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

all sides there was plenty of the same dry
fuel. Little centers of flames boiling like
witoh's Ca1Idfon'
leaped yards through the air, and clasPlng
in larger areas everything that came INTO
their reach, shouted, Kissed and reyellec'
while high piles Of lumber, strong. houses
and thick walls of brick were crushed and
crumbled into ashes. The flames shot
a hundred feet into the air and myriads OF
SHARKS as large as 9 bushel basket
bovered and foated amid the glare and
smoke seeming to be amid the stars. The
awful glare penetrated to the farthermost
pats of the city and the entire community
turned out en- masse to witness the spectacle.
They collected on house tops, choked all
the thoroughfares leading to the Flats and
covered the browS of the hills
Like Swarming Bees.
In the very heat of the con6agration were
the men whose property was burning up,
and the toiling Gremen, policemen and a
LARGE number OF adventurous loafers. All but
the latter, fought the FIRE with courage and
Dissemination, but the immense furnace
roared and hissed, complacently mocE1ng
them, and reached out grad
ually and surely, sucking into its vortex
everything possible to reach. The sparks
puffed up like chsff from the tanning ma
chine and fell ike q shower of rain. Some
were not sparks, but great brands the
terrible heat bearing them slowly
up like toy balloons and the wind carry
ing them miles away.
At 7:30, when the FIRE was approaching
the occupants of Potter, Birdsall L Co. s Of
fee, II was decided to move. John Mcbride
and his wife live in the upper rooms and
Mr.. Mcbride has been so i'll that he was un-
able to move The Police officers and other
willing hands carried Mr. Mcbride outside,
and he was removed across the railroad to
\ Place Of Safety.
Wagons were brought up and household
goods taken to friends house near by
A large safe in Woods, Perry & Co.'S office
was rolled out by the entire strength of
twenty men with many crowbars,
and that heavy pieces Of furniture
was soon rolled up the sidewalk
to the bridge Office Of Cleveland. The
Board OF Lumber Dealers between Woods
Perry L Co. and Potter { Birdsall was like
wise cleaned out, and by the time the
flames reached these three Offices, there was
nothing OF value in them to burn,
and the structures themselves were
reduced TO ashes in an incredibly short
space of time. The aggregate loss is esti
mated at from two million to two million
and halt. 1t is impossible to give individ-
nal figures tonight. Woods, Perry & Co.
had no insurance. The policies lately ran
out. King & Co had 100000, and Potter,
Bird.an 4 Co. ffty-seven thousand insur-
) nee.
At o'clock the fire seems practically
under control Relief engines arrived from
Akron and Erie, and others are expected.
The entire militia OF the city is ordered to
be in readiness if necessary to do police
duty, but they have not yet been ordered
out.
No Accidents.
No serious accidets yet reported. Woods,
Perry & Co. s loss is quarter ofa million.
House 4 Davidson lose fifty thousand.
Both of their planning mills being destroy
ed Hubbell L Westover's lumber yard is
going. Loss, forty thousand King L
Co. lumber ward DESTROYED. Loss, $780,
900. Variety Iron Works, loss not ascer-
tanned Loss on Stanleys candle fac
tory is about ten thousand.
Potter BirdsalI 4 Co.'S lumber
ward gone; loss Sl5O,OOO: Howelrs
coal conn pany sheds burned; loss not given.
About 50 freigh, cars belonging to differ
ent roads, which were standing in Woods,
Perry 4 Co ward, were burned. Eynon
Il Sons machine saop were destroyed; less
than $4,000. New York Pennsylvania and
Ohio freight bOuse was saved.
The fire extended along the river from
Scranton avenue TO the BelleyieW tracks
and back to the bonded warehouse. Every
thing within that district was consumed
StIll Burning.
At one o'clock it has crossed the Bee line
track and is eating up the lumber yards Of
Hubbell 4 Westever and Coywood &
Intrhins