The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1902-02-12
A FLAME SWEPT GITi
Acres Of Business Section Ct Pater-
sen Destroyed.
FIRE RACED IwENIY.rouR HOURS:
Firemen Are Exhausted After Thirty
Hours of Continuous worlx=Houses
Thrown Open For The Re-
ception OF the Homeless.


eonhae- alton which burned It's way
through the business center OF Pater-
son Sunday has completely spent its
force and is quickly dying out in the
ashes and broken brick OF its ruin.
The fremen who hurried from other
cities to save TIE endangered city
have gone back to their homes and
several companies of the local depart
ment have been cd cred to their hous-
es for the rest and refreshments l.. ~
so sorely need. Conservative opinion
inclined to cut 100000 from the ag-
gregate loss of S10.0OO,0O agreed up
on Sunday, and SS.OOO.0OO will prob
ably be accepted finally as the actual
cost OF the fire. No tabUlation of in
dividual losses that can be accepted
as reliable has yet been made, and it
Will be several days before satisfac-
tory figures can be prepared Equally
incomplete is the estimate of insur-
ance. 1t was stated here that the in
surance amounted TO between 8, 0O0,-
600 AMI $5,O0O,OOO, bur what gave ba-
sisSto the calculation was not clear.
Several of the largest losers said that
they had not yet seen seen an oppor-
tunity to examine IN policies and
that meantime they could not tell
what amount they carried.
Probably no fire of equal magnitude
and widespread destruction ever pro-
duced an equally small casualty list.
Dozens of firemen and the volunteers
who laborsd with them were slightly
injured by falling bricks and timber,
burned b. flying firebrands or tenn
porarily overcome by smoke, but only
few of them need either surgical
or medical at.en ion. The small
casualty list is explained by the fact
that the people had ample warning
and time to abandon their homes be-
fore the flames came upon them.
The fire made no Roadway during
the night. Famed by strong wind it
burned up fitful.y in places during the
early hours Monday morning, but
wherever it showed threatening
strength the fremen turned streams
on 1t and beat 1t down. The firemen
were completely exhausted after more
than 80 hours of continuous work
Well Cared For.
There was comparatively little suf-
homeless b. the fire, and the armory,
churches and public shelters opened
their doors to but few applicants dur
ing the night. Practically every home
that escaped the flames was thrown
open in spirit of broad charity and
nearly every refugee found shelter at
the house OF some friend.
The declaration of Mayor Sinchliff
that the city can care for it's own is
concurred in by everybody, but there
may be an appeal later for outside
help. Those who are organizing a
plan of relief will soon be able to
reach decision of the question of ask
ing aid from other communities
A bread and coffee famine was
ayerted by outside aid. A Newark
bread company early Monday morn
ing started wagons loaded with 5000
loaves of bread for free distribution in
stricken city. Wealthy residents OF
this city ordered large supplies of eof-
fee and provisions from Passaic, New
ark and New York. The ladies' relief
committee has established its head
quarters in st. Paurs Episcopal church
on Broadway and will provide food to
all who may apply for assistance.
In the hospitals are 63 persons In
jured in the long fight against the
flames. Two deaths were due to the
calamity. One was that of an old wo.
man who fell down stairs in her anx-
iety to view the fire. The other was
a woman who had just become q
mother, and who died as the result Of
being removed from her home.