Today in Wheeling History: April 11--The third level of a large brick warehouse located at the intersection of Water and Union (now 11th) streets collapsed with a loud crash (1864). The room was filled with grain, as the building served as a storage facility. The weight of the stored grain caused the rafters to break, resulting in the third floor giving way. This, in turn, caused several tons of grain to fall onto the second floor, which was unable to withstand the weight and subsequently collapsed onto the first floor. The commotion caused nearby businesspeople to rush to the site to assess the damage. There were concerns that the outer walls of the building would also give way and collapse, leading to several workers being enlisted to prop them up. (https://rb.gy/vtuug)
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