Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-11-07
SE1ERALSMALL BLAzES
Caused Early Last Evening By An UnsvOid-
able Accident
ON THE NATURAL GAS MAINS.
The Department Called Out But Little Actual
Damage Done.
CONSUMERS NOT AT ALL ALARMED.

The patrons Of the Natural Gas Com
uany of West Virginia were thrown INTO
something like q state of excitement about
half-past eight o'clock last evening, by a
sudden increase of the pressure, and in
many households and places Of business
there were narrow escapes from slight
damage by fire, while in at least eight
instances blazes actually started, but were
subdued before much damage had resulted.
During the day the Gas Company had
been supplying the city through
the Fourteenth street pipe,
which crosses over the Peninsula
from Fulton, leaving the Twenty-ninth
street pipe entirely closed. About the
hour stated above some employees Of the
eompany went to the Twenty-ninth street
gate to open il, thus allowing the gas to
enter the city from the CaldwelFs run
main. By some means which could not
be explained last night, the valve was
thrown wide open, and the gas rushed into
the city main at the full pressure sent IN
from the wells, pretty effectually demOl-
ishing the safety apparatus, both at Tween
ty-ninth street and Fourteenth street, as
was understood last evening. The usual
pressure on the guage at the gas office,
on Twelfth street, is four pounds, but the
sudden increase when the big pressure
came. blew the mercury from the glass
tube all over the floor, and as the guage
at Twenty-nineth street was likewise
temporarily disabled, there was for a time
no means of telling what the pressure was
or lust what was the matter. Secretary
Hazlett was sOon at the office, however,
and he. assisted By other employees OF
the company, sOOn located the trouble,
and the gas was got under control.
All over town, wherever the gas was
turned on in stoves or CRATES, the increase
in the pressure caused the flames TO burst
out with ten times, their usual force and
where there was no one present in the
room TO promptly shut off the fuel, the
surrounding woodwork was more or less
scorched. The most serious fire resulting
was ut the residence of Mr.. Jacob Berger,
at the corner of Ninth and Main streets.
The gas had been left burningi in the wash
house, in the rear of the residence, and the
flames suddenly increasing ignited the
wood work. An alarm was sent IN from
box lG, to which the department promptly
responded, the fire being e~Xtinguished al
ter the interior Of the building had been
pretty well Quilted.
Another blaze occurred at the Second
Presbyterian church, the hook and ladder
boys being at work upon it when the
alarm from box sixteen came in. Little
damage was done. Other blazes of a trivial
nature occurred at u residence on Fifteenth
street, at George McCOwan's,O on Eighteenth
street, at GOChring's on North Main street,
al DIR. MorrisOn's, at Parsons Pho
tOgraph gallery, at the River
side office, and pro baby some other places,
while there were narrow escapes at the
! Exchange Bank, at the REGISTER office,
Peterson's insurance Office, and a dozen
other buildings. At this Office . chance
visit to the press room, where the gas had
been LEFT burning in the stove, revealed the
| stove and pipe in 2 red hot state, while the
gas vas blazing and roaring ut 4 lively
rate. The temperature Of the room was
very high, and the ceiling would soon
have been in a blaze.
There is no means ofknowing just what
pressure was turned loose in the communi,
", but it could hardly have
been less than one hun
dred pounds. The men at Twenty
ninth street soon got the gas under con-
troll and shut it down, and the pressure in
the mains run down 10 less than one pound,
but it was soon brought back to its normal
| pressure and no further trouble need be
feared. The thing WAS purely al accident,
and the company has taken precautions to
prevent a repetition OF it. No alarm
WIS felt when the situation was under.
stood, and the gas will continue to hold
sway rs the best fuel this universe at
/ fOrlS-