Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-07-12
TWO CENTS
THE FIRE PIEND
Pays Fairmont a $40, 900 visit
Yesterday Morning
Two Large Buildings With all their
Contents Totally Destroyed Benny
Williams,,Among the Sufferers Work
of An lncendiary.

Contents Totally Destroyed Benny
WilliamsAmongt the Sufferers Work
of An lncendlary.
FAIRMoNT, July, ii "A mass Of
charred timbers and smoking ruins
now stand on lot in the First ward
that hundreds of people believe to
be cursed by a fire "hoodoo. = In any
event, the ground has been cleared
of the buildings that stood on it five
times during recent years, and each
time by fire.
1t was about twenty minutes of
three this morning when Nelson
Riley, an engineer in the B. d @.
yards saw flame burning about the
roof Of the building at the corner OF
Bridge and Water streets in the
First ward. At first he did not be-
lieve it to be serious, but in a sec
ond he had sounded the alarm,
which was taken up by the fire
whistle and other engines.
When he looked he was Mortified
to hear two or three explosions and
to see the roof of the building just
over the Hinkston photograph shop
raise as if lifted by many hands.
Then the flames burst out from all
sides.
BY this time the department had
line of water playing on the build
ing. Those in charge saw that it
would take every drop of water that
it was possible to get, SO four lines
were soon in action there. One was
on the bridge, two on Water street
and one next to the Hotel Fleming.
At glance it was seen to be i'm
possible to save the Williams build
ing and the Kelley block next to it.
Therefore the efforts OF the fighters
were directed towards saving the
new Fleming hotel, and the bridge
both of which looked for awhile to
be in imminent danger
1t was due to the hard work of
the department and the little crowd
OF police and others who helped that
these were saved.
After half hour of furious burn
ing the two corner buildings fell in,
and by daylight the flames were
nearly out.
The building owned by Wr Will
hams was constructed OF frame, was
two stories high and was used as a
compartment house on the second
floor, while-the first was utilized for
business rooms. Next to the bridge
first came Fred Cumpston's cigar
and book store, next was the w. Al.
Fisher grocery; then George RACERS
barber shop.
Up stairs over the Cumpston store
was f. A. Hinkston $ pretty little
art store and photograph gallery,
next was Tauber's tailoring shop
and then the rooms of F. A. Fields,
Mrs. Ann Riley and Mrs. X. Miller,
all of whom kept house there.
In the Kelley building and on the
second floor were the drug store of
Capt W. S. Hamilton and the res
taurant of w. E. Hall.
EVERYTHING WAS LOST.
AS was stated above, the flames
were first seen in the corner oc,anpied
by the H;nkston studio, but before
the alarm was given and assistance
could arrive the second floor OF the
two buildings was a mass of flames
and consequently very little of the
goods of any kind could be gotten
out What was taken from the
building were mashed on the street
by those eager to save more.
A representative Of the Times
saw all of the following persons to
day and the losses were given out TO
be as follows:
Loss ms
Messrs. Frank and Howard
Kelley, owners of the