Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1878-12-25
A DISASTROUS FIRE.
The Old Machine shops OIL the
Corner Of Water and Twen-
tieth Streets Burhed-The Or.
igin Of the Fire Unknown
Probable Loss $4,000.

igin Of the Fire Unknown
probable Loss $4,000.
The alarm OF fire sent in from box No
ll2, last night about IL O'Clock, was
caused by the burning Of the ma
chine shops OF Hobbs 4 Brother
and the boiler works Of ID. Cady, To-
Gated on the corner Of Water and
Twentieth streets. The origin OF the
fire il not known, but it is generally be-
iieycd, however, that the building
caught fire from the furnace in the en-
zine room of the establishment, as the
works had been running all day yester-
,ay until lite last evening.
The establishment is an old concern,
having bten built probably twenty
wears ago, and occupied by the late firm
oi Hobbs, Taylor " Co., in the same
line oi mar uiaCture rs that Ut the pre-
sen, firm. The property which is u to-
tai loss, wns owned by the Franklin
Euilding Association, who held deed
If trust on it, and who, at public sale
some months since, bought il III order
tu secure the debt. The machinery,
which is also total loss, Was owned by
Hobbs u Bro. The burning oi the
boiler works, which was partially in
| sured, and owned by ID. Cady, willincur a
los, oi about $500, rs all OF the tools and
| a large lu, of material were so much
! damaged - to render them entirely USE
! less. The total loss To the Building As
sociation, Messrs. Hobbs Il Bro. and Mr..
! Cady will be about $4,000, on which
! there il some insurance, which is SAID
! Ia be in home companies, the names OF
! which We were unable To learn last
, night. 1t is said, however, that the
/ .Etna and Peabody insurance c0mpa.
. MES, about four months ago, held So
! 900 on tia, property, and had 1t equally
! divided h.tween themselves, but that
| they dre,. out, owing to the tact that
other ronpanies either took or offered
To- takct the risk at Il lower
rate than shcy demanded. The Centre
| Foundry ,towned by Alex. Cecil 4 Co.,
was slighGy damaged on the mort invest
corner bf fire, but is sufficiently III
sured in the -Etna to make good all
losses, which are very small, being not
more than 500, il that much.
4 row ui tenement houses, owned by
the Baltimore 4 Ohio railroad company,
and which is located south of the ma
chine shops and boiler works, were
damaged, ut the north end by the burn
ing ui the roof and u kitchen OF one oi
! the dwellings, to the extent OF s9Oo,
OH which there il no insurance.
NOTES ,ND INCIDENTS.
Plenty to give advice, but lew Ia as
! si~t.
The glare from the burning building
threw weird light over the sea Of faces
and on distant spires.
The boiler kept up continual whistle
and frightened many away, from tear ol
an explosion.
The soilcd doves will be purified by
fire" remarked a bystander.
Something seemed the matter with
the hoses.
Tho bursting of a section in one III the
engines, scattered water and dlSmay
among the crowd.
Ncighboring windows were filled with
hanketrd figures, which did not show
up we'll in the bright light.
Fortunately the strong wind blew III
the direction il did, or the fire might
have been worse.
\ sick man was hurriedly removed
from the tenement house Oh the north
The engines were promptly on the
ground, but there WAS hitch some
where.
Various unpleasant Iumors were cir'
culatcd concerning the origin OF the fire
Some persons are not happy unless
they are picking character to pieces
When the raiters and shafting fell, the
nozzlemcn turned the hose on the crowd
A cold night for ducking.
The Centre Foundry narrowly cs
capped, being on fire several times. Some
people enjoy fire like u circus, and
concern was expressed on but few Iaccs
The old boiler sang like dying swan
whistling ont its death note to the last.
No less than five hundred selt-c0nsti
mtcd Fire Marshals could he heard Is
suing orders.