Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-08-03
WHY WATER SUPPLY
WAS insufficient.
sUPT. MCKINNEY OF THE WATER
WORKS DISCUSSES NEfBER-
GALL FIRE.
THE PRESSURE is VERY WEAK
In Tint section of the City Because
the supply Pipes Are Too small.
City BADLY In Need of Some New
Water Mains - Further Informa-
tion About Yesterday Mornings
Fire.

Considerable comment has been
caused by the insufficient water supply
for the Neibergall fire early yesterday
morning, and a great many inquiries
have been made concerning the reason
for IL. An evening paper places the
fault with the plugs, which are said 10
have been ologged with sand and mud
in such a manner as to interfere with
the working of the fire engines. This
is denied. however. by Superintendent
Mike Mckinney, of the water works,
who says the fire plugs have been
flushed twice during his administra-
ton. the last time less than month
ago, and that all are in good order.
Mr. Mckinney says the trouble is
due to the fact that the pipes supply
ing that section of the city with water,
are much too small. The section in
which the fire occurred is supplied by
a six-ineh pipe, which would not give
enough water for one engine.
There is a twenty-ineh main in the
Eighth ward. which runs down Wood
street as far as Forty-first, where IL
ends The six inch main extends from
Thirty-tn.rd street down Jacob to
Forty-ffth, across Forty-fifth to Wood
and north on Wood to Thirty ninth. 1t
will be readily seen that the strain on
this pipe is much too great At Forty
second street a four inch pipe connects
with 1t, extending west to Water, and
on down to Forty eighth street.
The situation in that section is rather
peculiar, and an investigation reveals
a condition of affairs showing that the
trouble might have been obviated at
slight expense. Reference is here made
to the fact that the twenty inch main
extends down the west side of Wood
street to Forty-tirst, and the six Inch
pipe extends up the east side of the
street to Thirty ninth. BY making
connection of these two pipes at any
point on the two blocks, the pressure
in the six inch pipe down Jacob street.
could have been greatly increased, and
would have been adequate for all pres
ent purposes. Mr.. Mckinney stated
last night that he did not know of this
condition of affairs until he made an
investigation yesterday morning. lie
will probably have the connection made
at once.
There are several sections of the city
with very poor water service" said the
superintendent to a Register reporter
last night. "rhe city Is badly in need
Of some new mains. one section Is
that in which the fire occurred An
other Is out Caldwell's Run, where
there Is simply a four inch pipe. An
other section is Belvedere, but 1t will
be all right within short time.
have known cases of women drawing
water on Sunday for Mondays wash
ing, because the pressure was heavier
on that day"
Yesterday the scene of the Neiber-
gall fire ON the South Side, was visited
by hundreds of sight-seers, and the big
wreck presented a more desolate mass
of ruins by daylight tnan it did under
the glow of its own light. Until an ex-
pert machinist can examine the masses
of machinery in the ice and cold stor-
age plant, no accurate estimate OF the
loss can be made. If the machinery IS
badly damaged, the loss will be about
$25 900; If 1t is not SO badly damaged
as expected, 1t will be lower.
1t is expected the insurance adjusters
will get to work to-day on the build
ing. Yesterday no definite information
was obtainable as to whether the pant
would be rebuilt or not.
The insurance on the Neibergall prop
erty amounted to $4,000. all of which
was placed through the Theodore Roller
agency as follows:
CaIledOD1an .......s.. ovoo
F'iremen's, Newark, n. J.............. 1.5O0
Standard, Wheeling ........-........... lV0O
Hanover New York. LUZ
Mr.. w. r. Rice is the local agent for
the Hanover In addition to the above
Mr.. Neibergall recently placed 81 900 on
his new cold storage house with The ID.
G. Morgan agency
Fire Chief Robert d. Cline when seen
last night, disclaimed authority for the
story that the lack of water supply was
due to the plugs being clogged up.
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