The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-02-11
AIlNpMARK DESTROYED.

The Old Court House Almost Burned out
Yesterday Afternoon History of the Old
BuiIdIng-The Money Loss Comparative
~ Light.
A few minutes past O'Clock yester-
day afternoon an alarm Of ere was
sounded from box 81, located at Thir-
tenth and Eoff str cts. The alarm
caused general uneasiness, coming from
a section used almost exclusively for
residences, and there was a wild rush
from the business part Of town. When
the department arrived the flames were
well under way in the tower and attic
OF the old Court house. The fire had
evidently been smouldering for some
time, and when 1t once came out 1t was
with considerable Roadway. The cupola
was destroyed before stream could be
gotten to It, aud even then the water
had little force. The Chemical Com
pany was the first on the ground and the
stream was taken up into the hatchway
and did good service in keeping the
flames from coming down to the lower
stories. The Atlantic got stream into
the inside OF the house, too, and did
good work. The fire burned for fully
two hours before 1t seemed to be under
control. The FIRE was confined to the
cupola, which was entirely burned away,
and to the part Of the building between
the roof and the ceiling OF the upper
story. These aames were hard TO get at
and It was not till holes were cut in the
roof that the dense smoke ceased TO
show through tie cracks. The tin roof
held the fire in and the roof and garrett
timbers were CHARGED all the way along
the building from end to end.
The fires origin is mystery. The
only plausible theory Ia that children
who 20 to school in the building got into
the attic under the cupola and started q
fire. Justice Davis said he heard the
fire cracking from his Office before he
thought OF looking to the cupola for 1t:
A gentleman named MCLane said he had
sssn smoke coming from the cupola on
Monday, but the volume was very light
and he paid no attention to 1t. Persons
in the school room smelled smoke dur
ing the morning but did not look into
the upper part Of the building for the
cause. It Is evident that the Ere had
bsen smoulderidg for some time, posi-
bly, twenty.four hours.
The building belonged 10 Joseph Spei.
del and George n. Wheat and was OF
little value as it stood, though it was
well built and substantial, the lack Of
value coming from Its antique arrange.
ment and tho decay consequent upon
the lack OF care. The building was in
sured for four hundred dollars through
Col. {. II. Golfers agency.
When the fire broke out Chief Healy
was in Bellaire, having gone down q
few hours before. BE was telephoned
for and arrived about the time the fire
was out. His absence was unfortunate,
as it Is the first time the department has
had any real work since he too K charge.
The green men recently appointed did
not show up to the best advantage,
, though the department was as good as
could be expected with no one to guide
, Its work. One Of the colored men ap,
pointed on the extra force in the Second
, ward did first.class work in the smokiesl
. part of the fire, 49,.
The old court house was built in 1880
and occupied as the county court house
until November 10, 1885, when the
officials moved into the new court house
in the north half OF the Public Building
A year or so ago the building and
/ ground was sold to Joseph Speidel and
; George K. Wheat. There has been Q
great deal Of talk as to what use it would
DO put to, and especially to convert II
into an opera house, Mr.. Ed Franzheim
the architect, completed on Monday,
plans for the reconstruction OF the old
house into modern theatre. The walls
are substantially and durably built and
unusually heavy.