Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-08-23
INCBNDIARY FIRE.
STABLES AND OUTBUIDINGs DESTOYED BY
THE FLAMES
The Blaze Started in Hubbard & Paulps Stable,
and Spread TO Adjoining Buildings
The Loss, and Incidents

What looked for while like dis
astrous confiagration, took place last
night, about $40 o'clock. Only the
heroic efforts OF the fire department
prevented the flames from spreading,
and causing a much larger loss OF pro-
perty.
About the time mentioned two men
who were walking down Market street,
below Sixteenth. discovered flames Is
suing from stable In the rear OF w. A.
Crawford's store on the East side OF
Market street. They Immediately gave
the alarm, and box 81, at the corner OF
Market and South streets was pulled.
The department responded promptly.
When the Atlantic engine arrived on
the scene, the fire was burning Hereby,
and il appeared that all the
adjoining buildings would catch. The
Atlantic made an attachment and soon
had q stream OF water playing On the
building. The entire department re-
spon ded to the second call, and half
dozen streams were at work from differ
ent points within a few minutes. IL
was not more than twenty minutes
after the first water touched the build
ings until the flames were under con-
troll.
The stable was rented by the firm OF
Hubbard 81 PAUL, wholesale grocers,
and there were five horses, several
wagons and a buggy in the building at
the time. All were taken out, with the
exception Of set Of harness and buggy
top, which were destroyed. The stables
aud outbuilding of w. A. Crawford and
]. A. Henry, adjoining the stable on
the west, caught, and these build.
ings we're entirely destroyed. MIR.
Henry, as soon as the alarm was sound
ed, rushed back to the stable to release
his horse. While he was doing this
the flames spread rapidly and cut of his
retreat. He was In this perilouS post
ton when several men came to his as
sistance aud broke down the side OF the
stable. He was compelled to leave the
horse to perish In the flames. He also
lost set Of harness and buggy. On
Mr.. Crawford's lot was shed in which
were stored several hundred dollars
worth Of merchandise. The shed was
destroyed. aud the goods badly damaged
by the fire and water. A buggy which
was kept in shed was taken out In
time. Mr.. Crawford kept his horse in
another building some distance from
the scene Of the fire.
The rear OF the Crawford and Henry
houses caught from the flames, but
were extinRuished without doing much
damage. Fishers foundry on the south
was also burning once. Several Bah
cock extinguishers kept down the
flames. Joseph Spiedel 81 Co.'s large
stable on Chapline street in the rear OF
the burned building, was also thought
to be in danger, and all the wagons and
about ten horses were taken out.
The Eighth ward engine had con-
siderable difficulty In securing place
to make an attachment. While work
ing at q plug on Chapllne street, the
plug was broken. The plug at the City
Building could not be reached on &C
count of the ditch on Sixteenth street.
The engine was then taken to the cor
ner of Market street and Alley II.
After making the attachment, the hose
wagon was run down Market street
The officers had stretched a rope
across Market street, to keep
back the crowd. The driver did not
see the rope until the horses struck it.
Some person In the crowd lifted it over
the horses heads, and it caught the
driver and another man on the seat, and
but for the prompt action Of several
men in stopping the horses, they would
have been thrown off.
The origin of the fire is mystery.
The fact that no person is known to
have been about the building after six
o'clock, lends probability to the theory
that it was the work of an incendiary.
The loss will amount in the aggregate
to about 81, 300, divided as follows:
Henry K. List $500; Hubbard 81 PAUL
500; W. A, Crawford $3.50; Jas. A.
Henry $3.50. Mr.. List owned the stable,
which was partially covered by insur-
ance. Mr.. Crawford carried $500 insur-
ance. Mr.. Henry carried no insurance.
The buildings across the alley, in the
rear of the blacksmith shop, were also
slightly damaged by fire.