The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-31
DISASTROUS FIRE
Las. Nigh, in .lGe Fourth Ward.
Burning OF BrodIe's Carpenter
shop, CaldWell's Feed htore
and BOtSiOrd's Spice Mills.


and BotSiord's spice Mills.
About hali.paSt eight o'clock last even.
Ing fire broke out In the upper story Of
J. NJ. Brodie's carpenter shop, on the cor.
ner Of Market and 18Th streets, which
spread so rapidly that within few mo.
mentS the building was wrapped in
flames, and II was apparent to oil that 1t
could not be saved. The fire department
was on the ground promptly, and worked
hard TO save the property, but owing 10
the large amount Of combustible material
In the carpenter shop they made but little
Roadway. The flames soon communicated
with the adjoining building, occupied by
Mr.. Harry Caldwell as a feed store, which
also being frame, burned rapidly.
The evening being quite pleasant, a
great many people were on the streets,
and in u short time an immense crowd
assembled about the burning buildings,
and to great extent obsiruCted the
working Of the department. Many, how.
ever, worked hard 10 save goods from the
devouring element, filling the streets and
pavements with baled hay, sacks Of grain,
barrels Of flour and miscellaneous articles
Of furniture, The heat Of the fire was so
intense that the large crowd was forced
back, and the dense clouds OF heavy, black
smoke which rolled up from the burning
grain settled down again and covered the
scene Of the conaagralion us pail. The
roofs Of the buildings on The opposite aide
OF the street were observed 10 be smoking
from the CiFects Of the great heat, but a
number Of active men ascended with
buckets Of water and cooled of the
scorched timbers.
For long time il seemed certain that
the two.story building occupied by Mr..
w. NJ. Botstord as dwelling house and
store room would be destroyed. By Wig.
orOus work on the part Of the FIRE depart.
ment, however, the building,whic prob.
ably owes its safety 10 tin roof, was
saved in a slightly damaged condition.
Mr.. Botsford's spice mills, in the rear Of
his store room, were totally destroyed,
together with the machinery therein.
Moorehead's boiler sheds, adjoin-
ing Brodie's shop, on 18th street,
were burned down. Fears we're at one
time entertained that the flames would
communicate 10 the 81. Johns German
Lutheran Church, on Market street, near
Mr.. Botsfords spice mills, but stream
OF water was brought TO bear upon the
smoking walls, and the progress Of the
fire thus checked. Rev. Vaas, the pastor,
lives Immediately in the rear Of the
church, and becoming alarmed at his
close proximity to the fire had his furni-
ture removed. The roof OF Mr.. Vaas'
house was slightly damaged.
TIE Loss
will be much more severe than at Erst
anticipated. Mr.. BrOdies loss will be
about as follows: building, 81, 600; stock,
consisting Of worked lumber, such as
doors, shutters, sash, etc, estimated at
s., 500. His insurance aggregates 800,
and is distributed among the following
companies: Ben. franklin, Allegheny,
Pa, 1888; Franklin, Wheeling, 1888;
Farmville, Va, $3.50.
The boiler sheds OF the Messrs. More.
head were totally destroyed. They have
no idea what their loss will amount 10,
and wait Tor daylight 10 ascertain the full
extent oft. The sheds were used for rivet-
ing boilers, and outside OF come valuable
tools which are missing the loss will prob.
ably not exceed several hundred dollars,
as the buildings were roughly and cheap.
ly constructed. There was no insurance
on them.
Mr.. Caldwell was unable to state exact.
ly what his loss would be. The building
cost him about 81 500, and be had probs.
bly, $1,000 worth of stock on hand. A
considerable portion Of this stock, how
ever, was saved. Mr.. Caldwell's insurance
was as follows: $3.50 on stock, and $3.50
on building, in the American, Of Phila-
delphia.
Mr.. Botsford saved some Of his stock and
furniture, how much he does not know.
The building was damaged somewhat by
fire and water. The spice mills were
burned to the ground, but it is yet i'm.
possible TO ascertain the full extent Of the
damage to the engine and machinery,
which were valued at about $4,000. Mr..
Botsford was insured in the Peabody, Of
Wheeling, as follows: house S., 900; mill,
5000; stock, 400; furniture, Sl0O.
The opinion generally prevails that the
fire was the work Of an incendiary,
Neither Mr.. Brodie nor any of his men
had been at work in the shop for several
days, and no fire was ever kept in the
second story, where the light was first
seen. The shop was kept locked, and it
is clearly evident that some pcoundrel
iorcibly effected an entrance 10 the build
ing for the purpose Of firingit.
4 ST. LOUIS BRowSs vs.. Standards