The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-05-29
RuCKIYE BLAzEs.


works, at Martins Ferry, from Total
Destruction-The Noble work OF the
.Bueket Brigade"
A great deal Of excitement was mani
tested in the city yesterday morning, oc.
easioned by the circulation Of report
that the Buckeye Glass Works, at Mar.
tins Ferry, had been destroyed by fire,
and that other buildings in that vicinity
we're in danger OF destruction. The ap.
prehensions Of the people for the safety
Of the town were increased when It was
noised abroad that Chief Marshal Eccles
had been telegraphed to for engines to
aid in subduing the flames. Happily,
however, the worst features Of the report
proved to be untrue, as the facts cleaned
from q visit to the scene disclosed only
the smoking ruins Of q shed used by the
Glass Works for the storage oil benEine
and odds and ends.
The TACT, however, that the fire was con.
fined to the shed will not convey to the
reader any idea Of the imminent danger
the entire establishment was in at the
time; nor will 1t be possible to overpraise
those who worked so nobly and faithfully
in staying the flames. The main estab.
lishment only escaped total destruction by
the fortuitous circumstance that the wind
was blowing towards the river, and the su.
perhuman exertions OF the populace, who
worked with effect after the "bucket line"
to the river was established.
The dimensions OF the shed, which was
totally destroyed, were fifty by seventy.flve
feet, and It was used for the purpose oil stor.
| ing benzine aud odds and ends. The con.
tents consisted OF six.y.fve barrels OF ben.
zine, a number OF barrels OF seconds" or
unsaleable stock, Are brick and lumber.
The fire was first discovered about half
past eight o'clock by parties across the
river, who attracted the attention OF the
engineer by their cries, and that gentle.
man Immediately sounded the alarm by
blowing the factory whistle. The sigma
brought to the scene, one man said about
1000 people, but the estimate being cut
down BY cooler calculation would prob
ably FIX the number at 500. The shed being
situated on the bank OF the river, buck,
ct line was formed, and the old fashioned
fire brigade did good execution, many
keeping at their posts at the risk oil beinG
scorched by the flames, The heat was SC
intense that the packing room opposite
was discovered to be smoking, and the et
forts OF the people were concentrated OF
this part OF the establishment Two Bah
cock extinguishers were brought to play
on the flames, and the gentlemen who op
Grated them, Mr.. Geo Robinson, engineer
and Mr.. Tom Craig, foreman OF the factory
we're severely burned and blistered while
manipulating the machines. II the WING
had yeered at this juncture, there is nc
question but what the entire works woulC
have been destroyed, anditis possible tina
the conaagration would not have stopped
here.
The damage done in the destruction o
the shed and stock will amount TO 81 900
which is fully insured in Eastern com
panies. The only loss will be $3.50 on thu
benzine, upon which there was no insur
ance. The theory OF the origin OF the FIRE
is spontaneous combustion. The fapt tina
] cinder-pile back OF the shed has beer
smouldering for some time past, give
credence to another theory that the ben
zine leaked from the barrels, and running
TO the cinder pile was ignited. Mr.. Johr
F. Miller, the Secretary Of the Buckeye
, Works, Is unstinted in his praise Of thu
efforts OF the citizens who worked sc
Effectively in combining the flames to thu
shed. Many women were in the buckle
line, and worked as faithfully as the men
Mr.. Miller desires us to conyeythe thank
OF the company to those who aided in sub
dung the FIRE, and further says, that h'
will be glad to reimburse any who suffered
any loss.
fhe FIRE conveys warning to the Mar
tins Ferry authorities, which they will b.
wise in profting by. The facilities fo
putting out fire are limited; in fact, tn,
town may be said to possess no facilities
whatever. The purchase Of an engine
would at least insure higher degree o
safety than the town now enjoys.