Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-01-05
A QUEER FIRE
AT THB HOTEL WINDSOR, LAST EVENING.
CREATES EXCITEMENT
Among the Guesis-Ths Firtnsn Experience Good
Deal Of Officially in Locating The
ConAagratiOn.

Wha' might have proved very serious
fire occurred last evening at the Hotel
Windsor, but Oaipg TO the fact that the
flames could fiud no vent and the efficient
work of the fire department. a serious con-
fiagration was prevented.
1t was about o'clock when persons sit
ting around the Office noticed the odOr OF
wood smoke, which gradually became
more and more psrceplible until the smoke
became 30 thick that it was found neCes
sary to open the doors. OF course an i'm
mediate search was commenced to locate
the cause, but with little SUGGEST Clerk
Cunningham noticed smoke Issuing from
the aperture through which the nat
ural gas pipe passed TO the
range in the kitchen above and he imme-
diately went up to ascertain If the smoke
came from that source. A plumber was at
work making some changes in the natural
gas connection 10 the range at the time,
bat lie said positively that no fire could
have originated from that source. But in
this he was mistaken, as after events
proved.
Mr.. Cunningham being unable to dis
cover the location of the fire, ~ fire there
surely was, informed Capt. Adams, who
sent 10 an alarm from Box "a, and loon
the department was on baod
Then and there search for the fire was
commenced. In the meantime, however,
the smoke became thicker and thicker, and
the guests became alarmed. Many of them
hurTiedly packed their trunks and valises
and soon stream of bsggs ge was coming
down the elevator and shooting down the
stairways, while some of the guests were
following wildly excited. There have
been so many disastrous hotel fires that
they can be excused for their haste. Why,
even Jim Lightfoot, the porter, went clear
to the top story and came down on the
fire escape TO see how it worked and he
said II was a success.
A number Of ladies who were in DR..
Wilbur's office ut the time became fright
entd and all started down the stairs at the
same time. Oae lady missed her footing,
tumbled heels over head TO the floor of the
office below, but got up and walked off
apparently unhurt. OF course people
thought of all the hotel fires they had ever
read about and pictured themselves Jump
irg from fourth and fifth story windows to
the street below, when they had weeks be-
fore them 10 get out safely.
lt seems that the fire did start under
the range in a most ulsccountable way.
The floor on which it rests was made with
the intention Of being fire-proof. However,
in some manner il got q start and swept
along between ceiling and floor to the
opposite eide of the room where it
found vent in the shape
of casing around waste pipe which led
to the cellar. Iris gave the fire sufficient
draft and il swept under the floor and
down the casing, which passed through
the cloak room jast back of the oflice The
flames first broke out through the waiDs
coating on the tide of the cloak room,
and this rather threw the fremen of the
scent, although they soon discovered the
status of ailAirs, and while they were COM
psl!el 10 use great deal of water, thsy
succeeded in drenchiDg the flames out
The plsslering in many p aces was dis.
troyed in order TO get at the fire, and the
damage by water was rather heavy, still
the aggregate loss will probably not amount
to more than $500 or $500. for which small
loss the fire department deserves much
credit Manager Carney was a. the Opera
House at the time, but hearing the alarm
he Immediately left and arrived On the
scene early. The help about the house
was put to work as soon as the fire wHs out
and this morning things, no doubt will
look quite different from what they did
Immediately after the fire, aad the gusts
will not have been further discommoded
than they were by the short fright.
The building which is owned by Messrs
NJ Reilly and John II. Hobbs, is fully
insured, mostly in foreign companies, two
OF the local companies being the Franklin
| and Standard