Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-10-16
ANOTHER DISASTROUS FIRE.
Flour Mill of the C. n. Whiting Mill
ing Company Totally Destroyed.

Sdiig iuSS0dy iiiOi uiHSy WIFI III ioi 3
!. and comparatively new Touring mill oil
e the c. N. Whiting Milling Company
. was entirely destroyed by fire. The
E mill, which was located on Washing
' ton street at the Norfolk & Western
. Railway crossing. in the southeastern
+ part of the town, was the most i'm
!, portant business plant in our COM
, munity, and its destruction is not only
! serious loss TO the owner, but will
. be disadvantage to the neighborhood
in general The mill had been run
day and night for some time past, and
was in operation as usual Monday
/ night, R. L. Price and Harry Robin
son being in charge al the time.
II The motive power was a large OIL
burning engine of the DIESEL type, To-
Gated in a brick structure adjoining the
mill, which was Of frame construction.
About half-past one o'clock the engine
room was discovered to be on fire and
was even then beyond the ability of
the two men TO extinguish il. An
alarm was at once given, but by the
time the first persons who heard it
could get TO the place the flames had
taken possession of the big mill and
a regiment of fremen could not have
saved the structure. In a short time
large crowd had gathered, but il was
utterly impossible to do anything TO
eXtinguish the terrible fire. James
Chenowith managed to reach the Of
fee and secured the key which en-
abled him TO save the automobile
truck, but the safe containing the
books and records of the company
could not be approached.
| The burning of the mill was fear
full sight. The flames made an in
tense heat that could be felt for
couple of blocks away, and myriads OF
sparks sailed UP into the sky and
drifted northward with the breeze. II
was impossible 10 get near enough TO
throw a stream of water upon the blaz-
ing building, and efforts were con-
centrated 10 save adjoining property
Unfortunately just about the time the
steam fire engine was ready TO throw
water a flue blew out and put il out
4 of commission entirely. The town
4 water system proved its value. Two
| lines Of hose were attached 10 the fire
| plug, and by their use the dwelling
house belonging to the mill property
! and the residence of R. S. M. Hoff
man were saved from destruction.
| II was only by the most heroic ef.
forts that Mr.. Hoffman's house was
saved. 1t was smoking from the ter
| rible heat time and again, but the fire.
] men and volunteer helpers eXerted
| themselves with such strenuous cour-
age and efficiency that they kept il
from bursting into blaze, and the
stream from the fire plug and active
| men in a bucket brigade kept the
blistering heat from igniting the build
ing. At one time it seemed as il il
must surely catch fire, and the furni-
ture was hastily removed; but those
who fought to save it finally conquered
Several outbuildings on Mr.. Hoffman's
place were burned. The dwelling
house belonging 10 Mr. Whiting. &C.
cupied by H. Kyd Jones, was also
saved by continued good work, although
the furniture was taken out The
Shepherdstown Garage, near by was
carefully watched, and all the cars in ii
were taken out and run TO a place OF
safety.
AS the multitude Of sparks and fire
brands drifted over the main part OF
the town, carried by gentle breeze
from the South, il was feared that a
general conhagration might ensue
Fortunately the rain the previous day
had made everything damp, and this
catastrophe was averted. The dang
er was so imminent, however, that il |
was thought best TO summon aid from
Martinsburg and Charles Town. Mayor |
]. H. Hill accordingly telephoned TO |
both places. The Martinsburg firemen |
reported that they could not bring their
motor truck, which was not in good
condition, but the Charles Town COM
pany brought their steam engine over
as quickly as possible. Our neigh |
boring fremen did efficient work in |
quenching the flames among the ruins.
and il was a most comfortable feeling |
TO have them on hand during the
calamity.
The sparks flew to the extreme
northern part of the town, but for
tunately only one other fire was start
ed. This was in the garrett Of James |
E. Barnhart's residence on New street
1t. was discovered in time and few
buckets Of water quenched it. Men and
women were on guard all over town. |
watching for an outbreak.
Ii is not known how the fire orig |
mated. Mr.. Price was busy about the |
mill. and had not been TO the engine |
room for perhaps half an hour. In
tending to make 2 visit to the engine he
opened the door and found consider
able FIRE under way, the blaze and
smoke being so strong thar he could
not enter. He ran outside to another
fo,,,I ~, - tho q RI alien
in that part Of the engine hous, nc
cannot account for the starting OF the
fire. The electric wiring was all right
and as the engine WAS an oil con-
sumner there were no Goals or sparks
to. set anything afre. The burning
Of the mill, following the destruction
OF the National Highway Garage just
across the road a month or two ago,
has caused some persons 10 believe that
an incendiary is responsible for both
| CONGREGATIONS. We are 10th TO be-
| lieve, however, that this can be true
II would have taken a bold incendiary
TO have set fire TO the mill while il was
| all lighted up and in full operation,
| with the employees on duty.
| The loss is estimated at near 10
| $4,000 by Mr.. Whiting, and on this
there is an insurance Of $4,000 On
the stock on hand there is S65,0OO and
on the building and machinery S3I, 900
The stock included $1,000 bushels of
wheat, large quantity Of mill feed,
-four, etc. The insurance will cover
the stock, but is inadequate for the
building AMI machinery. The insur-
ance was placed with Harrison Schley.
Shepherdstown, and the Millers'
Mutual Companies.
| The burned mill, which was oper-
ated by the c. N. Whiting Milling
Company, of which c. N. Whiting was
president and general manager, was
one of the best mills in this section.
| II was comparatively new, having been
put in operation just about four years
ago. II had capacity OF $50 barrels
5,v u.ac aHuirnad with