Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-03-03
BURNED TO ASHES.
The Fine New School House, the Record
Newspaper Office and Several
Business Houses and Dwell
iings Destroyed.
COLONEL CHILL HAZARDS MUSINGS.

MoSosaAHkLA CIrr. March 2-This bust.
hsg, thriving little town was to-day visited
by fire which at first seemed likely TO
sweep away the business portion Of the
place. Although tie frst fears were not
fully realized, the fire became Of such pro.
portions as to induce the authorities 10 ssnd
to Pittsburgh for aid, but Il vas soon found
that the fire could be controlled By the
local force and the request vas counter.
mandsd.
The Are started in Cooper's pool room on
Main street. and was discovered at quaftsr
Of four o'clock. How Il originated Il not
known, but II is supposed that defective
fiue in Cooper's place was the cause. The
alarm was given at once, but the frame
building where the flames were was moth.
ing but tinder box, and before organised
work was begun the fire was under fierce
headway and spread rapidly, there bsing
sufficient wind to give the flames strength.
The fire burned for over six hours, and de-
stroyed the buildings on Fourth street and
bank, where Il Was stopped. The bank II
scorched, but 10 damaged only . little. The
building which was the most valuable OF
those destroyed was the magnificent new
school house.
The building was
Totally Destroyed.
The buildings which were destroyed or
damaged on Fourth and Main streets wero
Leda's meat market the Record printing
office, Cooper's photograph rooms, the
Market Exchange grocery, Coopsrs. pool
rooms, McLAins sewing machine depot
the military store Of the Misses Bird. Dr.
Sloan's fine residence and Office, Mrs. Silrs
millinery store, Alderman Williams Office,
Smiths confectionery store, the Central
block and McFarlands carriage repair
works. Some Of these buildings were
burned entirely and all wire damaged be-
bond repair. X. +. Cooper, who owned the
pool room, was asleep when the irs Was
discovered, and was with difficulty aroused.
lie escaped but had close call from being
cremated.
II Il impossible TO give the losses 10 de-
tail, but the aggregate will be about tSO. .0o
OF this amount about $00. 900 10 covered BY
insurance In the Connesticut, Beading,
National OF Allegheny, Teutonia, Maternal
of Connecticut, London, and .Ancashirs In.
suranes companies.
The DshSsl Msasa
was completed about two years ago, and
cost in the neIghborhood Of go, 900. Il was
built under the supervision OF T. n. vii.
liams and J. d. Bheplar, who we're the
school directors In charge Of the matter.
There are now out about 81. 900 worth of
the bonds issued 10 pay for the building.
II was of brick, and was remarkably COM
plets In all Its details. Chill Haxxird, 10
not necessary to ssy that In
the loss OF our beautiful school
building, the finest In the State, our pride
and our delight, We stand In the presence
Of great calamity. such ~ has never be.
fore befallen us q people. The heart OF
every man. woman and child Is this morn.
ing filled with sorrow over the loss 0f the
building. This is the sorrowful fact, and
no establishment oan emphasize II. Our
deep sense of this loss now. in its freshest
panes, will prompt us TO act Immediately,
and new house must rise from Its ashes"