The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-02-22
LICK
UP MILLIONS
AT HOUSTON
OVER 200 BUILDINGS
REDUCED TO RUINS.
Dozen Big Plants Consumed by
Fire Estimated to Have Done
S7,0OO,0OO Damage.
One Thousand Persons Are Home
less-Many Others Left With
out Employment.

HOUSTON. Texas. Feb. 21.-In the
wake of the most destructive fire In
the history OF Houston. smouldering
wreckage tonight covers an area OF
about one and a half miles in length
and varying in width from 200 yards
TO half mile in the northeastern sec
ton of the city. More than dozen of
the city's most important Industrial
enterprises are in ruins; two hundred
or more dwelling houses and store
buildings are in ashes. and approx
mately one thousand persons are
homeless. An accurate statement of
the monetary loss is not yet possible.
but the most conservative is that IL
viii reach at least S7.O00.0O0. The in
surance carried will not exceed 40 per
cent. Except for a few who suffered
minor burns and bruises. no casualties
attended the fire.
Breaking forth without warning in
an untenanted rooming house known
locally as the Mad House." shortly
after / o'clock this morning. and at q
time when fierce gale was sweeping
from the northwest, the flames made
rapid headway. Leaping from their
place OF origin. the flames pounced
upon adjoining structures. and from
them swept toward the southeast, gen.
orally making clean and desolate its
route; but occasionally. in seeming
sport. sparing a structure, sometimes
mere shanty and again a place of
pretension.
Still Fight Flames.
Four hours after the area OF de-
struction had been defined. but the
work OF the fire fighters was not then
ended. nor is 1t ended yet. for all over
the charred and blackened district are
piles of debris, the consuming of
which is a slow process.
Buffalo Bayou divides the city, run
ming east and west and Il was not un.
Ill the 'confiagration had reached its
banks that the slightest headway
could be made toward checking IL.
Except for an occasional dip across
the stream, the line OF destruction
ended here
In the early morning hours the gale
continued fiercely and at times hurled
cluods Of burning shingles and fire
great distances and threatening even
further destruction. Two OF the
plants so threatened were those Of the
Texas Oil company and the Houston
Packing company. The latter was
damaged 20 n considerable extent
Several times the roof of the oil
plant was ignited by flying brands,
but the incipient blazes were quickly
extinguished.
Big Plants Burned.
The Industrial plants DESTROYED, in
clude three cotton compress together
with $1,000 bales OF cotton, a syrup
mill. and pencil factory. two rice
mills. cotton pickery and three lum-
ber yards The congresses and cot
ton alone were valued in excess OF
S5.OOO.OOO. Another building destroy
ed was ST. Patrick's Cotholic church
and academy.
Quick action was taken for the re-
lief of those rendered homeless and
niRht-fall found the victims AZ least
with their immediate needs cared for.
Outside aid will not be needed in
caring for those made homeless To-
day felegroms camc from the mayors
% Louisville. Ky Bosfon and several
other ci'ies proferring aid. but 20
these. Mayor Rice. ~ Houston. has re-
sponded expressing gratitude. but as
--rfirg that funre is no need prevail
erf that Houston cannot meet