Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-08-17
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
Business Portion of Martins5urg
Visited by the Destroying
Flames.

At 1915 o'clock Sunday morning,
the fire alarm rang out, interruptiug
The still of our city, and arousing
the inhabitants from their slumbers.
The fire was at the building occu-
pied by the shoe store of Mr.. S. Y.
Fiery and the photograph gallery OF
Mr.. P. G. Hunter.
1t was first discovered by M.
Adolph Kogleschatz, who was sit
ting at the entrance to his livery
yard, just opposite the scene. Mr..
Kogleschatz noticed some smoke
breaking thro' the roofnear the chin
ney, but his suspicion was not arous-
ed. Presently he was startled by
hearing a loud report which sounded
like q pistol, but it was the expand
ing of the tin roof. In an instant
the smoke was pouring through the
roof in large volumes, and Mr.. Ko-
gleschatz called to Officer Price who
happened to be near there at that
time, that the building was on fire.
The officer ran into the street and
as soon as he sawi' fastened around
the corner to the station house and
rang the alarm. In the meantime
Mr.. Kogleschatz rang the door bell
OF the residence of Mr.. Henry Wilen,
which is next to the binding that
was burning and informed them OF
the fire.
Reel No. WAS Immediately con-
nected with the plug at the Peoples
Bank corner, but the force had not
been turned on at the water works
and the stream was not strong enough
TO reach the fire.
All Of the places OF business, Hun
ter's photograph gallery, Fiery's
shoe store, Berry's clothing store
and Kaplan's clothing store we're
broken open, and as much of the
goods as possible were saved by be-
ing carried to other places. The
water was 20 sooner turned on than
the four streams began to get in et-
fective work to stop the flames.
Although the origin is not known,
it is believed that it was caused by q
defective electric light wire.
Immediately after the fire broke
through the roof over Fiery's store
it was seen that the whole interior
of the top floor of the building oc-
cupied by Kaplan was a seething
mass of fame which spread rapidly
towards the brick building of Mr..
Colbert, occupied by Mr.. Newton as
boarding house, but the fremen
did good work and in twenty min
utes the fire was under control.
The crowd of people that had con-
gregated was extremely large, many
of them being ladies. The building
occupied by the shoe store and pho
tograph gallery is owned by the
heirs Of Mrs. Gardner, deceased.
The rear of the second story over
Fiery's shoe store was completely
destroyed and the part occupied by
the photograph gallery was damaged
a great deal. The building next to
it is owned by Mr.. Fritz Baker, of
North High street. The north side
Of it was burned.
The stock of the American Print
ing Company was damaged slightly
by water. There was no insurance
On the 'tock.
Mr.. Lewis Kaplan estimates his
loss at $500. The damage to his
! stock was done entirely by water
and is insured for $1,000.
The damag &c to Mr.. Hunters pho
tograph gallery was by water only
and he estimates his loss at $500. full
ly covered by insurance.
Mr.. Fiery's stock was damaged
by both fire and water. He said
that his stock consisted of about
$4,000 worth of goods, on which
there is an insurance of $4,000. He
estimates the damage to his stock al
about $4,000.
The remains of the buildings vii
have to be torn down, as the ordi
nance in reference to erecting build
iugs in that part of the city, passed
some time ago, will prohibit tht
patching of the buildings.