The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-01-14
BAD BLAZE At
BEECH BOT TOM
FIVE HOUSES DESTROYED, EN-
failing LOSS OF FORTY
THOUSAND DOLLARS.
Occupants Of Houses Driven Into BIZ
ter Cold at Early Hour Yester-
day Morning.

Facing the wintry elements. With
the thermometer showing % degrees
below zero. four families we're driven
from their homes AT Reech Bottom
scantily clothed, by q serious fire yes
terday morning. Great suffering was
experienced, and the unfortunate pep
pie we're compelled to secure clothing
from neighbors.
Fire was discovered at $40. o'clock
in the Edward Petros store. Refore
the occupants OF til house could fight
the blaze the rear = IT OF the building
was in flames, and they were COM
yelled TO- fee to the street. With the
pale-like wind. the fire soon spread 10
the other parts OF the building ana
within five minutes the building mex
door waR ablaze.
This house was completely de-
stroyed. with all Its contents. ana inc
fire soon spread on to the third onliu-
ing, and stopped when it reached Inc
fifth house. the last in the row. ne
occuparts Of all the houses were com
pclled to rush into The street. and tneE
could save nothing.
The only article taken from any OF
the buildings was a cot. whlch TOT
eigner dragged out. and all the bed
clothes were burned from 1t.
Edward Petros. proprietor OF tho
store, was the first to discover the
blaze. lie had been up at 4:3O O'Clock
and had attended to the furnace. nc
had gone back to bed. but was awak'
enrd by the smell of smoke He called
the other members OF the family and
rushed them all TO the street, and thcn
awakened the neighhors:
The Beech Bottom Coal Company
owned Two OF the destroyed buildings.
Ono was Il large rooming house, occu'
pied BY number Of foreigners. and
the other was q sub.power station,
where the power OF the Wheeling
Electric Company was sent into the
mine. The coal company sustained a
loss OF $4,000.
Much Machinery Destroyed.
The other three buildings were the
property Of Edward petros, and were
valued at about $4,000. The manager
of the store estimated his loss in stock
at $4,000. One OF the occupants OF
one Of the houses lost over $1,000 IN
money, his whole savings. It Is eEti-
mated the entire loss, with tho con,
tents OF all the houses and the store
and power station, will reach 100000.
which Is mostly covered by insurance
1t is thought the fire was started by
an overheated furnace.
One of the embarrassing features OF
The fire was that Edward Petros, on
account of his excess avoirdupois, was
unable to get any clothes to At him.
and had TO send to MckInlevvlllt,
| about ten miles away. for garments
Sam Petros is nearly as large as his
brother, who weighs about $50
pounds.
Resume Work Today
The coal mine will operate to-day,
rs usual. as power is being secure.
through some other sub-station. Al
Though the lights were eHtinguished at
tle time Of the fire. everything is in
| readiness today for the mine 10 nc
running in full.
Mr.. Pctros stated last evening that
he will have another store open BY
Tuesday morning. as he has ordered
large stock Of goods, which is 10 be
delivered to-day. He will have his
store in & house near the ruins,
where he will stay until the place can
20 rebuilt