Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-09-08
ITS ORIGIN.

Millions of Feet of Lumber Blazing to
Ashes,
An alarm of FIRE Was turned in at $50
O'Clock by nightwatchman Joe Simmons,
and his story throws no light on the cause
of the FIRE. Said he Il had just
completed my rounds and arrived at
the mill went as usual
all over the ground on both sides of Carter
street and along the river and made sure
there was no FIRE or any thing else wrong in
the yard. went through the mill and after
that was going to sit down out side the door
when ! saw bright fame shoot up in the
air right in the middle of the lumber piles
between our yard aud Mr.. Kings. 1t was
in our No alley. and the moment opened
the door ran for box l3 under the New
York, Pennsylvsnis aud Ohio bridge, on
Carter street Then | came back and the
engines were here
In Few Moments.
At7:3O the tire was confined to an area
of2O0 feet square and in the midst of this
flames were sayagely burning and sending
out myriads of sparks and light pine
torches. Slowly tine FIRE gained on the fire.
men. Sparks being carried over
their heads by the wind which
had begun TO rise would
set FIRE to q small spot in the centre ofa
nile of lumber and because ofitS height and
the 6erceness of the flames nothing could
be done until the flame reached the end of
the pile, when stream wOuli be directed
that way. The lanes or alleys were so mar
soS that it was impossible TO get stream
q the place any where out the edges OF the
.htIerent piles oflumber. The spot where the
FIRE started WAS built up of green
lumber and put in from Michigan pine
woods. and though it would not be expected
10 burn we'll the heat was so intense that the
department to control By : O'Clock 1t was
in lalleys three and tour. and as the area o.
burning wood became larger the men were
forced to spread ont and less effect could be
done. At this time some of the hremen
ver, in the alleys almost
Completely Surrounded
bv FIRE and to keep from burning the stream
OF water was turned against them. Nearly
every man was thus wet down, and only
o'clock Carter streat became impossible.
The heat prevented any from going by the
buildings, and only IN some places could
the fremen stand. The owners ofthe Va
riety Iron Works had been on the roof Of
their large brick building for thirty min
utes past throwing water and guarding it in
hopes that the FIRE might be kept within
bounds and thew
Escape without Loss.
They succeeded in putting out the flames
in several places Which had cauTht from
sparks. Until the region of their building
became redhot they were successful in their
ejiect, but at : o'clock the lumber in the
ward Of C. G. King caught from the east
end of Wood, Perry { Co.'S yard, and
soon the 100000 feet in that
yard was in g partial blaze
Ths heat along that side OF
Central way soon became too intense Tor
eomfor, and despite brisk west wind
which had sprung up, the hames erePt up
IN the scutherly direction aud very quickly
cached the street. The Variety Iron Works
now caught on the root and these hames
,.sra s2bdued after short night
A, the same time the wooden
bp;J ling. a good sized shed belonging to
Woods Perry & Co, west Of this had also
cangbt ON the front side from the heat OF
the burning lumber just opposite, and at
,eption was directed 10 that when
the 6remen were called back to
The iron works building, and at
o'clock both these buildings
were burning aud the ERE Was under saca
bssdwav that the engines which could De
Kept in this street were
Enable to Cope
with il Much Of the cause Of delay was
Sonnd in the water. 1t WAS dirty and the
sng;nes would get clogged In this
manner one Of the engines which
bSd been throwing steady stream on
the southwest side Of the yard near the raul
road. was forced to suspend work for time
Ats O'Clock the shops and buildings from
Scranton Avenue TO Woods, Perry L Co. s
plauiug mill on Carter street vas on hre
and n looked as though nothing could save
them The tidy spark famed in a minute
into leauing flames and uudid years OF toll,
care and capital iudiciously sPPhed. The
sre started IA .hs a;iss ofllp5er sat oa