Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-11-27

1
brick residence adjoined the premises OF
the east, was down stairs and had at
tached hose TO his pump, Miss Kate An
derson and Gen. q. w. HOge, who reside
across the street. had put in an appear
ance upon the scene, and an earnest en-
deavor was made to quench the fire Will
water, but us the minutes passed, the
flames, which apparently originated in
the cellar, clambered rapidly up the dry
Notwithstanding, and were soon beyond
control. The burning building could
not be saved, and nothing was left to be
done but save as much of the adjoining
property as possible and of the contents
of the building on fire. A general alarm
from the Presbyterian Church and Court
House bells, rang out upon the mid
night air, and the wild cry of Fire.
"Fire!p along the streets, aroused from
their slumberS the most dreamy of our
citizens. Before long an ample crowd
of excited people were on the scene,
each i'll his own way doing as he deemed
best to save the property of his neigh
bors from destruction. Some were speed
lily on the house-tops of the adjoining
buildings-some enlisted Ill the water
brigade-some were engaged in assist
ing in removing goods and household eff
fects on the square to safer quarters,
while others were standing with folded
hands, shivering with fear, or admiring
the grandeur of the display.
The building being wood, and of an
cient origin, after the fire got under head
way, it burned very rapidly, making a
big blaze. 1t was was with the greatest
difficulty that the account books of the
store were saved-the showcase, and a
very few articles of furniture, such as
chairs and an organ belonging to Miss
Mary Giffen, but she was not so fortu-
nate in securing eighty dollars in green
backs, which she had drawn day or
two previous from the School Board,
and placed for safe keeping in bureau
drawer.
To add CONSERVATION to the scene,
when the flames were the fiercest, five
kegs of gun powder, which were in the
store, exploded, scattering burning frag-
ments in all directions. Shortly after
ward driving storm set IN, blowing di-
rcctly from the west, carrying in its
path great showers of sparks to alight
on the wooden roofs all around. AT one
time the danger seemed imminent that
the whole block, in which there are sew
eral business houses, as far, at least, as
Campbell's, would be destroyed, and then
it was that the most superhuman, and
We may add, daring efforts of Col. Mitch
ell, in the midst almost of fiery fur
mace, assisted at intervals by Gen. Hoge,
j. A. Grove and others, to check the
flames, which had taken hold upon the
castings of the windows and doors of the
rear addition to his residence, were sue
cessful. Here was the turning point of
the fire, and upon holding it, depended
in a large measure the safety of the ad
joining buildings, and right manfully
did all who took hand battle with the
heat and sitting smoke which
them. 1t was during the
storm that drove the sheet of
flame to the east, and carried with it
hail of flying embers, which seemed to
render almost certain the destruction of
the entire block, that the operator at the
telegraph Office wired to Mayor Sweeney
of Wheeling for assistance. The May
or with commendable vigor, upon the
receipt of the dispatch, hastened to the
office in Wheeling, and asked if there
was water facilities for fire engines; be-
ing answered in the negative, and that
probably the fire was under control, no
further action in that line was had.
The building occupied by Mr.. Giffen,
which is total loss, was owned by
Mrs. John Knox of Londonderry,
Guernsey county, and was probably
worth $500. No insurance.
Tha Lose fhaf Of Clifton
& Son, in their stock of groceries and
household goods-their loss in groce-
lies amounting to about $1,000, and other
goods to about $500, upon which there
was no insurance. This is severe
stroke upon Mr.. Giffen, as it comprised
all of his worlds possessions, and was
the capital upon which he made live
lihOOd.
The damage to Col. MitchelPs resi-
dence will not fall short of $500. and to
the furniture, carpets, &C., which were
probably the most elegant in town, a like
all $1,000. The building is
insured in the North America, but there
is no insurance ON furniture. In addi-
ton to principal losses, the residents
and business houses on the square were
more or less damaged by the removal of
goods, breakage, and otherwise, as fol-
lows: e. n. Gaumer, editor of the Ga
zette, S25: C. J. Mcfarland, Sewing Ma
chimes, $50; COwen Bros, grocers, 800,
no insurance; NJ. Z. Wilson, confectiOn-
er, $3.50, insured in Cooper, Dayton;
VIM. Gephart, tin and stoves, 500, in
sured in Ohio Company, Dayton, and
Jas. Mcmillan, jeweler, S100-no insu-
rance.
The fire is thought to have originated in
some packing boxes which had been
filled with straw, and had been placed
as barricade around an exposed cellar,
which opened out on the area. This
theory is strengthened by the fact that
there were no chimneys where there had
been fre,in the neighborhood of the place
where it was first seen, and therefore
the defective flue theory is not probable.
Just how the fire was communicated to
these boxes is a mystery, but the weight
of opinion seems to incline to the idea
that some party started the fire either
Intentionally or by accident. Some one
may have taken shelter there for the
night, without leave, and in lighting a
pipe or otherwise, may accidentally have
dropped Il spark of fire. This is the
more charitable theory, and we suspect
rs near correct as any other. Apropos
to this, it is certain that there are ell
tirely too many loose and irresponsible
characters infesting this community,
who take the liberty of appropriating
comfortable quarters wherever they can
find them, regardless of the rights of
citizens. 1t is about time that vigorous
measures were take to enforce the tramp
law, and the law against vagrants.
As IA substantial token of the sympa-
thy felt by the people of the vicinity for
Mr.. Giffen, subscription of 1926 has
been raised, which will be presented to
him, 50 that he may again resume bus:-
ness.