The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-11-26
DISASTROUS FIRE.
A $250,O00 Fire Ia New Yurk-An ExClt.
lag Scens-FaIlIau Walls Bury Be.
Meath Their Ruins Brave FIremen.

NEw YORK, November 25.-One OF the
largest fires for some time pastin this city
took place this morning About o'clock
fire was discovered in the stables OF the
Eighth Avenue Horse Car Railroad. Not
withstsnding that within five minutes
alter the discovery forty streams OF water
were turned upon the blazing building, It
was only when there was nothing further
for the flames to feed upon that the fire.
men obtained the mastery. The stables
were in a four story brick building, front.
ing two hundred feet Ou Eighth avenue
and four hundred feet on Forty-ninth and
Fittieth streets, In the rear, on the Ninth
avenue side, is wilderness Of carpenter
and wagon shops and mountain OF old
barrels, many thousands stacked to the
height OF thirty or forty feet. These were
saved by the efforts OF the tiremen, who
lron the beginning specially directed
their efforts TO this point, TO prevent y
general conHagrAtion among the tenement
honses on Ninth avenue.
Almost before movement to save the
stock in the stables could be rlade, the
flames burst simultaneously from the win.
dOws on the Fiitielh aud Forty.ninth
streets sides. 1t became clear that the
building was doomed to destruction. The
cars stored on the ground floor we're run
out and saved, and the horses stalled Ou
tho upper floors were united and run
down inclined planes to the ground. There
werc nearly 500 OF them, and tho work oi
getting them out was one Of great difficult.
ty and danger. Blinded BY the esmoke and
frightened by the flames they kicked and
reared, and over one huudred had to be
abandoned to destruction. Their piteous
whining could be heard above the roar
OF the flames. The three upper floors
were one vas. sheet Of fire. Two brick
buildings, onea liquor store and the other
q RESTAURANT next TO the stable building
on the corner were saved.
At this point in tho stables an immense
quantity OF hay in bales was stored.
When these caught fire, sudden bursting
of the bars that bound the bales caused an
explosion that shattered one side OF the
building and threw ths brick wnll into tue
street. It fell with crushing force upon
the ladder on which were Chief Campbell, |
Foreman John Welsh OF engine eight, |
Foreman Henry G. Mount and John Re-
gan, OF the same company. Each and
nt! were buried under the smoking mass, |
and shout OF horror went up from the |
spectators. Their comrades instantly fell |
to the work OF rescue and soon all were
recovered, bruised, bleeding and inseEsi.
bic. Mount had his, skull and one leg
and was also injured internally. |
Hcdied an hour afterwards in tie hospital. |
Regan had leg broken and was badly
cut. Chief Campbell and Foreman Welsh |
were painfully but not seriously hurt and
remained on duty.
Hardly had the firemeu and spectators
recovered from the excitement caused by |
the fall OF the wall, when it was rumored |
that tiremen had fallen into the burning !
building, but the muster OF the companies |
later showed that all the men were pres
ent except those taken to the hospital. |
Soon afterwards the walls on Fiflieth !
street fell with crash. The flames lesped |
across the street, threatening the houses |
there. The occupants fled, and q thief in |
to enter was speedily nabbed |
and hustled of To the police station. The |
dremen gave attention entirely to the sur.
rounding property, the stables being q |
mass OF ruins. By 10 o'clock all danger
OF any spread Of the fire was over, and
number Of the engines we're sent to their
quarters. Others remain playing water
upon the dying flames. The loss is esti-
mated at about S260, 600. Insurance S27 900. |
Chief Fisher, Of the Eighth battalion,
was injured i'll the back by falling wall,
and fireman David Glossy was seriously
injured. Mount has a wife and four
childred. He was buried under the
ruins, and when discovered he was lying
with heavy irou girder across his chest.
His skull was fractured and several ribs
were broken.
Itwas almost o'clock before the road
got fairly in running order, he cars being
started from Fifty.eighth street. At that
hour the fremen were pulling down what
fragments remained Of ihe walls, and the
flames were entirely subdued. +