The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-10-27

Great COnhRgntion ut Detroit Desires
ton of the MicaigOn Central Freight
House loss OF Property Over s1,OOo,-
900.
A most dostruoiive oonnagration occurred
In Detroiirou "Wednesday evening, Of last
week, involving the complete destruction
Of the great freight depot and shed Of the
Michigan Central Railroad, which was
stored with freight from all parts of the
country, all of which was totally con-
sumed. This calamity ingicts a terrible
blow upon the interests of Detnoii, and
Oripples urc power " one Of the most i'm
pertsnt and eDterprising railroad corpora
hons iu N,o Wost From tho Detroit
Tribune we CLEAN the following particulars
concerning tho Disaster;
ORIGIN oF rue FIRE.
A train Of cars was being loaded with
freight IN the second section, or room. of
the depot. devoted exclusively to goods
going TO Chicago aud further west -Four
or five cars were already nlled and another
had been partially loaded, when il was dis.
covered that a half barrel of varnish had
been broken, and it's contents were spread
ing over the car. The work of unloading
ing the freight, TO prevent its damage by
the va.nlsh, was ut once commenced and
while going on the light in the hands OF one
Tho wOrkmen, cane in contact with tho var
nish, and in an instant tho whole car was
filled with smoke and flame. The fro
spread with dreadful rapidity, so that all
efforts to stay its progress by the means at
hand were utterly futile. In the excitement
OF the moment, the burning car, with those
ahead Of it on the track, was run from
where it was being loaded--near the Third
street ond OF tho depot--to tho westernly-
end of the structure into tile open air. The
burning material dropped from the car as it
passed, thus firing tho building at numerous
points ut once.
PROGRESS or THE FLAMES.
The fire started near The east end of the
freight depot and in remarkably short
space Of time the whole structure was a
mass Of flames. The upper portion Of
the building, being entirely of wood.
turned like tindcr, and the fire spread
eastward, rapidly licking up everything in
its path. The eastcrly end Of the building
was occupied az Offices, by the Great West
ern Railway Company, and was entirely
destroyed.
At the farther end OF the freight depot
there was a wooden shed, probably 200
lect in length. stored with cotton, tobacco
and Hour, alT of which were destroyed
The less of this freight alone is estimated
at over $500 600.
Several trains Of cars, which were being
made up and loaded, and others that had
been ruR into tho depot TO be unloaded
were bnrned, together with all tho freight
ia nr al. Tl,.. 4. 4
proper was an immeuse brick structure
about 500 feet in length, but all th,t now
remains is the bare walls-eyerytlling else
being IN ruins
fossEs, ETc.
fair estimate puts the aggregate loss
at about 81 100000. One of the employ
ecs of tho road informs us that there was
not great amount OF freight stored in the
brick part of the depot, the bulk or nearly
all being in the cars which were in the
building.
Besides the Central Railroad Company,
the Grand TIGnk Eoad is q large sufferer.
The freight and BUSINESS Offices of this
company were wholly destroyed, and lttle
or nothing saved.
G. w. Bissell's produce and commission
Offices were among those destroyed, and
nearly all its contents arc entirely destroy.
ed, unless bis papers may be secure in his
safe.
The American Express Company saved
all tho property consigned to their care,
except few irliins of butter
AII the booka, papers, etc, of the various
departments of tho Central Railroad,
which were in Offices over tho passenger
depot, were carried out, but these Offices
were not injured, The freight depot, prop.
or, was 800 feet long, and the shed at the
farther end about 200 feet. The wharf,
running the entire length of tho above, is
also destroyed, the plauks and piles being
burned through.