The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-20

dn,t pipe Of S. Baer's Sons big ware
bopse on Eoif street south Of Twelfth.
The dust pipe carries the dust from
different parts of the coffee roasting
onparatus to the furnace. 1t was in
tho engine room, in the southwest cor
ner Of tho basement, that the flames
originated, and they were burning up
brightly when they were discovered.
The first visible sign Of the frc was
dense smoke rolling out Of every door
and window Of tine large building. An
alarm was rung in and the department
responded with its customary prompt
ness. 81. a.
substitute engine, got q stream on the
burning woodwork in the engine room,
and soon had the flames extingulshed.
From the outside it looked as If the
main blaze was in the front OF the third
story. and the Niagara engine got q
stream into ono OF the windows there,
md for fifteen or twenty minutes threw
water there at terrific rate, Then it
was discovered that there had boon no
bIole above the basement, and that was
already extinguished. For some time,
ni,er. however, the black smoke kept
mourning from the windows in a manner
that looked as II the whole place was a
mass OF fro inside. ,.i. -,
Tho ire gathered aq unusually large,
crowd Of spectators; men, women and
children packed all the streets in the
vicinity, and everybody expected to sec
the fine, large brick building the old
MendeI furniture factory, destroyed.
When the fire was over and the smoke
had cleared away, though, it was seen
that the damage done by the flames
was comparatively trivial A small
hole burned in the floor Of the first
story, Eover the engine room, and the
burning Of the wood work in imme-
date contact with the place whore the
blaze started, was the extent OF the
harm tho fire did: Probably 500 will
repair this.
DIVERGENT VIEWS.
The water thrown into the building
did more harm. A good deal OF criti-
cism OF the management OF the depart
ment was heard just alter the fire. To
an outsider it looked as il every particle
Of goods stored in the building, every
story OF which was packed full, had been
ruined. Coffee, green and roasted, pea
nuts, flour, canned goods, coffee wrap
pers and labels, were soaked, and on
every floor water lay in pools ut every
depression. The only part OF the build
ing that escaped drenching was the rear
OF the top floor, which was partltioned
off from the front. In it were stored
tons Of excelsior packing, chromos given
for coffee prizes, show-cards, wrapping
paper, strawboard, wooden dishes and
miscellaneous assortment OF other goods.
Not long after the fire one OF the
Nlessrs. Baer told an 1NTELITGENcER re-
porter that the stock in tho building
was worth $4,000. and it would prove
sixty per cent loss. he nut the loss in
round numbers at $4,000.
Later an attache OF the firm told an
other reporter that after determination
he thought 5000 would cover thelossof
coffee. Theinsurance meninterested put
the loss at Sl0,000 at first, but last even
ing, Mr.. Emsheimer, who placed the in
suranCe on the stock, said he thought
$1,000 would cover all the damage. He
added that he did not think the criti-
Cisms Of the fire department were justi-
fed by the facts.
1t was unfortunate that the dense
smoke issuing from all parts Of the
building gave the erroneous impression
that the whole place was on fire. 1t was
impossible to enter the place to see any.
thing, the smoke and heat being sitting.
The coffee roasting and glazing ma
Chnery was badly rusted by the wet
ting it got In the top story was we'll
equipped printing office. The presses,
paper cutters and other machinery suf-
tered also from the wetting.
THE INSURANCE.
The building is oRned by Mrs. Sarah
Nendel, of Thirteenth street. AS
stated, the damage to 1t vas small, and
the insurance companies will have it
repair a. 1t is insured in the Fire aud
Marine and Peabody companies and
Anderson agency, as follows:
lire and 900
2V9
w
'', Ta american luO0
ro Inc herman ~ n american insurance a Sze
SoNnPaHy, OF new orK' nau Sl,o'o IN,
s STt on Tue pruning optnt, ana
S %ss' Mehdei haa Slow on INC poilers
a'u engine, Wnicn were het properly
III M rne German company, of TINS CITY
T.: me ne otner machinery was also insured
w w sne 4essts. baer, Dnt INC loss wlll
, WI WIZ not De he9vy. me poller ana en-