Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-11-01

OTTO'S RESTAURANT, IN THE
REAR OF THE WHEELING BAK-
cry COMPANY'S RETAIL DE-
PARTMENT, NO. 1926 MARKET
STREET SPREAD UPSTAIRS
TO THE BANNER PIANO COM
PANY WAREROOM AND NORTH
TO THE RESTAURANT-THE
LOSS RUNS INTO THE THOUS-
DS-ANOTHER FIRE LAST
NIGHT.
AS stubborn a fire as the Wheeling de-
partment has been called upon to fight
for many day broke out few minutes
before half-past five o'clock yesterday
afternoon in the electrical room which
furnishes light for Otto's restaurant,
No. 1928 Market street, and the White
Front saloon, No. 1896 The engine
room is situated in the rear of the
Wheeling Bakery sale yeofs. below the
level of alley nine, and upstairs over it,
in the rear is the ware room of the
F. w. Banner Music Company, where
surplus stock is kept, DR.. S. Billiard
having the front room over the bak-
cry, on the Market street front as a
dental operating office.
The immediate cause Of the fire was
probably the bursting of the gas
bag in the pipe supplying the gas
engine which operates the dynamo for
the restaurant and saloon, although a
defective wire may be responsible.
This probably occurred about twenty
five minutes after five o'clock, just as
it was growing dusk. In three min
utes the engine room was III blaze,
the fire pouring out of the big WINDOW
opening into alley nine, at the ground
level, and also working its way up
stairs where the Banner stock was
kept and also north into the rear room
Of the Otto restaurant, fed by the bar
rels of oil in the engine room.
The flames were almost immediate
ly seen and Fire Chief Cline attempt
ed to send in a still alarm to the
Chemical Company on Eleventh street,
but central said "they were talking"
according to a statement made to the
Register by the Chief, and he was shut
out, and thus about two or three min
utes of precious time was lost. The
Chief said he talked in italics to Cen
trial." and in the meantime box No. %,
at Fourteenth and Market streets, was
pulled, and the Chemical Company
from Eleventh street was naturally the
first to respond. When it arrived the
fire was pouring from the alley nine
basement window as we'll as from the
top of the old disused chimney of the
Wheeling bakery, and had eaten its
way up to the second floor and so on
to the roof, having an excellent start.
The Chemical boys got down to
work in alley nine promptly, but it
was some time before they were re-
inforced one cause being the accident
to the hose wagon of the big Atlantic
engine company. This team bolted on
Market street near the scene of the
fire and ran to Market and Twelfth,
where driver Will Clator turned them
into the curb stone, and left the rig in
rather unceremonious manner. For
tunately, however, he was not serious
ly hurt, and the wagon was soon back
in service.
The alarm sent in called the entire
department, and as the companies ar
rived they took stations on Main and
Market streets and laid their hose
lines while the hook and ladder gave
access to the roofs of the White Front
on Market street and to the rear OF the
bakery building, in alley nine. By
this time, however, the fire had well
worked itself upstairs into the Banner
Company ware room, had burst out OF
the rear end of the building, on the
line of Alley G, and had ignited the
Tanney paint shop on the rear of the
lot belonging to Julius Pollock. For
about two minutes it looked bad, but
then the big streams were gotten TO
work, front and rear, and While the
danger was past, little progress was
made for twenty minutes, and 1t was
a full hour after the alarm was sound
ed before the fire was out, as the
blaze worked its way up through the
second story and out OF the roof be-
fore it was quelched.
The net result was the burning out
of the restaurant electric room with a
loss which cannot be well estimated
until to-day, when it will be possible
to examine the machinery. The dam
age to the real estate. which belongs
to the Truschell estate, is not great,
$500 probably covering it. The loss to
the Otto restaurant was entirely con-
fined to water, and will be nominal,
while the White Front did not suffer
at all. The bulk of the loss falls on
the Banner Company, and it may run
as high as $1,000 or $1,000, but no esti-
mate could be made last evening, the
Office force of the Company as late as
half-past nine saying they could tell
nothing about it, and professed not to
know who has the insurance. In the
opinion of Fire Chief Cline, $4,000 will
cover the whole bill.
During the fire the Niagara was sta
toned at alley and Main street, the
Vigilant at Twelfth and Market streets,
and the Atlantic at alley 9 and Market,
directly in front Of the burning build
ing. The Wheeling eighth ward)
company and the Alert Qsland) did
not respond, being held in reserve.
During the fire the chemicals were
completely exhausted. but did good
work until the big streams were turned
on. The out tap was not sounded
until well ON TO seven o'clock.
Last evening Chief Cline said: THE