The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1903-05-29
BRIDGEPORT BURNS
HEART IS GONE.
Most Destructive Blaze i'm the His
tory of the Town Occurs---Is
Regular Conflagration.
Losses are Heavy With Insurance AstonishinqIy
Light--Fire Believed to be of Incendiary Origin
Started in Rear of Camps Store in
Trash Pile.

peaceful slumbcrs and summoned to the
scene of a confagration, the greatest
that has bcfallcn the town in all its
history.
At l2 o'clock the Rev. Penn, the
Methodist preacher there, saw blaze in
trash pile in the rear of George Camps
general merchandise store ON Main street.
It was under good Roadway and alarm
ingly close to the store building. He
ran to the church Immediately and rang
the bell rs an alarm to the citizens.
The people rushed forth to behold the
store building ablaze. There was con-
sternation on every hand, but bucket bri-
gades were formed at once and heroic
efforts were made to put out the blaze.
The building was a frame, two stories
high, and 1t burned like cinder.
The Central hotel, owned and conduct
ed by Fred Kester, and the store were
in the same building and was soon ablaze
and RACED by the flames. The fire spread
TO the next building down the street,
owned by A. d. Corpening and occupied
by him with general store and meat
market. 1t was an easy prey to the
hungry flames, being two-story frame
Contents and all were destroyed and
nothing remained except the debris to
tell the tale.
The fire was soon in the John Dunkin
building, in which he had n large gen
.eral store and n barber shop conducted
by Russell Mead. The building and con-
tents were quickly licked up by the
flames. v-.---.,.--..,l..
/ The fire would have gone on in its
path of destruction had It not been for
>. B. Martins big brick store building.
The flames threatened it too, but had
exhausted themselves too much to attack
that which was practically tire-proof.
There was danger on the other side of
the street. and twice the blaze under
took to leap across, but the heroic work
of the volunteer fire fighters checked
them in their mad career in that direc.
hon, and the only damage they did was
70 blister the front of Dr. w. NJ. Late'S
residence considerably and scorch TO
considerable extent the front part of
the residence of J. b. Sandusly. The
bucket and blanket brigades saved these
houses, and by SO doing saved many 9TH
ers and, perhaps. the entire town.
An astonishing disclosure is the light
amount of insurance carried. George
Camp had $1,000 on his stock of goods
and A. d. Corpening $500 on the meat
market. The others carried none. and
their losses are complete.
Virtually all the contents of the build
Some few goods were carried out hut
not enough 70 amount 70 much. The
hotel equipments we're wiped ont COM !
pletely. Mr.. +. Kc-tcr lost all his
clothes, except the shirt and pair of
pants he had on at the fire. He also
lost $50 in money. which he forgot to
take from under hi- pillow When hc
rushed out Of the building at the first
alarm OF fire.
The cause OF the fire i not definitely
known, but it is believed by many that
it was Of inecndinry origin. Still 9TH
crs think it may have started from a
cigar stump.
a telephone message was received
here from the place for help from the
city fire department. but the Inter. not
being equipped with engines. could be
of no service, and did not respond. 4
wire was sen. also to Grafton, but this
was remanded. when it was seen that
the fire would exhaust itself before
spreading beyond the burnt district,
was practically in ashes before the Graf
ton fire department could have arrived.
The aggregate loss amounts to from
$4,000 to $4,000, with only $500 in
surance all told. The losses are divided
as follows:
Fred kestcr. owner of the hotel and
building, $500. with no insurance.
George Camp. stock of goods, 5000;
insurance. $1,000.
A. D. corpenins. building and store and
meat shop. $500. with $500 insurance
ON meat shop.
Russell Meade. barber outfit, 500; un-
insured.
John Dunkin, building and store stock.
from 5000 to $4,000; no insurance.
Lewis Silcott, who lived over corpen-
ing's store, lost nearly all of his house
hold gods. His loss is $3.50.
Some outhouscs were burned for James
B. Martin. and his loss is $500. DIR.
Late's loss is ss5 and ]. B. Sandusssy's
$3.50.
John DunLin and corpenins saved
some of their store goods.
Are You Losing Your Hearing7
Nine times out of ten catarrh of the