The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-07-26

wAsntso1os, D. O., July 25.-clane-
ing bells. roaring flames, rushing en-
gines, crashing walls, agoniziug shrlsks
u horses that were perishiDg Ia the
ire furnace, such was the scene that
was presented to eye and ear at Knox's
stables at B aud Second streets nnd the
other buildings In that block that fell 4
prey to the destructive element to-day.
Not since tho big fire In the patent
Office many years ago has the fire de-
partment Of the district had to cope
with 80 fierce condagration. All It's
appliances were brought into action,
bat all efforts were unavaiIing to save
the property from destruction. Five
brave tlremen were crushed undOr the
falling walls. -Four men were Injured
by falling walls and timDers. and these
were promptly removed to the Elmer:
gency hospital for treatment Three Of
the firemen lost their lives. Over 200
heavy draught horaes. nearly all Of the
company'S express wagons and the con-
tents OF the large storage building were
burned. The Adams Express Com.
pany's stables, adjoining the Knox
building TO tho north, were also almost
entirely consumed. About 100 horses
were 10 tho Adams Express Company's
stnbles, but oil wore taken out by tho
hardest kind OF work on the part oil Cit
izens and policemen.
Eight two-story houses on the alley,
north OF tho Knox building. and two
small frame houses back Of the Adams
stables were destroyed. Six or eight
other residence houses were more or
less damaged. Mitchell's blacksmith
shop, on Second street, was crushed by
falling walls. The total loes will exceed
quarter OF q million dollars.
THE DEAD AND INJURED. j.
The bodies Of tho following named
fremen have been recovered: Samuel
Maatin. Michael Fentou, Dennis DonO-
hue, all tiremen Of No. l company.
/. One OF tho Knox stable employees was
burned and may die. Fully dozen
tiremen and policemen were overcome
BY heat and had to be carried to places
Of safety. , 800
The Injured are: ]. G. Wilson, 525
Eleventh street, Southeast, broken leg.
James Kelhal, 4Gl Virginia avenue,
Southwest, seriously injured. Lee Bell,
1902 ]. street, Northwest, burned about
hands and face. james Hooper, truck
A., laceraied forehead. Edward Cahill,
citizen, shoulder broken.
The warehouse and stables occupied
over q block. The fire was discovered
about $50 o'clock. A number OF men
were sleeping in the Knox building, and
were awakened by the smoke. They
found the entire rear OF the second
floor OF the building in flames, and had
hardly tlmo to escape with theif lives.
Before they left tho building the blaze
had communicated 70 the three story
rear part Of the Adams stables. and was
darting out OF the windows OF the sec
ond and first floors of both buildings in
the rear. A policeman sent in an alarm
through n patrol box.
It was still alarm and brought out
two companies and truck. Five min
utes later general alarm was turned
In, and In five minutes more the entire
fire department OF the city was on hand.
Every company and every fireman was
needed. A hotter fire nevor ragged.
The flames poured in great shoots from
the doors and windows OF tho great
stables. All this was in worry few mo-
ments. A hundred men ran into the
Adams stables and cut loose tho 100
horses they contained. The animals
we're cut loose aud turned into the
street.
Two HUNDRED HORSES BURNED.
Tho horses OF the Knox company
could not DO reached. There were 205
Of them aud they were on tho second
story OF the building which was a Beeth-
ing mass OF flames from tho very start
Tho Knox building was n tour.story
structure OF brick. On the first floor
we're tho heavy wagons Of the concern,
on the second floor the horses, OIL the
third and fourth floors hay in large
quantities, and merchandise OF all kinds
Which had been stored by tho company.
Another f0ur-story building OF tho
Knox company. facing OH Second street
and connected with the stables, scpar.
a,ed only by thin brick wall. was used
entirely for storage purposes. II was
hacked from basement to roof with
furniture and merchandise. It Is in
this building that the greatest loss &C.
CURED.
The heat was SO intense that firomcn
were obliged to throw water on each
other repeatedly in ordor that they
might continue at their posts. The
men who had to hold lines OF hoo on
the D street front OF the Knox building
were obliged to lie fiat and hold their
face. to tho ground 90 awful was the
heat. A portion OF the wall OF tho rear
Of tho Adams building fell into tho
alley and across tho back exit. The
members OF hose company No. l aud
several men OF other companies were
caught inside OF tho building.
Fro Chief Paris rushed to tho roacue.
Half dozen leads of hose were turned