Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-20

I ployes, who were attempting to carry
to places Of safety costly merchandise
or other valuables, added to the con-
fusion. The heat was so intense that
several firemen were obliged to direct
their operations under showers OF
water which were poured upon them.
But in spite of the eXertions OF the
firemen the fire crept on very steadily
until .,icoll square, which is situated
at the far end of Hamsell street, was
reached.
At little after o'clock dozen hose
pipes, each with a twelve foot spread,
poured water into the blaze from an
opposite roof, from the street below and
from the burning premises themselves,
but it did not seem to have any effect.
! The water rhshed out CT the windows
and from the ground floor like water
fall, while the fan as leaped higher and
and higher, and as the floors fell in the
place still blazed, a gigantic display of
fire and smoke, until the building was
completely Quilted and the walls keeled
over.
The confusion in the streets increased
as the fire spread. Suddenly there was
an explosion of gas meters, sounding
like the reports of field guns, followed
by momentary hush.
After that the wild rushing here and
there was resumed with increased en-
ergy.
Men risked their lives in desperate
efforts to save day books, ledgers,
feathers, jewelry, valuable chinaware,
etc. One man actually hazarded his
life to fetch his hat and cane, 200 feet
of stone work and glass falling at heels
as he emerged from the building.
Several firemen were almost buried
in burning ruins as front after front
of the flaming warehouse fell in, hurl-
Ing tons of bricks and masonry into the
streets, bursting and cutting the fire
hose in all directions, while tons of
merry matter were falling IN every direcz
where the confiagration would stop, as
roof after roof caught fire and window
frames all about the scene began to
smoke.
AS the afternoon wore on the dense
crowds were still gathering. until it
was estimated that many hundreds of
thousands of people surrounded the big
fire. These excited masses of human
ity had to be constantly pressed back
by the police as the area of the fire
swept spot increased in size, an opera
ton which became more and more diff
cult as the owners and employees of the
warehouses adjacent to the scene began
the work of saving the most valuable
portions of the portable belongings.
BY dusk the picture presented was
extremely brilliant. Four streets were
blazing on both sides and there was
plenty to interest the gambling spirit
OF the onlookers in betting as to
whether the venerable dome of the st.
Giles church could stand the hail of
sparks and burning fragment with
it was enveloped.
The red flames from every point
shone out against the black sky and
through the wide-spreading mass of
Gull, leaden smoke. tinged with tongues
OF yellow fire and here and there where
the fire had subsidized somewhat. the
street lamps stripped by the heat of
their burners and glass frames. blazed
with big jets from the open pipes, like
monster danger torches.
There was no abatement of the blaze
before $3.50 .. m. Then the check came
in Jewin street and in Well street.
where the collapse of wall on the right
hand side of that thoroughfare was the
means of saving the last building in the
street. The width OF Red Cross street,
a comparatively broad thoroughfare.
also Toned barrier there.
a. m. November 20.-A very large
force Of firemen and about twenty en-
gines have beeen working at a high
pressure all night.
The district ravaged by the fire is
bounded by Aldersgate street. Red
Cross. Maidenhead Court and Bradford
avenue, and includes the intermediate
streets, Jewin. Hamsell, Well and Ed
mund and levin Crescent.
1t is officially reported that $50 ware
houses have been Quilted. A late esti-
mate Of the damage done places the
amount at nearly 10000 pounds (s25,-
000.000).
Nearly all the British fire insurance
companies are involved and fire insur-
ance shares were practically unstable
on the stock exchange yesterday after
noon (Friday) after the fire was well
under way.
Nearly three hundred telephone wires
have been cut. thus interrupting COM
munication with many of the big pro-
vincial towns The fire will cause an
enormous advance in the price Of os-
trich feathers, which rose so per cent
last evening (Friday). Two feather
firms have lost alone 5000 pounds