The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-04-01
lhN IEl..A||IIRI:|.S'lIAG0 | ! |: R|.S'lI
H|R|EA ATE TOWNS !
business [. { HEART
yVas Regarded As 9 Great
Disaster Z at the
Time.
BLESSING N DISGUISE.
Antliv rsary This Year = Falsl
Upon Same Day Of
Week.
BLESSING IN DISGUISE

frHnOfIOW-4lE4 4tAa
Asts$lSSss + , great fire which devastated
pfaeticallY the entire business s,der 1e rtis.
81 Fatrmont and many Q! sne US !, TlH Mew m on
tsss tSsssS SSoTningSo sunday, April :, lS4lo:
'So|tsst hrss3o clock a. ms the alarta o.
assstyslsS Ssounded and people ruslle1
80 I'm HII5 SfhaiT homes to find tire oarE.
4, asss's y 11sTSshS had started in the Mcrt
Isr nTonerty. the site Of which Is
SsssssS ,stz Sscmbietl BY the Clyde 5. Holt e.
~ ~ y sSSreS ,rhe1 fire which was thonshI
IS .as SSyss5f fbeen started from lghIsn
~ .,sTifiSrowng the steps OF the oa,la'
sss ;,, snTeadg Il rapidly owing to nlsil
s.ssgasasnd gfhe fact that the town hao
y, M fifneSnos fire fighting apparatus
wv s'i hing with which to COMBAT tNe
IL I ~, ,,sss. sayeSa a bucket brigade MhtSa
s.ssssnnNS ss.sSSr, formed Of practically an tns
s.ssxsns { n sthe cts. This brigade fonsnI
~ ssssss1iIi nsSsniIiy AGAINST too great ODDS anu
nfadeii adway. ,,a;,,,ny
'A'iss 'ssiSs fIames spread TO the ad1oln'nL,s u,
,,r6Ssrty the reside dence OF UT. =. -.
fIssId 58and burned that properly
sssyeT IA III igh wall ION the upper
y * SrdYec6 the one e:story trome res;
..',sss n fhe3 late b. A.9 lemong, now
,e ssSts. iSVS fheis Holt tloring store
neenRssa gSoS;aTtv = M aid not burn. thus
.''' spreat Of the flames ~ y
s,,,s dfreefion This was one pullu-
W w ~ Nm andffig on that block wnen Ilt
~, lone their worst Elne
,.,' - hi that block which IS now
~ ..,.,tsiSd nv he Watson
S 81 a sburying gro1lnd ans ny,
y, = s,,ss snrsad In the other dtrectlon
lia alnssss n burned the entire
S's e trSdi1 lie gB!I AZ. Fleming properly
din5u he building now. occu-
rn4 ia ~ fhSs;s Harrison store an tnencc
psSc Sss * t6e street burning the nulin-
a. a.. sSS RI fSeS corner Of Main and Maal'
& ,ass na,SE oseuried by the j. h: Beck e1;
~, ,,.,,, sfera at7 that time owned by ene
VIZ VIZ Diver Jackson, q pioneer resi-
s5Ss sI5SSsEsnSaFfheSn flames spread across tne
.Ssf S1rniug the entire block ol
,,,,,ISsneS including the old Masonic ii'
- q and the John Carney pullu-
4, nv occupied by the Holt Drus
,.,,,,yS ~. and all intervening properly
~ ss'l,syis fIS.s W. r Crane corner tne
n.;sss snread down Madison street
~, tS;ns fn the residence OF Harry r
sr.,ifh Swfere their progres was stop.
* ITsho8ofherssid OF the street was
~ "a Sst y, tifs old shot tower at tnat ILlnS
q, s,sSaifg on the corner Of MAIN aiay y
Ssadison Streets, the present site o.
Vatson hotel. !. s1., H.. "a +,,a
w fFo,n fi theR Holt drug store site tne
IRE ate itsSEWay down Jefferson s.rsGf' ,stI1'
sna az COURSE was not stopped unt,1
/, Teached the last, house on the oiocK
y, ~ c6rnerfof Jefferson and HUI a.
lev Thfs corner building when Is now
owned byS the Hutchinson brotneEs'
was sayed from destruction by the
-'7st SScording tto older residents this
MISUNDERSTANDING the entire ous'
mess section Eof Fairmont an dozens
ol business men; substantial cltaZens
faeed business ruin when the latc
1aofninESsawSt the spread OF the tiatneS
eheceed nc Sts said that before IN. tnt
flntnes had ceased their haVoc' tn"t
uany of these men had leased otner
property IN the town and were IeauS .,iS
TO btart anew amid the runs Oh tMc
iinnes The firm OF Stone anu beo9uI
whIohs occupied a site near the miaule l1a 10
OF thesbloclss burned on, the east sue ~ o.
lhc strset. before their property haa
NAN Ma sIsfirSly consumed, had leased
tbesoid shot tower and in q few days
Tlsfs va regarded as great business
4nterprise
a sienffcants fact in connection with
The anniversary of the great fire, is
that fhe forfieth anniversary OF the
lIre EaIIs on Sunday. The fire occur
red ~ stated above on Sunday morn
Iae ApFiTs2 81 a76 This would natural
~ lsse occurred a number OF times
A dc fortysyear92 period
While tie fire was at the time
ereat blow % the town, yet out of the
ruins sprangSa greater Fairmont. The
town council held "a meeting following
Due are ana passed an. ordinance pro-
,hibitips any property owner to erect
fanS sityaS d brick Sor stone building. on
Biain stFeef and thus prevented NUM-
Der of cheap frame resid dences from
, diving plnce 10 those burned and In
few yeaFH more substantial buildings
N iooE their Place! This was regarded
~ decidedly discriminating by -the
council and number OF prominent
citizens protested against this meas
uro, howeYeT the council remained
firm ia their ord rdinance.