Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-04-24
A SUNDAY BLAZE.
The North wheeling Glass Works
Destroyed,
Together With Michael Sweeney's Resi-
dence-An Incendiary Fire-Descrip-
ton of the Burning and Particu-
lars Of Loss and Insurance.

u
of fire was sounded on the Capitol bell that
was worse than the confusion OF tongues at
the tower OF Babel. The people ran this
way. the engines ran that, while those who
were cool and collected enough to stand
still and wait for signs in the sky soon dis
covered bright light in the northern
heavens, and thither the people and engines
rushed. The lurid illumination gave no
clue to the locality of the fire; and in his
hurried flight the reporter could hear all
sorts of surmiseS as to what partic ular
building or block the fire was raging in. 1t
was only when Fourth street was reached
that one could perceive that 1t was the
NORTH WHEELING GLASS WORKS.
In the early stages OF the fire the flames,
by the force of a strong gale blowing from
the north, were engaged in licking up like
so much chafT two story frame dwelling
belonging TO Michael Sweeney, an employe
of the Z. w. Il Ky. railroad. The efforts OF
the firemen TO this point To keep the hre
from spreading to adjoining buildings and
those on the opposite side OF the street.
At times the tongues Of fire wJuid dart
nearly halfway across the street as II leap.
ing from the mouth OF some horrld NON
ster of destruction bent on reaching its
prey.
THE HEAT WAS INTENSE.
which interfered in no slight manner with
the firemen. At numerous times the frame
buildings in close proximity were on tire'
but the flames were quenched by those
who owned the property, aided by outside
sympathizers. When the flames had de-
youred everything OF an intiammable
nature at the south end OF the fire, begun
eating its way into the glass works build
ing in the face of q brisk north wind. 1t
was soon
SEETHING MASS OF FIRE.
roaring. cracking and suffering as if it
was enjoying the destruction ii was work
ing. The heavens were brilliantly illumi-
mated at this juncture, the waxing crecent
of the moon showing brilliantly againStthe
dark blue background, and the rived turn
ed to hue Of red from the
reflection, while the outlines OF
the country opposite were easily
observable by the lurid light, while at the
windows of the Hospital just across the
street, could be seen the pale and anxious
faces OF the Sisters peering out, all aiding
in picturing weird scene that rose to
grandeur in spite OF the desolation that was
being worked.
\ THRILLING SEINE.
The lire now had full possession OF the
works, the roof being on fire at several
points, and was cracking like fish in
in a frying pan. Under this canopy OF
fire could be seen workmen fitting here
and there filling up the furnace with coal
so as to keep the fire up and thus save the
glass. The men were i'll danger of being
struck with falling timbers and debris, but
stuck to their work nobly, as did all of the
employees who were deeply interested in
saving property.
THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL.
At half-past nine o'clock the fire was
gotten under control. The water service
was very defective, the streams thrown
from the plug and engine being very weak
The reason for this was that the water
main in that section of the city is only
four inches in diam eter, supplying hardly
enough water for one engine. Attention
was called to this main at the time of the
fire at the COpperas works some time since
when the supply was equally short.
INF PROPERTY DESTROYED.
The fire started in the packing room OF
the glass house, spreading to the annealing
house, engine house and to the dwelling
house OF Michael Sweeney on the south,
and from the packing room the glass works
proper on the north. The entire frame
work oil the establishment was destroyed.
The furnace remains in tact, and with the
glass saved in it, work will be resumed to-
day, and the company will be able TO sup
ply all orders of the trade. The total
amount Of property destroyed will foot mp
about SIS. OO0
T,iE WORKS AND THE COMPANY.
The glass works destroyed were originally
built by the late Michael Sweeney, who
was the pioneer glass manufacturer i'll this
section OF the country. The establishment
has changed hands several times. aud for a
long time was idle. In 1878 anumber of rac.
teal wOrkmen formed 4 join stock company
and almost rebuilt the works, adding many
modern appliances in the art of glass
making, and furnishing il with all the
cOnvenienceS necessary for conducting a
iirst-ClasS establishment, together with a
ten pot furnace. The prominent mem.
bers of the company are Ross j. Alexan-
der President Fred Parke, Secretary; VIM.
otto, Manager; Joseph Fox and II. Fred
esck. Besides these three there is large
number who own stock AID are regular
employees. The works employed about
one hundred men aud boys, engaged in
making bottles eXClu~ lively. The works
were running on full time and had plenty
OF orders ahead.
THE CLASS WORKS Loss.
Mr. Parke. the Secretary, claims that
the loss of the company will amount to
about SIS. 900 above the insurance. AbDu,
S, 900 was lost in their own warehouse, but
the bulk Of the stock was stored i'll the old
Superior Machine Works. and was COnse-
quently saved
The total insurance is 81 100, placed by
the Fire and Marine agency. On the main
building and tools 81 $50 each in La Conf.
ance, of Paris, and Northern New York
On stock $1,000 each in the Merchants, OF
Newark, New Jersey. and the Fire and Ma
rirc, of Wheeling.
NOTES
Secretary ,Parke said last night that he
thought the works would be rebuilt. For
the present however, Il temporary struC
ture would be put up, so that the company
will be able to fill all orders without inter
ruption. When rebuilt the works will be
entirely remodeled, and made more sub.
stantial than the structure destroyed.
Crowds at fires are all amusing to the
student OF human nature, and last nights
congregation OF humanity was no eXcep-
ton.
The people don't believe that distance
lends enchantment. Ii was proved last
night BY the large number ot people who
walked over a mile To see the blaze
The fire department did as we'll as they
could with the short supply of water at
their disposal. a larger main should be
put in.
The confusion in the signals resulted
from two boxes-l3 and lt-being pulled
at the same time.
The wind was favorable for disastrous
COniiagratlon, and if il should have yeered
considerable more property would have
been food.
A north Main street belle and her escort
escaped being run over by reel.
"BrUner," as the boys call him. created
some merriment in the crowd by standing
on the roof of a shed and pointing street
hose on the burning building. The stream
was sicklier than that elected from an alder
squirt gun.
The plug on Coal street was turned the
wrong way at first, locking ii tightly. SU
perintendent Riddle came to the rescue aI9
Openedit, bringing the first full stream.
The lire was supposed to have been in