The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-16

| cupied by the Exley- watkins FFeseEH-
ing Company. and the Acme Box Com
pany, was destroyed by fire yesterday
morning. The origin of the fire is un-
known. The total loss is estimated at
about $4,000, on which there Is an In
surance of $4,000,
THE building was insured until few
weeks ago, when Mr.. Arbenz allowed
the policies to run out without renewing
Them. The Dxley-watklns Company
used the lower floors. and was enjoy
ing the busiest season Of the year in the
preserving and catsup business The
MINER floors were used by the Acme Box
Company. of which Fred ]. Park was
presldent and Barclay johnson mana
ser. All Of Exley- Watkins Company's
nIant was destroyed, and the box COM
| many fortunately, had among It's effects,
\ 4 LOT of lumber outside the building
which escaped the fire kings tongue
The loss Of Exley-W Watkins Company
IL estimated at about $4,000, the insur-
ance Of $ll,7OO was divided as follows:
RIce's OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF New
/ York, $500: German-Amerlcan, $l,5OO;
Hanover, $500; Hamburg-BeSmen'
$1,000. w..
ington, $1,000; st. Paul, $1,000; Reading
Paun's agency-westches,er, $1,000;
Virginia State. $1,000; National Stand
ard. $1,000.
The Acme Box Company.s loss from
fire Is about $500. 1t was Insured Tor
the following amounts: $50.
Rogers agency-Fire Association, $3.50;
Lancashire, $3.50.
1880.
be more than from $1,000 to 1880, as
$500 OF the amount insured was on
lumber which was saved.
The fire was discovered by Jimmy
Rowan, a newsboy living on JACOB
street, back OF the hospital He turned
in the alarm from box 2S,at Mehen's sa-
loon corner, about $40 O'Clock. The III
terror OF the building was filled with
highly Inhammable material, and though
the fire department was soon on the
scene. the FIRE gained such Roadway that
IL was at once apparent that the build
ing couldn't be saved. The entire de-
partment responded. and six streams
! were turned on, but as there is only
sIx-Inch main on Twentieth street, the
water supply was not as large as neces-
The fire originated In the northern
mart OF the factory building, and It got
good start. Despite the several
streams of water the flames burst from
every window. and the northern half OF
the roof fell in at 5:45 O'Clock. AT 8
O'Clock the remainder Of the roof fell
down. The heat from the burning struc-
ture threatened frame houses on Twen-
tIeth street, on the boardwalk, and sew
eral streams were kept playing on these
houses to prevent further conflagra-
ton, The factory building is an old
one. and. excepting the brick walls. It
burned like finder, while the curling
clouds OF smoke and flames Issuing
from 1t presented a grand spectacle.
When It was seen that the water play
ing On the west side OF the walls was
having little effect, Edward Knowles OF
the Hook and Ladder house, was sent
IN on the bridge. connecting the fac
tory with the annex. He was Joined by
two other fremen, and the stream they
brought TO bear did good work, Knowles
then tried to batter down door In the
upper story. He stood on door sill.
I from which a small ladder ran on the
bridge, which was thirty feet from the
ground, He and his companions then
/ met with narrow escape from death.
The south wall crashed TO the ground,
falling in, with terrific force. Knowles
slid down the ladder to the bridge In
the nick Of time. the other firemen pre-
cedlng him, and the thousand specta-
TORS on the board walk stood with bated
breath as the brave fire fighters escaped
the threatened injury Another fire.
man, William Marcus, who was on the
ground, was caugh. by the falling brick.
and his escape, too, was little short OF
miraculous.
The danger point was passed about
6:45 o'clock, but the flremen didn't leave
the scene until they battered down near
~ all the remaining walls. And water
was kept pouring on the burning debris
until 4 o'clock In the afternoon.
The destroyed building was used for
uerly as furniture factory by Its own
err, John Arbenz, and with It's passing
the creek bank loses an old landmark
II was valued at $4,000, but years ago
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad company
offered Mr.. Arhenz $4,000 for IL and ad-
Joining property. Mr.. Arbenz held out
for $65,OO0.
Employed at the catsup factory were
about thirty girls, and 1t Is understood
the firm will secure other quarters With
out delay.
Miss Rose Short, n daughter OF Con-
stable John Short, who lives across the
alley from the burned factory building
tells o story to the effect that she saw a
man running out the alley at the west
end OF the building, Just after she had
been awakened by the light from the
fire. She was unable to describe this
man to an Intelligencer reporter when
seen yesterday afternoon.
OF another fire In the same building,
which occurred Mt a. m. on FEBRUARY
Is. 1854, the history OF the Wheeling nre
department SAYS: at a. m, the oil
cloth factory OF Messrs. Ayres. Cushing
q Osburn, situated on the south bank
OF the creek, east OF Market street, was
discovered to be on fire. The building
was about one hundred feet long and
five stories high, filled with oil, oil
cloth, bonnet boards, etc. This IRE,
when at Its height, was probably as IN
tense and more brilliant than any other
flre that ever occurred In the city, The
property was destroyed. II all the APP
pnrntus then In use In the city could
have been brought TO bear, the result
Would have been the same. Much APP
parntus was rendered useless. MS the
mains we're too small TO supply all nnd
the creek bank 80 steep that the water
there was not available Hobbs & Thy-
loyr's engine shop. adjoining, was saw
ed with little damage. The loss was
about 81. 900. with insurance Of 10000
In the afternoon when the department
was at work knocking down the re-