Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-09-20
MARTINsBURG, w VA. FRIDAY SEPT 20 1912

y
bling walls and smouldering ruins the
building and contents being entirely
destroyed.
Loss over 100000
The destruction Of the plant OF the
Stewart Vehicle Co constitutes the
heaviest fire loss in the history OF
Msrtinsburg. aggregating. as il does
in excess OF Sl09. coo. lnasmueh as
the insurance carried on building and
contents Is $107.500. it Is said. Il may
be stated that the loss is fully GOV.
cred. enormous as il is. This is graf.
flying news to the public because the
company's loss, great as Il is. cannot
cripple H.
But there Is more involved in tho
loss than nc FIRST appears. II throws
twenty-five or more hands out OF EN-
ployment and breaks contracts for We.
hicles far and wide. IN the building
We're hundreds OF sleighs, buggiea and
carriages finished aud unfinished be.
sides raw materials. etc, worth thou.
sands of dollars more. Under o~din.
airy circumstances the fire would
have been a calamity, and ia such, In
deed, rs large and important indus.
try is wiped out Of existence.
Whilst the company has made no
plans as yet, for the future, stlll II
VIII be generally hoped hat n larger
factory win ere long take the place OF
the nne daafraVed
viii Rebuild Soon
Mr. Claude Stewart said this aftei.
noon that the company will com
mence to rebuild the plant at oEoe.
and that the prospects for future bust
ness In their line was never brighter
than now.
Fire Notes
Mr.. Martin Quinn of Ryneal Hose
Co. had the misfortune To fall down
the elevator shaft from the second to
the FIRST floor while fighting the fire,
sustaining sever injuries to his zip
and disabling him for the time.
Mr. Ernest Weller. of Second street,
was running TO the fire and slipped on
a rail near the Kilbourn Mills. frac.
turing his leg at the ankle. He was
conveyed to his home and DR. Oates
reduced the fracture.
Miss Theresa Arnica, whose home
is directly opposite the scene Of the
| FIRE, was overcome with fright and
tainted In her house, remaining I'M
conscious for some time. She was af-
terwards taken TO The City Hospital
4 Mr.. Iohn T. Bateman, Of Ryneai
! Hose Co.. had his hand burned while
4 fighting the flfe and the same HfeInbHr
badly punctnred with a nail A lady
OF the neighborhood tied up the hand
and he went to work again.
Mr.. Harry Thomas. also of the Ry.
meals. was overcome for while by
the heat. but stuck to the work.
Mrs Joseph Haas, Winchester ave
nut, whose home 10 directly back of
tho fire, thoughtfulIy served refresh
ments to the Aremen.
Mr. ], William Stewart used his au-
tomobile to haul the hose reel OF
No to the fire, and the Ryneal team
hauled il home afterwards. In the
quick run nearly all the tools were
spilled out of the tool box.
The glow from the fire was seen
by people at Pen Mar. while at Ha.
gerstown II was still more visible
When the fire bell began ringing
about Gas O'Clock many people were
on their way to early church services
Many OF them went to the fire instead
and some left church during the aery-
ice when they heard the general
alarm.
The regular evening services In the
,ar,ous church were pretty SHINY at
tended. most of the men and large
portion of the wcmen and girls pre-
ferlng to go to the fire.
Never in the history Of Martinsburg
have so many people ran TO fire, the
crowd being estimated at 5000 and
the excitement ran high,
The stable OF Attorney =. L. Lutrell
In close proximity to the fire was pref
ty badly scorched as was that OF Mr..
Joseph Haas. nearby
Had there been strong west wind
and dry roofs there Is no telling
where the Are would have stopped
/ but some Of the hapdsomest reslden-
ces on Winchester avenue would un-
doubtedly have been destroyed
A lew water pressure in the neigh
borhood Of the fire greatly hampered
the effectual work of the fire ladies
A large measure of credit is due the
I iremen for their splendid work, sup
plemented. as it was, by the direction
/ Of chief Langford, Everybody is
proud Of the brave drenien and the
way they handled the fire.