The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-01-10
100000 FIRE
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door ~ sas Elveu th- a. r-~s -
Chaplain Moran. - ~ rre drparf
ms1i. Just a. he sAs s~aIlO~ed fr-ra
Nie~ b. the dense smose aae rot
seen again
May BE otner Dead.
Spectators a. IN. windows "a. near
BY skyscrspper- tod oi seeing others
disappear IN tn. flames when tho roof
caved in. but the authorities believe
the list or cau-alties already reported
Is hardly likely to b. heightened.
Some estimates OF the loss run a.
Sl5.Oov.uOV. but more conservative
authorities thought tonight that the
damage would not run over $4,000. 900.
The property Was assessed by the
city at Sl2.0O0.000
An officer OF the Equitable said
that the society's own loss would not
amount TO more than $500. 900. cover
ed by its contingent insurance fund
and that duplicates OF every record
destroyed were stored in subsidiary
! Offices. The company had planned
to erect a new building on the site
and as figured by the officers the ex-
pense of tearing 1t down will balance
VIII dbahSA me dCtudl Ndlue OF 'ne
structure.
Millions n Vaults.
Stored away in nreproof vault
over the main entrance OF the build
ing on Broadway. were between $780,
VVJUvO and S3OU. 900. 900 OF the secur-
tiles OF the company. While the
vault was subjected to fierce heat.
Gage r. Tarbell. trustee OF the
Equitable. said tonight. that he be-
licved its contents could be- found
safe. Three streams OF water We're
played upon the vault all day and
the freezing weather quickly coated
IL with ice.
Although the loss of the biography
of r. H. Hartman. which was about
to he printed. seems irretriyable.
records OF the Hartman lines may DO
saved If their vaults on the third
and fourth floors are found intact.
The loss 10 the lawyers club. on
the fifth and sixth floors. will be- ir-
r-parable. \ law library OF more
than $4,000 volumes. many OF which
were priceless and cannot he replac-
I'd. was destroyed The flames con
summed also the law and insurance
library OF the Equitable society. said
10 be- the most complete collection OF
insurance literature in the world
Covered Whole Square.
The Equitable building covered al
mos, the entire block bounded by
broadway. Cedar. Pine and Nassau
streets. and stood eight stories high.
. of granite exterior, the structure
nevertheless was not ire-proof. wnllc.
within. winding corridors and wooden
partitions made almost ideal condi-
tons for spread OF flames. as today
fire plainly proved.
Had il not been for the irc-proOf
construt ton OF buildings surrounding
the Equitable. there is little doubt in
tho opinion OF Fire Commissioner
Johnson that with the sixty-mile gale
blowing "A great Confiagration would
have resulted.
Firemen Sheathed in Ice.
Within few hours structures on all
sides were coated with ice. Firemrn
worked with their coats shcathed in
ice. and the engines were covered with
white frosting
One OF the most dangerous ordeals
I the hremen had 10 face was the neCes-
sity of fighting he flames amid
. showers OF grant" chips. many OF
them large enough to crush a man TO
death. which peeled on the facade Of
IN" building when subjected TO the in
tense heat on one side and icy cold
on the other.
Aided b, s-archiights from tn" lofty
Singer building which were trained
upon the gutsed structure. iiremen be.
Kan systematic search 90 the third
floor tonight COY Tho body o. battalion
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