The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-06-20
NHlIIB BLOCK
ALMOST SWEPT
sfoF ine Theater and a Number
Her buildings destroyed
fite just after Sunday
Midnight.
neral Casualties Occurred
.IsTsnce p. stouthad Collar bone
pic,sen by Falling Thirty feet.
osses ilsayy.-osigin Of
blaze amystery.

1A090S ttee$sI'
blaze ahystery.
bic fiercest fire here in several
6iiths took place Sunday night. Only
5enicientswork Of the fire depart
DsSt and Volunteers prevented the
akdsstructioh Of an entire bust-
s6lock. Providence in measure
5ofed the fiAssfEhters as there was
tilttle wiud. ~
About Lo'clock the old Short Line
Hater building owed by P. F.
6Donuell was discovered atire. The
III was under good headway when
eoyeref THE alarm was sent In
dlthe department was upon the
sue!and ct work " . very short
Bile. The people gathered swiftly
5in all sections 81 the city and many
them willingly lent q helping hand.
lle several frame buildings IN the
Ii 81 the theater building soon
night and were speedily swept away
the ragipg flames. The theater
6lldihp was attached to the three
81 aloon building in front belong
s. q r. Wallis, Of this city, and
Ii. Flanagan, of Parkersburg, and
s6pied by P. +. Mcdonnell. This
Hiding was undergoing extensive re-
4irs The flames Quilted it complete
nd rendered the:walls unsafe.
,fire was di covered by Police
maj. f. Cornell who sent in the
I'm. Some delay was experienced
LIGHTING the telephone message to
lac department. and the general alarm
Sas not sounded for some minutes af-
srwsrd- Mr.. Connell's attention was
traeted by the running OF the occu-
fs5fonft tile building.
B8t { time II looked as IL the entire
book would be swept away and there
Pas great anxiety not only on the part
& those Immediately concerned but
by all who witnessed the ravishing
iames
Seeing it utterly hopeless to save
the frame buildings that were being
ra1ed, the department directed its
EFFORTS to combining the fire to the
burning area and to the adjacent build
fnes. Great difficulty was experienc.
Cd In saving the Deison hotel on the
ne side and the building on the other
side occupied by the Elk saloon and
belonging TO w. S. siers. The hotel
was badly scorched at one corner aud
the rear end of the Elk saloon build.
ing badly burned.
The theater buildingwas a two story
100 by40 feet. West Of this building
was 1.-TWO story carriage shop and a
Blacksmith shop owned and occupied
Eby MS. Siers. These were in the radius
sief7e ard were completely burn
al Several small ont houses in the
rear Of the hotel were burned. The
hotel; stable and the American laund-
nv building were on tire several times
but we're not much damaged.
81 The Origin Of the fire is mystery.
'rwocolored porters, Henry Lester and
william Roberts, were sleeping in the
second story OF the theater building
sand. were aroused by the flames. Their
escape was almost cut of but tn y
made a wild dash for their safety and
escaped just in time. Roberts had
lis hair considerably slnged in rushing
through the flames. They did not
{stke time TO dress but rushed out In
night attire.
During the progressof the fire sew
aral persons were injured, some seri
s6usly. clarence Stout was knocked
! from aladder while handling hose
ana fslI to the ground, distance Of
sfhsstS feet or more, breaking his
solIar bone aud sustaining other In
Infies. He was taken to the hospital
Feed Gaus was severelyhurt by a mans
falling upon him from scahold
Sfchie Crawford had an arm injured
.StCpt's1niuIies arethe mcst dang
ESFO,tis e be is getting along nicely
"a IIibc out in short while.
aggregate loss is quite heavy
4. Slwas $1,000 on the saloon build
III but the damage reaches far be
& ,thls. Mr.. Mcdonnell had 81 ,5O(
~ &c theater and the same amount
A. his stocsL sxtures and so on. Hi
nat loss will ach $1,000 or more Mr.
siers valued ~ building at $500 ant
SsIs.blacksnith outfit at sl,5 500. His il
totalloss, as he carried no insurance
a, any Of the destroyed buildings. Thu
.sher losses will amount to about 81,
60o. The losses have not yet been ad
5usted
The fire department deserves grea
raise for the efiiciencyshown and thu
airing engaged in in fighting tn,
Isa r,.t.... .tG.l ,.,ncl awnallnV, y COR