The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-16

A not ure IN the heart OF the CITY ihsl
night gave Chief Klleves and his mer
the opportunity to demonstrate that The
standard of Wheeling's fire department
both as to ability in leadership and ca
pacIty of the men to carry out orders
has not been allowed to decrease one
lota.
Al 9l5 O'Clock Officer Joe McCausland
turned in an alarm at box rs that
brought out the entire strength OF the
city fire department to the corner OF
alley Il and Market street, II had Just
been discovered that the large two and
one-half story brick structure in the
rear Of Mlller's saloon, occupied as q
warehouse by W. A. List, and as a metal
measure factory by G, w, Stephens, was
on fire This is the former malt house
OF the old Beck brewery, and building
that has stood on its present site many
years.
When the department arrived on thu
scene, fire was bursting In large volume
from the roof and from one or two win
dows on the alley side. For time the
department was unable TO get the water
on the blaze effectively, and II appeared
that the fire would involve surrounding
property on at least three sides. The
big five story brick building 10 the west,
occupied by Schaefer & Driehorst, the
liquor wholesalers. was exposed 10 the
heat for a time, but finally employees
entered the building and closed the
heavy iron shutters with which II is
equipped at the rear. The Snyder build
ing also has these Iron shutters, and
they were closed, so there was no dan'
ger OF the fire spreading to that build
ing.
Chief Klieves and his men soon had
two lines OF hose on the roof OF an ad-
joining building north Of the burning
structure. and few blows from the axe
crushed in the wooden shutters and ex-
posed to view the burning furnace init
which the third floor had been convert
ed. The two streams Of water intro
duced through this opening had an al
most magical effect. In half minute
the flames no longer scared high in the
air, and Il was at once seen that the
firemen had got at the heart of the fird
and had II conquered. A hearty cheer
arose from the crowded alley where the
efforts of the firemen had been watched
with intense interest and anxiety. At
ter that II was only matter OF time TO
put out the fire completely, and In forty
minutes this was accomplished, and
without having allowed the blaze 70 eH-
tend beyond the building in which It
had started-an accomplishment OF
which the department can feel proud.
Much OF the surrounding property is OF
q highly infammable character and tho
long spell of dry weather made It al
most like finder. Under the clrcum,
stances 1t Is wonderful that the fire did
not extend and cause heavy loss.
When the department arrived on tho
scene, the word passed round that thera
was large quantity OF oil stored on the
lower floor. Some OF the firemen werd
engaged In moving this oil to q safe dis
lance. when Foreman Henry Frohme
was involved In an accident which, hap
ply, did not result in Injury. He was
stumbling about in the darkness when
he fell into the elevator shaft to the cell
lar below. Fortunately he was not in
the least injured and was soon again en-
gagged in battling with the fire. A ru-
NOR was In circulation that Frohme had
been suffocated In the building, but this
of course was not true
The principal loss by the fire falls on
the Nick Crawley estate, the owner OF
the building in which the fire ragged,
Mr. T.. B. Carney, agent for the estate,
stated last night that the building Is
valued at 5000 and that $500 insur-
ance in the Peabody, OF Wheeling, Is
carried. He was not in a position tS
estimate the loss, but It IL not believed
Il will exceed $1,000, probably less than
that figure.
The first and second floors OF the
building were occupied by W. a. List &
Company, the iron roofing and tin plato
merchants. whose principal place OF
business Is on Main street, being used
as a warehouse. UntIl two weeks ago
this firm also occupied the third floor,
where. the fire ragged. but had sold out
the metal measure manufacturing bust
ness to George W. Stephens, who con-
tinued It in the same place.
Mr.. List said last night that his loss
Is fully covered by insurance, but It ia
not thought II will amount 70
much, the goods being Of a kind not af-
fected by water. Stephens loss will
reach $500 and Is covered by insurance.
The fire made a very bright light
Persons on the Island, In the upper and
lower parts Of the city and In neigh
boring towns thought a terrific confla-
grafton was In progress Many tele-
phOnlc inquiries were received at the
IntelllEcnccr Office.
An Investigation after the fire had
been extlnguished revealed the manner
OF lts starting. II seems two men en-
pluyed in the factory on the third flooI
were at work In painting seventy-tYe
measures thntwcre to be shipped to-day
Just as the work was being finished q
candle that illuminated the room was
overturned and, rs one Of the men puts
Il, the light Just seemed TO Jump 10
those freshly painted measures The
two men tried desperately to put out thu
blaze nj lts inception, but after one had
burned his face badly and the hand OF
the other was bllstercd, they gave W
the unequal and hopeless struggle and
ran down into the alley and spread the
alarm. Thcy went back to the building
but at that time the fire had spread
with wonderful rapidly and the entire
third floor was n sea Of seethlng flame
BIaIo In n Kitchen.
About $3.50 o'clock last evening the Gre
1nnartfuUDt wan chilled 10 CNtIurtiiEh 4