The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-12-10

paper will he issued this morning from
the Wheeling Telegraph plant. The loss
given out by the West Virginia printing
company late last night Will reach $50
u0u. covered by insurance.
The Yale restaurant. in the basement
OF the Register building. was damaged
hundreds Of dollars by water. while Ike
Smiths shoe shining parlor. also in IN"
rear Of the building. vas also badly
watcrsoakcd.
Ptvs Other LOSSES.
The Rijou restaurant suffered the
greatest loss aside from burning. The
place was crowded with patrons. who
were seeking a warm place and hot c"i-
fee. after standing In the bitter cold fdr
more than hour. watching the flames
when the large plate glass in front at
the building cracked and Fell. All GUS
toners Were hurried out Of the build
ing. The hca; was SO intense that il
was almost impossible 10 stand in thu
restaurant.
The l.. \. Rolf Real Estate agency.
occupying the ground floor IF the rear
Of the House and Hermann. was Quilted.
The office fixtures are : total loss. COW
cred by insurance.
Prohibition Officer Bert Phillips, who
has apartments on the third floor. lost
practically all his personal belongings.
while the Wheeling Film Exchange COM
pany. occupying the second floor. sus-
tanned q heavy loss. The greater part
OF the stock and fixtures went up in
smoke.
DR.. Harry kraatz. dentist. with offices
on the second floor of the Reilly build
ing. stated that his loss will reach sew
era! thousand dollars.
The Jarvis Engraving company'S loss
in the Register building IS estimated at
$4,000. Many valuable pictures and rec
ord files were damaged W water.
Populace Crowd Streets
Despite the intense cold night. Il il
estimated that there were ten thousand
persons to gather in the streets to wit
ness the spectacular blaze. Hundreds Of
women braved the bitter cold TO Join In
the excitement of the throng. The cX-
trame cold was shown by the heavy ice
that gathered on the trolley wires al
most instantly after being struck by
water. Tho fircmen encountered much
difficulty by water freezing in the hose
and bursting.
r1remen on Hub Building.
Tho House 6 Hermann building was
fought with water from all angles but
tho inflamma5le stock was. too much for
water. The stock burned as il soaked In
oil. due TO the varnish the furniture
and the much com bustible material in
stock.
When the fire caught the Reilly bull
ding. several hose were drawn onto n"
top o. the Huh building. giving the
structure a heavy drcnching of water.
The firemcn WGr" assisted by large
crowd of volunteers. principally youths.
" oij th. lu61inS in milling
the long line OF hose through the hcav-
lily snow covered and slippery streets.
Fireman Injured.
Capt. Bishop. 81 the Eighth ward en-
CINE house, was painfully injured. y
plate section burst from l. hose In Four
tecnth street, striking him In the chest,
He was knocked down and drenched by
the bursting hose He continued at his
duties.
Windows Are Cracked
Practically every window on the west
side Of the Hotel Rogers vas broken by
tn. heat from the House d Hermann
store. The windows OF the West Elr-
glpia Printing Company on the Four
teenth street side were also broken.
while nearly all the other glasses In TIL:
immediate vicinity of the fire were
cracked.
Sp1opQl0 VOTE
Fire: Chief Rose and his Woodworking
rircmrn were highly praised by all last
night for their four-hour hard battle.
1t was declared by those who have VII
nrsscd similar fires. that 1t was due
solely TO the Wheeling frcmcn. assist
ed by the out of town departments. that
the fire was checked from spreading.
1t looked ut one time as If III" entire
block was doomed to destruction.
The police under the personal drcr-
ton of Chief !. (. Sill and his assist
ants, handled the mammoth crowd well.
All were kept behind the firehncs.
which was done in most diplomatic
manner. causing no confusion or anger.
City Manager q. q. Maggie was ~, ~"
job and assisted tho police In their work.
Awnings Burn.
The awnings Of the Hub store caught
fire Just after the first part of IN"
Market street wall nr the Hrus" and
Hermann building fell. They were put
out by employees of the Huh.
Service Flag Burns.
One Of the peculiar features Of the
fire was that n spark fell OH tho Scrv-
ice flag extending from the window at
General II. y RIlry's law office III tn,
second floor nf the Riley building. -
Fourteenth street and the flag slowly
burned up and the ashes fell int" tn
street.
Biggest Pre- in Years.
Local veterans who have Sccm inHul
blazeS in Wheeling declare that the FIRE
last night was ono of III" utnSi &lrr.-
tacular ever TO occur hero in many
years. The burning rurulur" >"nI
sparks far into the eruption Many per-
sons in the crowd. IucluuIuG S"vrr;.l
women. suffered Sigh, burns from
sparks falling down their n"Ci;S.
Heavy Smoke IN Streets
Following tho burning down ,;f ti,"
House and HcrrInaE huilhinp Will. ri.
fircmcn were d"vn!Iu:, tii.'Ir .I!rIN e.
saving the Riley. huIl,IuS SiInl. Lath.
cred 90 heavily in the STREETS that one,
could not sec his hand h"iur, irnC rhcr"
were many collisions among the sp"r-
tators and beg pardon" WAS hear. from
all parts Of .hc crowd.
Trolley Traffic T1od Up.
The breaking of tho trolley wires az
Fourteenth and Market Sr"rtS suspend
ed street cur traffic through the "ntI,..
business section. The current was shut
off and all Ohio E"nwnnd ana Warwncu
cars stopped for several hours
Covered BY Insurance.
Ii WAS estimated LAKE last night tina.
the Greater part Ui the loss is covered
by Insurance. The Register carried a
large AnDilui ~ inSuruirr: ,IIh IN. F. q.
rHllahan- r"rnlmny ais" ll.ld tl' IIisur-