Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-11-11
DISASTROUS FIRE.


Wilson's large barn and livery stables,
and the National Hotel stables, leased
By James Frasier for livery, and the
residences Of Benz Taylor, John Cal
win Payne. and Gus. Asche and Charles
Schmidt, together with several stables
and outbuiliings on the rear of the lots,
fronting on Main street, and opposite
the Public school building. 1t cannot
be ascertained who first noticed the fire,
but within an incredibly short space of
time after the alarm was given by the
ringing of the court house and school
bells, and the piercing shrieks of the
engine whistle at St. C.. & Bellaire de-
pot, both the large barns were envelOped
in flames, which leaped out in the midi
night air, with terrible fury, threaten
ing 10 an alarming degree, the safety OF
the National hotel and the block east of
further east, starting at the CHRONICLE
building. Although the night was calm,
with a gentle current of air blowing to
the southeast, which bore the flames an0
whitening heat over the south commons
and away from Main street, yet there
were times when great rolling masses
of fire would sweep out northeast as if
bent on licking up all the buildings on
east Main street. The prompt action of
our bucket brigade, which is nowhere
excelled, and the heroic fight of willing
volunteer fremen, who scaled the roofs
of buildings, and in some instances
in scorching heat. stubbornly resisted
the encreachments of the fire, suc-
ceeded in eonining it to the burnt dis
trict.
There are various theories as to the
place the fire originated and to it's origin,
but the most plausible and suthentica-
ted statement is that it was started in
one or the other of the buildings, in the
south end of the passages way between
the Butler and National House barns
which is about four feet wide, for it was
in this region the fire YVES first observed
by Mr.. Chas Troll and others, who were
among the first to discover it, ard from
whence in an incredibly short time it
spread in the establishments, bursting
forth from windows, doors and openings
in both almost simultaneously. Con-
cerniDg the origin of the fire, our inves-
tigation leads to the probability that it
was the work of an incendiary. There
had been no one about either barns
that night so far as known except the
hostlers,-Wm. Anderson, who had |
gone to bed in the office of Frazier's |
hotel stable, which was on the north |
west corner of the stable, and about |
which there was no fire when first OBJ |
served, and Wm. Anderson, teamster, |
who had not gone to bed, and who was in |
the Office of the Butler barn, engaged in
tying on whiprcracker, and w 5 Ven
nun, Buffers blacksmith, and little son,
who were in bed, and possibly some of
the proprietors early in the evening.
Mr.. Anderson had been below in the
Butler stable fifteen minutes before the
alarm and no sign of fire was discernible.
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMsTANCE-Abou IL
o'clock as Craig Stilwell, who had been
visiting at his Cousins, VS. Colby, on
South street, west of Marietta, was on
his way to his grandfathers, Samuel
Geller, ST., on north Marietta street, to
spend the night, when at the corner by
the Presbyterian church, noticed two
men in the middle of the street, travel+
ing from toward Buffers barn, to Mari
eta street, at rapid gait, and when
they came to the street they turned in
the same direction he was going. Think
ing perhaps they were pursuing him, he
quickened his pace, and just as he reach
ed the house of Mr.. Geller, they entered
the alley in rear of Mrs. Walkers prop
erty, and started on the run. Is it not
probable that those we're the men
who started the fire?
The LOssEs-Butler & Wilson's loss
they place at about $4,000, and consists
of building, which was very large 3
story, and basement, frame, occupied as
a livery stable, grain warehouse, black
smith and wagon shop, SC. Nine head
of horses were burned, one of which was
owned by Martin McC0naughy, of
Bridgeport, and had been lett there by
Mr.. Joseph Baggs, who took one of Mr..
BIS horses in its stead, to make trip to
Flushing; 81 sets of harness, 81 rigs
buggies carriages, hacks, omnibuses, sc;
farm utensils, tools. 2 sets new scales,
20 tons hay, over 500 bushels corn and
oats. A buggy belonging to VIM. Nc
Mechan. was insured. Among the seri-
Gus losses of Messrs. Butler & Wilson,
were all their books of account. They
had carried no insurance for tie past
five years.
The Nationsl Hotel stable owned by
Jas White, was a total loss, upon which
there is an insurance in the German of
Wheeling for $3.50. An Office adjoining
was owned by Mr. Jas Frazier. who
places his loss at 5000 and no insurance.
Two of his horses and a cow were
burned; two buggies, and considerable
quantity of feed.
Other losses: The dwelling house of
BENZ. Taylor, near the southeast corner
of the Butler stable, was destroyed " With
its contents-occupants barely having
time to escape, as was the house of John
C. Payne. Taylor lost I fine hogs. The
loss will be about S4OO to each of these.
The loss of Asehe and Schmidt, of
their house and personal property, will
amount to several hundred dollars. Sta