Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-12
BIGBENW
A DISASTROUS FIRE IN OUR SOUTHERN SUB
URB, LAST EVENING.
The Wilson & DuRlsvy Cooper Shops and Five
Dwellings Destroyed, and Another Dwell
ing or Two Badly Damaged.

II DtLhOOu n1h Wv u'N ~hF fFA - -
ire department, last night, it is likely
that several thousand dollars worth of
property would have been saved, and
much uneaSineSs on the part of her citi-
zenS prevented.
As il was, when last evenings fire
broke out. little could be done on the
part Of the citizens 10 prevent the
spread of the flames, and for time it
looked as though not only the dive llings
in the immediate vicinity of where the
fire originated would be destroyed. but
that the property of the BenwoOd mill
would share the same fate. That the
loss was not much greater than 1t Is, Is
mainly due to Il favorable wind, and the
well-directed efforts of large body OF
volunteers.
About half-past seven o'clock last
night Thomas Sprout, workman in
the Wheeling steel plant, discovered
fire in the building of the Wilson "
Dunlevy cooper shops, just south OF the
steel plant, and between it and the
river. and the alarm was at once given
by John Houston, engineer, who sound
ed general alarm on his whistle,
and almost the entire population oil
the town soon surrounding the burn
ing buildings. The buildings were
frame l3OX3O feet, and filled with mater
ial Of the most inllamable nature, and
the whole interior of the shops was a
mass of fire in 4 few minutes. II was
at once seen that the fire must spread
TO the buildings just east and north OF
the cooper shops, and the mill men ana
citizens turned their attention to saving
them, if possible.
The fire being in full view OF Bellaire,
attracted an immense amount of atten-
ton over there, rs we'll as in this city,
and the western bank OF the river was
soon lined with people, while many citi-
zenS of the Eighth ward, boarded
motors and went down. The Bcllaire
Hook and Ladder Company boarded the
ferry boat. soon after the fire broke out,
and went TO the rescue of the Benwood
people. while telephone message was
sent TO the City Hall, in this city. ask
ing for aid. The fire department was
al once communicated with, and Chief
Cunning directed that the Eighth ward
reel and the Niagara engine be
sent down. The reel was 1T once
hooked up. and made lying trip TO
BenwOOd, arriving at the scene oil the
fire in good time, but for some reason
which could not be aScertained last
night, the Niagara did not so down,
and the reel was. Of course, powerleSs
To extend any aid. The Benwood peo-
pie kept looking for the engine as late
as half-past ten. and steam was Kept up
i'm the ferrybOat, so that the Niagara
could be run aboard of her, and taken
down right to the scene Of the fire, on
the river bank, but they waited in vain.
When il became apparent that the
buildings east and north of the burning
cooper shops must go, volunteers IN
yaded the premises, and removed the
furniture. etc, of the twelve families
occupying the premises, most OF the per-
Sonal property contained in the buildings
being saved. The buildings Immediate
IN adjoining the cooper shop, on the
east. were of frame, and these quickly
ignited, and were entirely consumed In
a very short time. From them the fire
spread 10 half dozen Baltimore and
Ohio ears and a row of twO-Stery CON
crete dwellings next north OF the frames,
and three of these buildings were con
sumed, fourth was pretty well Quilted,
and fifth was damaged about the roof.
These buildings were occupied by the
following gentlemen. with their fami-
lies: Alonzo Bowers, Thomas Bird, Will
liam Drum, John Long, Jacob BiSSitt;
John StroSnyder. James Halfpenney,
Fred. Neidemeyer. TheO. WaSinskey,
cash" Bowers, and William Taylor.
Mrs. Nancy CoOey also lived in one OF
the burned buildings, and was burned
ont.
As to the origin OF the fire, there is
good deal of dispute. Some persons,
early on the ground, said the nameS
originated from red hot steel ingotS,
loaded into a car, while others were
equally positive that the fire started
around the furnace stack in the cooper
shop buildings, and that it Smouldered
from the time work was stopped in the
evening until the fire attracted the at
tention of citizens. The loss could not
well be determined last evening, but
will likely reach $4,000. The cooper
shops, with their contents, belonging to
Wilson x Dunleyy, were valued at
about -, 500, and were insured for
from $1,000 to $500, but Mr..
Wilson. last night, could not be
certain of the amount, nor could he re-
call in what company the policy was.
The shops employed about thirty men.
The buildings destroyed were probably
worth =, 900, in the aggregate, and the
burned cars. etc, will make up the re-
mainder of the loss. The buildings
were probably owned by the Bcnwood
Iron Company. Mr.. Wilson was asked,
last night, rs to whether or not the
shops would b. rebuilt, and in reply he
said he could not tell, but if they were,
il would b. in different location, as
the ground belonged to the Benwood
Mill Company, which corporation want
cd 20 use Il.
II. T.. HHIMAS 4 Co. are selling
solid silver 1t old prices. . Eleventh
street.