The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-06-08
Two pAMILIEs DESTROYED.

4u0 eeGSAA AVOk VI GOs 100 Wha OCCu'
pied by the Durkin and Murphy families.
No member OF either Of these families
escaped, The fremen, in searching the
ruins Of the houses, came upon the most
narrowing scenes. Some were lying in
the halt.burneA beds. Others VINO were
awakened before death came upon them
we're clutCning each other in groups on
the floor. They were all evidently over
come by the smoke before any effort could
be made to escape.
The upper Il DOR was occupied by viii.
lam Hsnh, Jr. His father lived with
him. They were aroused by the smell Of
smoke. The young man caught up the
children and jumped from the second
story window with them, after assisting
his wife 10 the street. He wanted to help
his father down, but the old man insisted
on his jumping with the children. The
aged aud decrepit form OF the old gentle.
man was seen at the window moment
and then disappeared Just as be was
about to leap. The raging fire prevented
the making OF an effort for his rescue,
The lower floor OF No. 73l was occupied
by man named MCGuirs, who kept a
kAOSS4y ptVL0' All ul1 la'uIIy HeLe haVeu.
LIST OF TIE DEAD.
The names OF the dead are as follows:
MICHAEL MURPHY, sged 40 years; EN-.
plOyed by the South Division Railway
Company.
MRs. MICHAEL MURPHY, aged about S5
years.
ANNIE MURPHY, years old.
NELLIE MURPHY, II years old.
MRs. MARY DuREIN, aged 80 years.
PATSY LAWN, aged 4 years, a son OF Mrs.
Mary Durkin by q formar marriage.
JOHN DuRYlN, 8 weeks old.
WILLIAM HAND, aged 68 years, q butcher
II Is believed that the hre was the work
Of an incendiary. 1t was first seen by a
watchman In brewery near by. He
started over to alarm the occupants.
When In the rear OF the burned houses he
met man, who said:
There's fire. You had better turn in
an alarm"
The man disappeared Up the alley. The
watchman could not identity him II he
should see him sgain. This Is the third
lime the place has been set afre.
DELAY OF TnE ALARM.
John Welch, teamster, said that be
was at the scene Of the fire fve minutes
aftef It started. He rendered what assist.
ance he could, and helped In carrying out
the sufocated victims. WelCh said that
great delay was made 10 sending in the
alarm. This was caused by the man who
pulled the box not understanding its
workings, and the delay had much 70 do
with the fatal results.
The origin Of the Are was at frst
mystery until Q tube containing cloths
saturated with coal oil was discovered,
The articles in the tube burned from the
top and q strong smell Of the oil could
be detected on raising the contents.
The scenes Of the Ore is II the midst Of q
quarter occupied by the poorer people or
working classes, aud to-day poorly clad
men, women and children stood around
the placs discussing the tragedy. But
few persons were allowed 10 enter the
house unless they were friends OF the for.
mer occupants.
Little johnnie Durkin, aged six weeks,
lay in ward 10 Of the county hospital to.
day. The physician refuses 70 say whether
the child would recover or not, but he
thought II II had not inhaled too much
heat the CHANGES were in its favor,
rHH LANDLORDS STORY.
John Raleigh, who Is the landlord Of
both the burned houses, told his story as
follows: When heard the shouting l
Jumped out Of bed and dressed myself
When went out found three OF four
boys trying to get ladder up to one Of
the windows Of Murphy's room. The
heat was too much no body could stand
II. l then grabbed the ladder and made
round 10 the back window. placed II To
the sill and climbed up, but was met at
the window by o sheet Of flame that
nearly knocked me down into the
yard. l shouted, but got no re.
sponse. did not even hear
cry Of moan. In O few minutes the
engines came, and l told the men there
we're two families inside. They said they
could not do anything until they had sub.
dued the fire. When they got in the only
member oi the two families they found
alive was little Johnny Dufkin, child Of
about elk Weeksold. In my opinion the life
was the work Of lnCendiaries, though what
their object could have been l cannot
divine. The houses have been fred twice
before within year, but the hfs each time
was discovered before Il got any headVay,