Charles Megerle Fire
Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 September 1899, page 5
FLAMES DESTROY SLAUGHTER HOUSE
Charles Megerle's big slaughter house and meat abattoir in
Finchtown Ky. just back of Newport, was totally destroyed by fire last evening
and Megerle says that the total loss will aggregate $20,000. The origin of the
fire is a mystery. Mr. Megerle was seen shortly after the fire had been got
under control and stated that he thought that the building had been purposely
set on fire by some of his enemies. He said that he would pay $200 for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of the incendiary.
The flames were discovered about 7:45 pm and a still alarm was sent in from the nearest telephone. This was followed by an alarm from Box 51 in Newport. The road to Finchtown is very bad and the Newport Fire Department had hard work getting to the scene of the fire.
By the time they had got a stream working the entire three stories in height, was entirely enveloped in flames. The firemen were also handicapped by a very poor pressure of water, and by 9:30 o'clock the entire building was in ruins. The L and N Railroad's main line passes along just to the west of the building and the wires of the Western Union Telegraph Company were torn down by the poles which supported them burning and failing. The entire sky was lit up by the flames.