The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-12-01

WHEELING Daley
BufSISo, OF WASHINGTON HAIL.
Yesterday morning about 9 O'Clock smoke
was observed issuing from near the
southwest corner Of the roof Of the
Masonic Temple, over Washington Hall,
and in moment the cry Of "fre !" was
heard on all sides. The streets we're soon
thronged with people, and dense crowd
in the vicinity OF Washington
Hall, As the smoke continued to in
crease in volume the excitement grew in
tense, and the greatest confusion prevail
ed.
THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES
had not yet been called to order, and the |
members who we're upon the floor were
conversing in groups or writing at their
desks when the alarm was given. A regu'
lar scramble ensued, but after the mem.
bers, officers and others ascertained that
their persons were in no immediate dam
ger they returned and hastened to re-
move the furniture, books, papers, etc
This work was participated in by Sena-
tors, Representatives, officers and clllEens'
Our distinguished friend, Gen. G. 0. Dav'
export, periodically rushed for the flag
which was suspended back OF the Speak.
er's desk, aud carried it to a place OF
safety.
"HoPE,'
A number Of citizens brought out the
Hope hose reel, and stationing y at the
Market street entrance to the Masonic
Temple hastily made a connection to .
plug In the vicinity. The hose was passed
up 10 the third story into the outer room
OF the Masonic Hall, which was filled
with smoke. The fire was found to be
located between the ceiling Of the ban
quet room and the roof OF the building,
aud did not appear to be any larger than
an ordinary table. II was in the vicinity
OF due which had not been used Tor
years until the meeting Of the Legisla-
ture, when q stove was put in Washing
ton Hall near the stage for the use oil the
Clerk Ofthe House, and connected with the
tue. Its supposed that on account OF the
intensely cold weather big fire was
built in the Clerks room yesterday morn
ing, from which the fire no doubt
originated
No WATER,
After the hose had been taken to the
third story and made ready for work, ii
wnS found that there was no water TO be
had There we're two hydrants on the
floor, but the water had been shut of from
both Ten or twelve buckets Of water
would have extinVuished the flames and
saved tho bnildinS,
The smoke became thick and oppres.
siye. but the men waited. anxiously call.
Inc for water. When il did come, Il was
in n stream 40 feeble IA 10 10 OF no ser.
vic. whatever and after several inellec.
tnnl atlcmuts 10 accomplish something,
tLcv abandoned tho hose md relreated
down stnirs.
,.,,,,.r,,,,ru, u,,v,
~ ''"""h"' """''n'
About fifteen minutes alter Tue alarm
was first sounded the steamer Atlantic ar
rived upon the ground and took up us
position At The corner oil I'm ana NAN
streets the Vigilant soon after appeared
anu maze mn attachment NJ inc MCLuFS
House corner, and the United followed
At the corner OF Eth and Chapllhe streets
1t took some line to make the necessary
preparations for work-many, say longer
than rcnllynccessary-but finally astream
was thrown against the wall Of the build
ing, hich,looked like business, II II didn
amount to anything. 1t was louhd
impossible to throw stream 10
the top Of the building, and
accordingly considerable water was
wasted, and nothing accomplished. A
short time Niterward q stream was
thrown on the burning building from the
roof Of the City Building, which appeared
to have some elect. About this time,
however the United engine run through
herself" and was abandoned as worth
less, We understand that the engineer
OF the United was not NJ his post, ana nm
Ignorant boy was running the engine ut
'he llme o. Inc accIuenI' ihr NlslIum!
steamer "lso lnet WIN = sisnt "euiut.t
ny 'he bursting ol Her nlT ,ump uG :' sLJ
. Al - III ........, {
~ ,nro" p'e"! soo"'''@eu ''''e"" VI
"| ,rS
lug upper Iartoi '.aG ,, p'',,ui'S mas "oT
burning merJe's, "" 49,, Toa GtGr! "
loFa WI "' T ~ ~! wv HL'a ~ m"' y"
IN iLs hoovens nnj the smokc Lpcnme
blacker and denscr, Many thought at
first that the two lower floors Of the build.
ngcould be saved, but the fire made such
rapid progress that it wassoon evident to
Mi that the entire building would go. The |
dull, rumbling sound of the falling roof
startled the multitude on the street, and
there was general surge backwards for
some moments, rs II with one mind the
hundreds Of frightened beings expected
the walls to fall. The fall Of the floor, too,
created considerable alarm, but it was not
long before the most timil were again
venturing into dangerous proximity to
the walls.
BARE WALLS.