. The
news created great excitement owing to
The contradictory nature Of the private
dispatches received. California street
was full Of wild rllmors, and the tele.
graph anil newspaper Offices were beseiged
with people, anxiously seeking intelli-
yence. As might have been expected
stocks at once felt the effect OF the disas.
ter, and when the Board opened with the
call Of the Ophir, there was tremendous
rush. and the stock selling rs low as 81
Virginia dropped 10 2l0, but
subsequently rallied. The talk on the
street was very gloomy al first, and it
was supposed the disaster would en-
tail the necessary Stoppnge OF all work
In the Bonanza mines, and that the re-
Gently reported breaking through Of
water would flood the mines, and gen.
eral panic and depression ensued. This,
however, soon gave way 10 n better feel.
ing. II was soon ascertained that the
Gould 4 Curry works were all right, as
we're also the Savage works. This was
the key 10 the position 80 far
as the stock market was concerned, MS
the BonNnza can and will be worked
The works OF the Virginia
mines are being rebuilt, and the Savage
and Gould & Curry pumps are available
10 free the mines from water. II also |
transpired that the new hosting works. on
the Virginia and California mine, known
as The Z. & c. works, were unframed.
Inquiry also brought out the fact that the
insurance companies, though many Of
them suffer heavily, will come up man.
fully and pay all demands. A large por-
ton Of the insurance is In foreign com.
panies that will be able 10 bear II, and
the local companies also claim that none
of them will go to the wall, II wasgiyeh
out by those known to I've interested that
The Consolidated Virginia would pay a
as usual, though probably nj
reduced figures. All these considerations
soon had the effect to turn the tide Of
feeling, and now the general impression
is that while the conHagration Is mani.
testify serious disaster, itS effects on the |
financial interests Of California will be
but limited and temporary. On the street,
after the stocks rallied The feeling in |
business circles greatly improved. |
The agent Of Wells, Fargo 4 Co., Of
Virginia City, has telegraphed for aidfor
the peopled rendered homeless and desti-