The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1898-04-13

Town mas ever ndQ.
Morgantown had the biggest fire
in it's history Thursday morning.
How the fire originated is not def
nitely known although there are a
number who think it started in the
small shooting gallery back OF Capt
J. r. Miller's residence. This the
Captain says cannot be true as no one
was in there after 3 o'clock yester-
day afternoon and the fire used then
was very carefully turned out when
they left. There had been only a
small gas fire used and this had not
been burning for at least twelve
hours before the alarm OF fire was
given
The claim is made by few that
it came from the kitchen of St.
Clair's restaurant but Mr.. st. Clair
says that when he came down stairs
to see where the fire was he saw
that it was outside of the kitchen
on the side toward the shooting gal
lery and that itcould not have start
ed from the kitchen.
His baker Mike Stale was in the
bakery and he did not see the fire
until it had gained considerable
Roadway and he says it came from
the gallery. ALT X. Smith and Will
Cohen also say that the fire origlna
ted there. They saw it when it first
started and before it had gained
much Roadway.
The fire was discovered about 20
minutes before 3 o'clock and the fire
bell was rung at exactly three. The
liremen were not very quick getting
on the ground and the fire had gain
ed a terrible foothold before the first
stream of water went on it. The
water did not seem to have the
slightest effect on the blaze which
for more than an hour steadily
spread. The streams were very
weak and the wrong kind of nozzles
were placed ON the hose The water
was not turned on full and Joe Nc
Dermott went to one plug and
found that it was not more than hall
turned on after the water had
been running for some time
After the fire got.into the restaur-
ant it spread into the laundry and
tailor shop next door and soon the
entire interior of the buildings was
mass of flames Nothing was saved
from either except from the laundry,
The fact that many of the people oil
the town are wearing dirty shirts is
explained by the fact that no more
was saved from the laundry
Many people had all their laundry
except what they we're wearing there
aud Of course they are minus some Of
the most important parts of theil
wearing apparel.
The efforts of the firemen were al
first directed toward keeping down
the fire to this portion of the block
which is the .thickest built one in
the town. The front wall of the
building prevented them from doing
much to control the fire from this di-
rection and the stream from the rear
had to do all the fighting of any
avail.
The John building next door was
soon afire and the fire had gained a
large foothold before it was attack
ed at all. Mrs. Moorhead, Miss Jes-
sic and Mrs John had narrow es-
capes When they were awakened
the windows were falling into theil
rooms from the heat and the rooms
most ready to burst into flames
However everything movable was
taken out before the fire got fairly
started in them.
ihe house was completely Quilted
nothing being left but the brick
walls. There was fire in every room
and what the fire did not spoil the
water did. Between the two the house
is a complete wreck and will be torn
down and rebuilt The walls will new
er be good enough to leave standing.
The stock in the store was all car
ried out and everything was saved
and aside from the damage done by
rough handling will be all right
The greater part of the household
furniture was also saved but it was
badly damaged by the fire and water
and rough handling necessary at all
fires
Soon after the John building
caught the Miller building on the
lower side became ignited. The fire
caught in the roof and soon the whole
roof was on fire. There was another
fiat roof under he top one and this
is what saved the building from
burning down at once. The heavy
under soof held the fire off the in
side OF the house and p, evented it's
getting a firm foothold. A stream
of water was after long delay turn
ed on this building from the top and
the fire was successfully held in
check and eventually conquered.
But not until the building was com
pletely ruined. The walls of it are
very unsafe and will have to be torn
down. The building cannot he re-
paired at ALL
The stor' $ in The lower part of
this building suffered very greatly
from the water The stocks will be
nearly total loss. The rear part
Of the Shisler hardware store was
burned and all the material stored
there was destroyed The effect on
the rest of the stock can be imagin-
ed when it is said that it is entire
~ soaked With the water. The
stock was worth seven thousand
dollars and is half loss or better.
We'll is a very heavy loser the
stock Of dry goods notions and gents
furnishings is soaked with the water
which kept on coming in until far
into the day The goods of course
after this course of treatment viii
not bring near their value.
At one time the entire block
seemed to be doomed and Waters
and Wilmington began to move out.
The removal and the handling the
stock got will damage them to some
xtent probably to the extent OF one
hundred dollars. Two plate glass
windows on the opposite side Of the
street were broken by the heat and
are Of course total loss. They az
h In the windows Of the Athens fl@~5
/ store and 3. G. Wells barber 4
Z 41s l,AdAts &. a ~ zS e. r. s>2+5I