The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-03-31
Second Menacing Fire in Two
Days at N. Wheeling Hospital
Patients Again Moved to
Places Of Safety, When
South Wing Is Attacked
by Flames Sunday Night
Fire Soon Sub dued by
Good Work of the Firemen.

For the second time within two days
time the Wheeling hospital. on North
Main street, was visited last night by the
fire demon and loss Of approximately
$aj.n00 was sustained as result. but
entirely covered hy insurance. Last
nights loss was estimated at $1,000 to
IS. Ola.
4, ll:@O last night an alarm was turn
ed in from box 40. l16. located in the
main hallway Of the building. and a few
minutes later an alarm was turned in
from box No. y. located at, the corner
of Main and Third strcets.I to be fol-
I lowed 4 few minutes. later. by general
| alarm, which called out all fire conn
panies in the city.
The fircmcn arrived upon tho scene
"a lind the entire south wing Of the hos
pital cneveoped in a dense cloud Of
black smoke which was issuing from
, ;he top floor and the roof Of the build
| ing. Volunteers. comprising the sisters.
nurses and attendants at tho hospital
were already on the job with chemicals
| and did heroic work until the tiremen
reached rho scene. first with the chem
! icals and later with the heavy water
! lines.
/ It was found that tho entire space be-
tween thn TOP floor and the roof was
! ablaZc. whil" flames were eating their
way down between the walls to the
lower Aoors Of the building. Axes were
! used to cut holes through tho walls and
water was turned in. with tho result
! that the space between the walls was
! soon flooded and tho fire nxtingushcd.
Was Difficult to Reach.
Owing 10 The fact that all electric
lights on tho top floor wnrr put out ow-
! ing 10 Tho fact hat tho fire had burned
| tho wires. it was difficult to SOC, and
th" fremcna had much difficulty in Io.
catinE tho exact spot Of the main blaze.
However. when they finally reached it,
! il did rnt iakc long 10 put il our.
Tho fire started in the Main street end
n: III" wing. or the opposite end OF the
wing from which was first discovered
wing from which il was first discovered
| wns ahiaEc. while several trunks with
| III II werr also in flames. The walls
were hot and tho nurses dormtorv was
also in flames. Tho clothing in these
rooms were cithnr ruined By smoke or
water and arc a total loss.
Nurses F1ee Prom Flames
: ; x.
| first discovered by one Of the nurses
! who was on her way tn retire and was
| startled 10 hear a cracking noise issu-
ing from tho far end Of the building.
Investigating she saw smoke coming
through tho cracks Of door and turn
! cd in the alarm.
/ Thn nurses took. their posts without
any commotion. and the sisters lined
! up on tn" various floors and had the
nurses wheel the patients to the other
part Of IN" building. in case of an
! emergency although there was no no.
| ccsSity for their removal. Tho greatest
damage was don" 10 the quarters occu-
| pied by tho nurses and tho sisters. The
ordcrlies wcr" on the scene with fire
cxtinsuishcrs and did splendid work.
Firemen Do Good Work.
Grnat credit is to hn given tho fire.
supcrinlcndrd Tho work and directed
he mon. Tho water and chemicals were
turned on thn building. within n short
time after their arrival and the auto
driven trucks made splendid nun 20
tho fire. despite III" fact hal Tho streets
/ were slippery and in very. bad condi-
! tiun.
Chief Of Folirc Campbell Henderson.
| with his plain clothes men and UNIFORM
ed Officers. arrived in record time and
throw out a patrol line keeping back the
large crowd that was attracted to the
scene. Tho work OF the officers in as
sisting in the removal Of goods from
many Of the rooms was also the occa-
sion OF much comment.