Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-09-19

Yesterday afternoon about five min
utes after five o'clock the explosion
OF a gasoline stove in the second story,
rear room, of the business house Nos
1927 and 1923 Main street. started a
fire which gave some little trouble, yet
which was extinguished promptly by
the department with loss Of not much
more than a thousand dollars. 1t was
which can be done by chemicals, with
which every engine company is now
provided.
The alarm came in from box No.
81, at Main and South streets, and the
Eleventh street chemical company made
remarkable time, being on Market
street, between Eleventh and Twelfth,
when the scond round began striking.
1t was first at the scene, but was
closely followed by the Atlantic, with
which Chief Cline came, and the hook
and ladder The other companies fol-
lowed in rapid succession, for twenty
calls bring everything in the city.
When the fremen arrived smoke was
pouring in dense volumes from the sec
ond story windows, and was slowly
oozing from the third story openings.
The firemen tackled the second story
in front via ladders, with
lines OF hose, and then await
ed orders, which caused the
impression among the thousand or so
of spectators that they were slow.
Meanwhile the chemical lines were laid
through the hallway Of No 1421 and up
stairs to the second story. There trou-
BILE was met. There are three rooms
on the second floor, from front to rear,
with a hall and a hall bed room on
the north side. At the top of the stair
way. which is only about two feet VIDE,
was a flooring board partition, with
doorway, shutting with a snap lock.
Inside of this everything was on hre
and the smoke was something a tribe
too dense to breathe. The firemen tore
down the partition with their hands
and threw the boards behind them,
down stairs. and then the fire got air
and the fight began. Several chemlcal
streams were laid up this stairway,
and they were turned on, one after an
other. the firemen, with sponges IN
their mouths, being unable to see any
thing for the smoke, and hardly able
to breathe. Little by little, however, an
entrance was forced into the rear room,
a kitchen. and from there the fire was
followed into the middle bed room ana
then on towards the front, Where tne
narIor was located. The idea of Chlet
Cline was to fight the fire entirely win
chemicals, there being plenty OF lines
of big hose for emergencies, but through
some misunderstanding of orders the
engine streams, only restrained Dy the
sf1lt-off noZzles, were let go at the
front second story windows, with re-
suit that the front portion OF the puld-
vng was drenched, and the water ran
through the floor to the lower story,
damaging the stock of the Truschell pa
nor. firm on the first floor. AT the
lime of the first arrival of the nremen
if was reported through the crown VI
snectators that a woman and chl1d were
still in the building, and TINS causeu
a rush of volunteer life-savers' VINO
were subsequently elected with some
difficulty. While ladder was pelns
rim no in front a second story shutter
was knocked off its hinges ana Ialllhs
IN the sidewalk struck Joseph merge
across the face, cutting him oadly anu
knocking him unconscious. me
wounded man was at once picked up
bv Frank G.. Caldwell, Lieut.. Mlchaeis'
and others. and was given attention.
and in a short time he was all rlght.
The building is owned by George
c,oiFh of Kirkwood, and Is occupied
On the ground floor by the Truscnell
,,oner firm. while the second ana thlru
Stories are rented by Mrs. Mcnamara
oso. ~ 9,oardinr house. The property is
;,,s,1red in the w. S. Foose agency.