The New York herald., 1879-08-05
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.
C
rThe Town Of Volcano, w.
] Va, Obliterated.
FLEEING TO THE MOUNTAINS
aCOnnagrations Elsewhere Involv-
I ing Serious Losses.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
WHEELING, W. Va. August 4. 1879.
The town Of Volcano almost utterly destroyed
by fire this morning 1t was situated in the county
of Wood and contained about two thousand inhab
itants. the greater part of whom compelled ts
flee to the neighboring mountains for shelter.
NO WATER SUPPLY.
The flames were discovered about four o'clock,
in the store of Thompson & Barnes. and spread
with great rapidity. Owing to the lack OF
sufficient supply of water very little could
be done to check their progress. They
reached q number of tanks containing
largo quantities of OIL which exploded with ter
rife noise. and it thrown hundreds of feet in
all directions. Wherever it fell it continued to
burn and enveoped in flames the nearest
combustble objects 1t ran through the streets In
blazing torrents
FEARFUL SPREAD THE FLAMES.
As all Of the buildings composed Of wood.
they kindled from doorsteps and sidewalks as we'll
as on the shingled roofs. The OF the conhagra
storm, the heat everywhere unendur-
able and fright was almost universal. Homes were
deserted in moment scarcely trinket or keep
sake being rescued from the destroyer. and women
and children. huddling together in distracted
groups. gazed In terror at the growing ruin around
them or started to at alarms. never
pausng until they far distant in the open
fields Many scarcely more composed.
although some of them worked with heroic will.
with all the available means at hand and even in the
face of despair for it utterly hopeless task to
combat the blistering and raging heat
The hotel several churches. the post and telegraph
offices and tho office Of the West Virginia Walking
Beam, a weekly newspaper we're all on fire at nearly
the same time, and quickly vanished into dissolvins
smoke.
FLEEING FOR LIFE.
The town was in a narrow valley between two ex-
ceedingly steep and lofty hills and was without
....- Is ia e.-..~--e.a. -es..-,-t
said .since the previous Monday. on account OF his
treatment OF me at q picnic on that day. when he
walked off from to join other company My
baby and myself very sick on Friday night.
and about eleven O'Clock went down stairs to
< ct some brandy liquor store the first hoor.
The store had just been closed, and the proprietor
who standing outside SAID ne was sorry ne coulu
mot accommodate me. Officer Pendergast. who hap
pened to come along, heard the remark and no
said:-.Well, Mrs. Maher. as you say you are SO
ck and need it badly, I'll and see II the stores
IN the corners above are OPEN. He went away and
lad absent sonAs geaiaSe'r which he came back and
munity will be severe one. from which It win re-
but slowly. The insurance is largely held by
Wheeling companies.
SOME OF THE LOSSES
The following is list of the heaviest losses:-
The Volcano Oil Company. loss $4,000, no insur-
ance w. c. Stiles Jr.. $4,000. insurance $4,000;
Graham Smith. s12.OOo. insurance $1,000; Thomp-
son Barnes 50. .soO insurance $4,000; Odd Fellows
Hall, 14oo, insurance $1,000; G. H. wetman.
S5,000 no insurance.
Ten stores the Post Office, the railroad depot and
telegraph Office. q hotel the Walking Beara
printing office. nine dwelling houses. the West vir.
gnia Transportation Office. Smiths boiler works,
one pumping station. several other small buildings
and GOO barrels of heavy oil were burned. Almost
the entire contents of the stores and dwellings
consumed.
W. c. stiles. Jr. is insured in the Pennsylvanta
Fire. of Philadelphia for 9oo the weschester In.
New York. $4,000.
Messrs Graham Il Smith are insured in the Queen.
of Liverpool 81 900; the American Union Insur.
ance of London, 81 900: the Niagara. Of New York.
s3OOO and the Pennsylvania. Of Philadelphia,
$1,000.
Tho fire was undoubtedly the work of an incen-
diary. There two attempts made short time
ago to burn the town. and since that time night
watchmen have been placed on duty. This fire was
discovered Just after the watchmen retired.
The total loss will reach $4,000 The known in.
surances aggregate $4,000. Tho prevailing CON-
fusion renders it impossible obtain full list Of
assurances at present.
LOSS OF FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS IN LAKE