The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-02-05
STRONG BELIEF THAT TRACTION CO.
BARN MAY HAVE BEEN SET ON FIRE.
GENERAL MANAGER ATWOOD SAYS
HE HAs OPINION OF ORIGIN
OF DISASTROUS BLAZE.
Evidence Points to Incerd1artsm-Losl
Will Total S45o.ooo-Heavt1y
Insured.

General Manager W. y. Atwood OF the
Wheeling Traction company. when asked
as to the origin Of the fire which de-
Stroyed tho barn Of the com pany and 20
Of it's cars. carly yesterday morning.
said that while he could not say post
, lively what caused The fire, yet he mad
his own opinion. und that at present me
would rather not give II. Evidence,
however. points tn incendiarism.
lie did say that he had wired to soy
cral places for cars, either second hand
or new, md would us" every known way
to get cars here ut an early date to
relieve the situation. 1t is n fact that
tho company will got cars and put them
on as soon rs possible and arrange their
schedules from time tn time to take care
nf the cars rs they arrive.
Mr.. Atwood says that the work Of the
local fire department Is To be praised.
! and it is Il mystery TO him how. under
the water conditions. the department
succeeded in combining the fire 10 the
barn of the company, as many frame
buildings arc very close IN the barn on
the west as we'll ms just across the street
on the raSt.
The shops paint house and Offices Of
the company were in tho raSt section.
and rnnc Of them suffered very great
damage
Quotations received late yesterday say
, that new double truck cars cost $4,000
each and if the 90 cars arc replaced TIE
amount will h. 500. 400 for cars alone.
Tho building will of course, cost much
more to huild at the present time than
il did when erected.
Mr.. Atwnnd states that the reason for
the cars being burned WINS that the troll
ley wires melted and fell, forming
ground connection. lhus shutting off tho
current and making it impossible for
The cars Ia he moved after the power
was off
The s"rvir" given by tho company
yesterday. said Mr. Atwood. was really
better than he had expected under III"
conditions. and while the cars arc few.
the company will rnd"avnr In run them
as near on schedule tim" as possible.
and ask that The people bear with the
company in their time OF inadequate
rolling stock. and that rs soon as the
new cars come they will be- put on. ono
10y one.
The exact amount Of insurance car
rird was not learned: hut it is known
that the cars and barn were all insured
and n settlement will possibly be made
within, Il week or ten days.
Fire Chief Edward Rose and his men
were hard nj work fighting the IRE.
after having Ia hunt for iirr plugs that
were. not frozen. and w"r" driven from
the building by the intense heat and the
steel grdcrs that threatened them and
afterwards did fall only n few minutes
after the iirrmcn had gotten on the out
side IF the building. Considering the
water conditions Of the Island and tho
location OF tho building. tho residents
can thank tho fircmrn for their stopping
the fire where they did.
\ force nj men WAS working all day
yesterday clearing away tho debris. and
tho telephone and electric light com
pnnirs have had 4 crew az men working
on their lines into the barn and In the
immediate ncighborhnrd.
: Lights havo been PLACED to allow
crow OF men "a work at night md in
this way get tho plare ready 10 rebuild
sooner than ever.
OF the WHrwood and Rcnwood cars.
eight in number. TWO are left TO Keep
the schedule with.
All cars coming 10 Wheeling are be-
; ing run over tho tracks on Zane street.
Cars arc being run 10 Ohio cities. but
arc scarce articles. and only about one
an hour is seen.
Tho Warwond council last night met
and decided t. nGi tho Pcnney railroad
to have their passenger trains stop OF
Warwnnd. and in that way relieve the
condition little.