Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-06-24
4 BIG FIRE IN P|TISBURG.
TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOU
SAND DOLLARS DAMAGE TO
DIG BUSINESS BLOCKS.
Had 1T Originated in the Rear of the
Eichbaum Printing Company's
Plant. and Soon Extended to other
Buildings in the Block-The Hus-
Sey Building Almost Destroyed.

PITTSBURG, Pa, June 22.-Fire in
one of the principal down town BUSH
ness blocks to-day caused loss of
S250,0o0, involving eight buildings, con-
tanning many Office tenants. The ag-
gregate insurance will more than cover
this amount. The fire was originally
discovered in the rear or the Eichbaum
Company printing establishment. sup
posedly caused by spontaneous COM
bustion. The Eichbaum building
fronts on Fifth avenue few doors be-
low Wood street, was six stories high
and was tenanted by many office hold
ers, among them being Duff's College,
occupying the two upper floors, and the
Holmes Electric Company on the third
floor.
In an incredibly short time the en-
tire building was mass of flames, and
before the firemen could do much eff
fective work, had communicated to
the Exchange National Bank building
next door below, and from there to the
Hussey building adjoining.
simultaneously the fire extended to
James Piatt's saloon and restaurant
and A. NJ. Murdock's hover store on
the upper side.
The confagration was one of the
most threatening seen in Pittsburg for
many years, and for time the entire
block bounded by Fifth avenue, Dia-
mond and Market streets seemed
doomed to destruction.
Immense fire brands were carried by
the wind to buildings in all directions
and numerous incipient blazes result
ed, Fortunately, however. the roofs
soon manned by private fire brigades
who prevented the fire from spreading
beyond the buildings named. The roof
of he First National Bank, 250 feet
away from the Eiehbaum building and
on the other side of the street, caught
fire, but was soon extinguished without
material damage. The new Western
Union telegraph Office building, imme-
diaely opposite Eichbaum's. was saved
by the extra precautionary measures
adopted by the company officials. The
greatest excitement prevailed in the
rooms of Duff's Business College, where
fifty or more students were at work.
The extension of the flames was so
rapid that these people had to run for
their lives, not having time even to
gather their belongings together. Re-
ports were rife that several students
had persisted. but it is known tonight
that all escaped unhurt
The Eichbaum building was COM
pletely destroyed and the Hussey
building had the three upper stories
burned and the lower floors flooded
with water. When the Eichbaum
building had been Quilted, the wall of
the l. portion, which run in back of
Piatt's and Murdock's building, fell,
crushing in the rear portions of the
Wood street buildings occupied by the
American Express Company, Paulson
Bros, Ambuhl Bros, and Kurtz, Lang
bein G. Swartz. Several firemen were
caught In the debris of this wall, but
none were hurt so badly they could
not continue their work
The principal losses are the Eich-
baum building, owned by Whitney
Stephenson & Co., $4,000; the Hussey
building owned by Mrs. Emma Alison,
100000; Kurtz, Langbein 6 Swartz,
artists supply company, $4,000; Duff's
College. $4,000; Pittsburg Coal Com
pany, $500; Piatts saloon, $1,000;
Paulson Bros, hatters, $4,000; Ameri-
can Express Company, $4,000; and
Holmes Electric Company, $780,
The other losses are distributed
among the Office tenants, none of whon
suffered to the extent or more than
$4,000