Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-08
ANASTY BLAZE.
-.,ggPrvS FEED STORE, on SOUTH STREET,
TOTALLY DESTROYED,
,-,,-;,- q Loss Of Seven to Nine thousand Dol
r-s-Tha Adjoining Property Suffers
Chief Dslbrugge Hurt

A. quarter after hye O'Clock yes
..,isv morning an alarm from box
.-sotv-eigkt, at the corner of Market
..5 south streets, called the depart
-sr+-3 as nasty a fire as has occurred
IN Wheeling for several years.
The loss was not very considerable,
.,.roggh great misfortune TO the
..r,.psl looser; but the situation of
cha rrsmises, the character Of the con-
.-.sof the building, and the combusti-
r.rs,are of the adjoining property,
made the work laid out for the fremen
unusually difficult and dangerous.
The fremen found that the flames had
made great Roadway when they arrived
M the scene, but they tackled the job
with energy, and contrary to the expec-
.,..9Bs of most Of the spectators, they
confined the fire to the building in
rtch 10 had It's origin, although two
,3i5ip.ug frame structures were very
r51s.derab.y damaged by falling wall.
The fire originated on the second floor
n the extensive feed warehouse and
I'm of z. l.. Kimberly, at No. 1927
south street, and was first discovered by
Mr. Kiuberly's niece, Mrs. Kimberly
-a.rr outside the building milking a
r1F while her husband was attending
nbrs,DesS matters. OF the origin OF
,-e blaze. no one can speak definitely,
N. from the location Of the flames
v1en first seen, there is a theory that
spontaneous combustion was the cause,
q, Mr. Kimberly assured reporter that
,.qre was no fire on the premises al
that L0ar OF the day.
Dir. Kimberly resided on the second
Door, on the east side, and the apart
-sgts were cut of from the StOrerOOms
and bins on that floor by hallway.
Immediately under the residence por-
ion OF the building, in front, was the
5aes. and ad Joining 10, on the west, was
a0gen space for teams, and west OF this
lra.r. and in the rear toward the creek,
vas the mill for grinding corn, the corn
shelters, and other machinery, besides
2r-e storage rooms. Immediately over
be main entrance were two thousand
bushels Of oats, large corn and krain
Jas, mill feed, etc, and farther back
vas a very large amount of hay In bales,
and a good deal OF straw. The fire
must have originated in that portion OF
ta second floor over the south end OF
ua wagon space and on the north side
O. the halfway, and being confined I'M
Der heavy slate roof, and with no &C
cess 20 10 from the ground floor except
5y q couple Of ladders-the private
stairway leading from the office TO the
residence apartments not leading imme-
.4,sIy 90 the location of the blaze
tta iremeu were put at disadvantage
from the start. The Chemical company
vas the first 20 get water
Oh the ire, the men mount
lg the ladders leading to the second
story; and they were quickly followed
by the Atlantic, but the smoke from the
U0Uderiug hay was so dense, that lit
de effective work could be done. In
few minutes the whole department was
Oh the ground and q third stream was
gotten on the fire from the end OF the
Guiding towards the street, and another
vas poured into the windows opening
Into the residence portion OF the second
story, nearest Market street, while
a1ith stream was gotten upon the roof
Of Henry D.eringer'S barber shop, at the
corner Of Market and South streets.
About this time an alarm was raised
iL0lg the men on the ground floor OF
zoe burning house that the second floor
would IAN, and the firemen, who had
obtained "A footing there, at the top or
.-a ladders, began 10 scramble down.
N the confusion the ladder fell, aud
.Fo men went with IL TO the ground.
s,an ShaughnesSy, Of the chemical, had
dis wrist, size and leg hurt, and will
have 10 lay off.
10 ten minutes about eight streams OF
'-ier We're being poured on the fire, but
-e 1ameS continued 10 gather Roadway,
lll 10 seemed certain, at half-past five,
mat the whole block of frame buildings
% The west side Of Market street, from
south street to the creek, would go,
ana a large force OF volunteers began
Y carry all the movable property from
ysil1ser'S barber shop, No. lib Mar
AZ L. i. FreeSe'S stationery store, No.
49, ID. c. Runners paint store, No.
11..', tae West Virginia Stencil and Seal
FORKS No. 1919, and 5. Il. Graves
.,..ectoDery, No. 172l, 20 places OF
S'ejy. The large stock of picture
,-1Aes, ETC., in the second story Of No.
,.-l We're also hustled out at lively
.-'e' While force of men were streaming
'.'y'S Market street from kimberly'S,
..!.ng sacks of -four and meal and mill
,.l' many of which packages were
,s seq 10 the Star foundry, the doors OF
--.in were thrown open. Mr.. Kimber-
succeeded in getting into his office,
-1-ec the safe and secured his books,
S-'aace policies, aud his more valua-
h.. papers. An effort was made TO get
~ the residence, where there were
~! Vaucb!eS, including two gold
ines, and valuable mahogany desk,
~ hundred years old, in addition 10
,--- -,la. household furniture, but the
,,. ,'liugS Of value rescued were one
i p. and a gold ring.
-! twenty minutS Of six the whole OF
i,, s551OAd story Of the feed store was 3
n. SS,,ale, and il was an even toss as TO
q ~ -1afSet street property, but thanks
i l-5 ~ NolQ east wall Of the warehouse,
j ~, '-e Efforts of the firemen, the flames
j rs~ oChlned to the building in which
4 Ma SSuglnated, and at a quarter OF six
sv..1 le was under control. About
s..~ y clock the south wall, which had
.e4hlng ont about a foot for fifteen
1oi,,V my minutes, fell with crash,
Nh, through the rear of the barber
rsi q. asd knocking out about half the
- Freese's, adjoining it on the