The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-10-12
A DAY OF DISASTERS.
A BIG FIRE AND A COLLISION.
Logan a oo!TDruE store Destroyed by Fire
Saturday FOrenOon-Two FlrsmSn Ia.
iurod by the Fall of a Laddor-A Cas-
ualty on the Hsmpnsld Division.

The most destructive fire Wheeling has
seen for several years occurred Saturday
forenoon, and had it not been for the eff
cient and prompt services OF the depart
ment the fire would have taken on the
proportions Of a confagration. AS it was
the flames were confined to the building
in which they originated, although owing
to the surroundings this required hercu.
lean work on the part OF the 6rcmen. Be-
tween s and O'Clock slight explosion
occurred in the cellar OF Logan & Co.'s
drug store, on the corner OF Main and
Tenth streets. A clerk was in the cellar
at the time, drawing some varnish from a
large can. He heard slight sound, and
looking around, found the other end OF
the cellar mass Of flames. He ran up.
stairs aud gave tho alarm. By this time
a dense volume Of smoke was pouring out
Of the cellar, and it was not long until the
flames followed.
The spread Of the FIRE was 80 rapid that
those In the building barely had time TO
escape. DR.. Logan was in the fourth story.
He made his way down to the second,
where the stairway was blocked by the
smoke, and he was obliged to jump from
window. Several girls employed in the
laboratory escaped from u window TO a
low roof and thence to the ground. Mr..
Joseph Bell, q partner in the firm, was on
the sidewalk when the fire started. He
went into the Office and locked the safe,
barely having time to do so when driven
out by the fire.
THE DEPARTMENT EMBARRASSED.
In the excitement which attended the
first discovery OF the fire three fire alarm
boxes were simultaneously pulled, the re-
suit being an alarm which nobody could
read. The different companies were at
some difficulty and valuable time was lost.
The VigiIant engine first got stream on,
and wa closely followed by tho Island hose.
Inremarkably short time, all things consid-
cred, the whole department arrived and
all the machines began playing on the
building, with such good effect that tho
FIRE was gotten under control and
kept within the drug store. Consider
ing the amount OF inHammable material
stored in the cellar and upper stories this
is to be wondered at, The large iour.story
building was entirely Quilted, of course,
but DR.. Logan's dwelling, adjoining, and
other buildings near, escaped. The iurni-
ture in the residence was slightly dam
aged by water. In the cellar were about
forty barrels OF oil, and had the FIRE
reached this the entire square would
doubtless have been burned. This result
seemed imminent for some time, and a
portion OF the household goods were re-
moved from the dwelling.
CASUALTIES.
In going to the fire Chief Cummings
buggy knocked over lady. She vas un-
hurt, and the accident was her own fault.
a ladder on which Foreman Snyder and
Extraman Mahony, of the Atlantic engine,
were handling hose, slipped, throwing
the two men to the ground and breaking
the ladder. Snyder was beneath the
ladder, and had an ankle sprained and re-
ceived severe internal injuries. Mahony
was painfully bruised, but did not quit
work. Snyder was taken home and the
bystanders started purse for his benefit
L asst evening Snyder was suffering much
pain, but was in fair way TO recovery.
Foreman Sylvis, Of the Island hose, was
directing stream OF water into the cellar
when can OF benzine or some similar
substance exploded, blowing him back
ward and singing his hair and whiskers.
Fortunately he escaped serious injury.
Mr.. Bell and one or two employees had
their clothes or hair singed somewhat, but
none Of them suffered any considerable in
jury.
the PROBABLE CAUSE, LOSS, ETC.
The origin Of the fire is enveloped in
mystery. 1t was reported that 1t was
caused by the explosion OF escaping gas,
but as a light had been in the cellar all
morning this theory is not tenable. 1t is
believed that the spontaneous combus-
ton Of some chemical started the flames.
The first explosion was merely puff,
which seems to sustain this theory.
DR.. Logan and Mr.. Bell estimate the
loss at S25,COO or $4,000 on stock, and
about s., COO on building. The insurance
was as follows: