The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-12-06
At, AN EARLY HOUR THIS MORNING
Loss of at Least $4,000
and Probably s35,OOO-The Fire
Was Started by an Incendiary, Who
Was Seen Running From tho Place
Just Before tho Discovery-Fine
Work of tho Department.

which nearly proved general cohna-
grafton, was under control the
stable building and large part of the
contents were an almost complete loss,
footing up in the aggregate, SO far as
could be roughly estimated this morn
ing at an early hour, at $4,000 to
SS5,OOO.
The blaze had great headway before
it was almost simultaneously discov-
cred by the night watchman, Louis
StroebeI, at the brewery, and by two
young men who we're coming in the di-
rection OF the stable on Thfrty-third
street In consequence two fire alarm
boxes were pulled, and very mixed up
alarm resulted, causing considerable
delay before the exact location OF the
FIRE was ascertained. Other people also
ran to the engine house OF Wheeling
No. 4, and the alarm was telephoned uD
town to the other engine houses from
there. BY the time the location was
fixed the fire had gained such headway
that 1t was easily seen from all parts OF
the city, and attracted an unusually
large crowd to the scene.
The night watchmun was in the office
when he first noticed the blaze, which
he SAYS was in the southwest corner, on
the second floor where all the hay used
by the establishment was stored. Al
most in fash after he saw the blaze 1t
spread over the entire upper story and
before the alarm had been turned in the
FLAMES WERE BURSTING
From the windows. Stroebel first
opened tho large entrance door, and
with the help of men who had been
attracted to the fire succeeded in getting
nearly all of the thirty-fve horses and
mules out of the burning building.
These were turned loose as soon as
gotten out Of the building, and on this
account it could not 5e said definitely
this morning how many Of . tho poor
brutes were left in the building. One
mule succeeded IN breaking loose after
all the others were out and came out
covered with burning cinders.
As soon as the magnitude of tho fire,
and the danger to noiGhboring property
was discovered a general alarm was
sent over the wires and all the fire ap-
paratus in the city was brought down.
Wheeling No. got the first streams at
work, and these were turned on the
row Of frame and brick dwelling houses
fronting :on Thirty-third street, which
were in danger Of burning. Soon the
other engines were at work and alto
gether ten streams were brought into
service Most of these were turned on
the burning stable, not, however, with
any hopes Of saving 1t. At o'clock the
fire was burning fercely and millions OF
sparks were falling on tho neighboring
houses, most OF which were shinglo
rooted, and kept the owners and occu-
pants busy keeping down embryo
blazes. At this hour, without any
warning, the entire upper half of the
north
WALL OF THE STABLE YELL
and crashed into the one and one-half
story frame dwelling occupied by Jonas
Butterield, schmulbach's driver. For
tunately Butter6eld and his family had
been removed before the wall fell. The
end OF the frame dwelling adjoining the
stable was crushed in and greatly dam
aged. This was the only serious dam
age to outside property. Soon after
this large section Of the west wall fell
out, and nearly caught q number OF fire.
men and spectators
The effect OF the immense amount Of
water being poured on the fire soon be-
gan to be felt, and at 1:15 the FIRE was
practically under control, there no
longer being any danger to other
property.
The stable building and the contents,
except the horses and one or two
wagons, are an entire loss 1t is esti-
mated that the loss will foot up to at
least $4,000, and perhaps moro. The
stable was nearly new, having been
built only two years ago, and was the
finest building OF its class in West Vir-
ginia It was supposed to be q fire.
proof building
MI. Charles Horatman, Of the schmul-
bach Company, told an IETELLoENoER
man thar in his opinion the fire was Of
incendiary origin. No lights were al
lowed in the stable, and the entire build
ing was lighted by electric lights. Mr..
Horstman said the loss is fully covered
by insurance.
The cause OF the FIRE can be but sur
missed. There was no FIRE Of any kind
in the second story, and tho only ex-
plantations are that 1t was either OF in
cendiRry origin or was started by a
tramp. The latter theory 10 improba-
Bile, and the general opinion Is that It
was started by the same incendiary who
tried to send up three other stables on
the South Side in smoke.
The night WRtchman says that he
went through the stable at 1910 o'clock
this morning, and that it was only 6t-
teen or twenty minutes later when the
flames were discovered. The night
watchman at the street crossing below
the brewery premises says that only
about Ave minutes earlier aman was seen
running from the direction OF the stable
through the alley. The man disap-
peared up tho railroad tracks. This
would seem to make 1t certain that the
fire was Of incsndiary origin,
The work Of the fire department
under Chief Healy was first class, and
but for the extraordinary efforts Of the
FIRE laddies several other buildings
would have burned.
H,-.rt,, e,,, Jo,ths fror, Nho r,r;r 49,.