The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-04-06
An0rHER RLAzG.
Houston 4 BinEeIrs DFug store GATED
By Flames LAST Aight-LOss From
$4,000 10 05,OOO-Rully Insured
H.. A. aI.1a ~ kha

holANou q AAAAHAAA SNte "NNNN
By Flames LAST Aight-LOss From
$4,000 70 SS,OOO-RulIy Insured.
A few minutes after the close Of the
performance OF my Partner" at the
Opera House last night an alarm Of fire
was sent in from box %, Market and
Fourteenth streets, and was caused
by the ''sight Of smoke issuing
from the cellar door in the rear
OF Houston 4 Biugell's wholesale drug
house on the east side Of Main street
above Fourteenth street. The smoke and
are were discovered by come laborers who
were at work in the alley in the rear Of
the Opera House loading the effects Of the
my Partner" Company into wagon, and
theFe gentlemen gave the notice 10 one oil
the INTRLLIGRNcRRt force who turned in the
alarm. The Atlantic engine started
to the fire, but on account
CT an accident was delayed,
but the reel was promptly on the grounds,
aud the other engines came on soon after.
II was soon discovered that the flames
were operating in the cellar Of the build.
ing, and that their extinguishmsnt would
be attended with great difficulty. Hose
were inserted in several apaTtuTes, both
In the front and rear OF the building, and
operations were carried on for long
time from the outside, as the dense vol
u nj OF smoke that filled the room was &C
lreighted with the odor OF burning chem
iCals as to preclude the possibility Of COINS
into the building with impunitY. Once
or twice the fire came through the hooi
from the cellar, and by this msans tht
flames were put out and the building
saved, as their appearance gave an Objec
tive point to the hosemen, who soon Rttel
drowned them out,
At one time there was q cry raised tina
q man was in the building and sufocAhnl
from the dense smoke, but this turneC
out incorrect.
The fremen did the very best they
could, and succeeded In saving the build
ing and most Of ia contents, although
working under the most dlsAdVantageoul
circumstances imaginable.
THE CAUSE on TUE FIRR.
Our reporter found Messrs, Houston 1
Bingell in the building shortly after tn
FIRE was put out taking an inventory o
their stock and ascertaining their loss
Mr.. Houston said he could not account 10
the FIRE at all. lie had left the buildip
only little while before the alarm wa
heard, indeed he had not yet reached hi
home In the Fourth ward, when he heaTC
it,
Mr.. Bingell said be left the building q
$50 and there was no indication OF an,
thing wrong at that time. Mr., Blngell ex
pressed himself In favor oil the incendiRr,
theory, but did not give his reasons there
for.
Bill Turner sleeps In the building, but q
the time OF the alarm says he was Of Nc
Manaway's saloon, and from the condition
he was In at the time we saw him, l.
o'clock, we guess he was.
The contents OF the store consist OF
general line Of drugs, medicines, paint
varnishes, liquors, wines and whateve
goes TO make up the stock OF drug store
and this stock is oil more or less Injured
The principal loss was oCCAsioned b.
water flooding the cellar, where O largl
quantity Of paints, oils, drugs, yarnishe
and other articles were stored. MANI
ueulClue anu uIuk lhE6 HeTe DIUkHu VI
the first floor and some on the second.
The firm could not estimate the loss las
night, but 1t will not exceed 5000 o.
81 900, which Is fully insured In the fol
lowing companies: Hartford, OF Hart
ford, Conn, $500; Commercial Union
London, $500; Westminster, N. Y, and
the Underwriters In the Germania anc
Hanover, OF New York, for 50, 500 each.
The house belongs to James W. Paxton
and the loss to 1t will not exceed 81 1000
and 1t is thought will fall far short Of thai
figure. Mr.. Paxton has the building in
sured In T, P. Philips agency, the insur
ance being placed either In the Fire Asso
citation OF Philadelphia, or the NORTH
American, Of the same city.
The cause Of the Ere was the subject o
much comment last night, but, like formel
fires in this city, will ever remain {
mystery.
The fire at one time threatened the In
TELLIoENcER building, adjoining the burn
Ing building, and every preparations wa
made to remove the ''stoCk In trade" bu
II was found unnecessary.