Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-05-07
DISTRESSING FIRE
Personal Property of Emerson
Carney Nearly Total Loss.


Carney Nearly Total Loss.
Narrow Escape of MT. and Mrs. Carney
House Quilted by Eife-It Belongs
to Miss Cordray Delay in Getting
Water, While Flames Ragged Fiereely
-Geo G. Hayes Residence la
Peril.
The home Of Emerson Carney in the
house owned by Miss Elizabeth Cor
dray was Quilted by fire about O'Clock
last night and nearly all the personal
property belonging to Mr.. and Mrs
Carney was destroyed. The family
had a narrow escape from suffocation.
Miss Cordray was away from home.
She had gone to prayer meeting and
remained for Bible Study class after
its close. Mott Of her personal prop
erty was rescued from the first floor,
before the flames got to that side of the
house, but the loss on the building
falls heavily upon her. She had $500
insurance on the house and 5000 on
personal property Mr.. Carney bad
$500 insurance on personal property.
The fire was first discovered in the
kitchen. Mr.. and Mrs. Carney accu-
pied the side Of the house next to
Bumbo Lane, and Miss Cordray the
rooms next to the residence OF Geo G.
Hayes. Mrs. Carney had retired about
eight O'Clock suffering from head
ache. Mr.. Carney retired later, hav-
alb "a -4,. ia fr,4 ho Ii
and had not been out Of it long, when
his wife first remarked that she smell
ed fire.
So rapidly and fiercely did the flames
spread from the kitchen, that they had
barely time 10 escape and getatheir
little son Wayne over TO the home of
Geo. q, Hayes adjoining. Mrs. Car
ney bad The hair scofched on one side
az her bead and Mr.. Carney was near
81 safIoeated. Both were compelled
to escape in their night clothes, AL
most none 81 their clothes were saved,
and very little Of the furniture
In an incredibly short space of time
The flames had rushed through the bed
room next e. the kitchen, and on
through the front room and were en-
eel0ping Che franb porch, when the |
water was daallY gotten on the fire.
There was no delay ia The fire COM
pany getting 10 the scene Of the fire, I
but when they arrived It was diseov- T
cred chat the hose connections were (
al off, and the wrench for opening T
the fire plug was gone. A wrench /
was gotten from the Gas Gompany's I
Office near by, but at the rate the fire
was progressing it seemed long time,
to the great crowd assembled, before
any water was gotten TO the fire 1t
did not require many minutes to get
the fire under control when the hose
connections were finally made.
The proximity of the Cordray house
to Geo. G. Hayes residence made it
appear that it was doomed. for a few
minutes, while the flames were spread
ing SO fast. Fortunately water was
gotten in time to save it, and no dam
age was done.
The Carneys and Miss Cordray were
sheltered. at the home of the Hayes's
next door last night. They had recov-
cred somewhat from the shock this
morning.
Mr.. Carney recovered ten dollars in
cash from trunk which was locked
up and renamed in the bed room
through the fire. Although the trunk
was badly charred on the outside the
money and some OF Mrs. Carney's
clothes were safe within. When it
was opened they were almost too hot
to handle.
small quantity of money In Mrs.
Carney's purse was also gotten out of !
her room after tie re.
Everything in the kitchen was
total loss. The fire is supposed to :
have started here In a wastbasket ,
from some cause unknown. The cell
ing is burned through above where :
the basket stood. =
Mrs. Carney had just finished her j
spring sewing, aud had every thing in
readiness for the summer. Besides ;
the clothes and furniture, there were
d great many little things, not of so
much value, but which can never be
replaced, making the loss a very dis
treSsing one to the losers. {
A tremendous crowd of people gath !
cred at the alarm of fire, and those Y
first on the scene did all they could t
to rescue property in the sufTocatlng v
smoke but it soon became too dense
to he endured. l
The loss can hardly be estimated in Z
dollars, for when one is burned out OF I
house and home the loss cannot be
measured The two families were so [
nicely fixed that IL would cost many
hundred dollars TO replace the house 5
as they were at O'Clock last evening.
On the return OF the fire company l
to The shed, it was learned that the {
hose connections and wrench had
Seen taken of by the street cleaning
force, and were left in a wheelbarrow
Instead et being returned to their
plHces. No such carlessness should be
allowed again