The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-01
the DETROIT FIRE.


Tho Detroit Ahd milwaukee Depot In
Ruins-A Steamer burned 80 tho
waters Edg ppAlIinE Loss of Life-A
whole Passenger Train DestFOyed-
.Immense Loss of Perpendicular of
the Fire, Eio.
From tie Detroit Free Press, Ap,il27.
The alarm was trst given about 10 o'clock, by
the heavy whistle OF steamboat sounding fire
FIRE brel which was Immediately followed by
the bells oi the ty, and the lurid fames at the
same time, shooting high into the air, lighted
the streets for squares around, and brought the
steamers to the spot. The streets in the vicinity
were meantime hlling up with dense crowds OF
people, attracted by the magnitude of the con-
Migration.
Huge, lurid flames forkIng and branching
out i'm sll directions, shot upward, wrapping
the surrounding buildings in their terrible en-
brace, then rolling and roaring like some
gigantic CycoDean FORGE from which dense
volume of smoke rolled OIL, gemmed and spark
ling with cinders and embeTs OF the combustible
materials fed upon. Streams Of water we're
poured into the burning pile, but without per.
ceptlble effect Tor some minutes, and attention,
in the meantime, was called to the necessity OF
saving the adjacent buildings on Atwater street,
the entire row OF houses between Brush and
Baubien streets being saved with difficulty.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The most contradictory rumors are aloat as
10 the origin of the disaster. From statement
made to- our reporter by one OF the WoTkmen
on board the Windsor, we believe the following
to be the real facts. This workman States thai
he was in The freight depot OF the Detroit and
Milwaukee Railroad, taking drink of water,
when he heard sJme hing like an explosion
behind him. Turning around to ascertain its
meaning, he saw that oil or some other liquid
material was OoHng rom q barrel or cask, and
was on fire. He went on board the boat, and
soon afterwards heard the startling Cry or ''huen
ringing throughout the length and breadth OF
the depot.
BAPIDITY OF THE SPREADING FLAMES.
a IL
almost the entire length OF the freight depot
along the dock was on tire before the engines
were lairlY on the elound and at work. and rom
the first lt was seen that the most that could be
done was 10 conhne the nre to the depot build
ings and this was done with the greatest dttli-
Guilty and most heroic eXeruons on the part of
the hremen. 1t seemed at one tune that the
larae brick building containing tie SuOerinten.
dents and other offices might be saved, but
when the roOt OF the adjoining buildings fell, in
adding fresh fuel TO the fiery furnace below,
with the dripping pitch and cement OF the root
ing composition, which, dropping in hot globes
OF fire, spread and expanded into tongues OF fire
and volumes OF flame that devOured all before
it, and overCame the Efforts OF three steamers in
full play upon and around it, the hope was
abandoned.
BURNING OF THE PASSENGER TRAIN.
The night express on the Detroit and Mil
waukie road had been made up" and was wait
ing in the Gepot Tor the engine. There were two
passenger coaches, q sleeping car and baggage
car inside the building. The sleeping car was
partly occupied by passengers, some Of whom
had retired 10 their berths. When the startling
alarm that The depot was on fire was given, the
widest conformation prevailed on board the
train. man rushed through the cars arOusing
the sleepers, all OF whom made rush Tor the
doors, pushing and iammlng, shreking and
cursing, the stronger overcoming the weaker
and trampllng them under toot Those in the
sleeping car pushed torwaldto the forward coach,
where they were met by those in the latter
going the opposite way. Meantime the flames,
like a thousand Kissing serpents, were coil.
ing their way around the roof and rafters, lick
ing their way among posts and pillars, aud en-
veloping the doomed train within their fiery
folds Dense volumes OF smoke rolled through
the avenues, and, with their demon sister, fire,
presented irighttul picture OF impending doom
10 the frantic crowd struggling for egress
through the narrow apertures OF escape. Many
rushed to their ass sstanCe, and as fast as one or
more emerged, they were torcibly thrown from
the platforms to make way for those folio wing
close behind. The flames came cracking on,
and soon the rear end of the sleeping car took
fire, while several passengers were yet inside,
begging and implorng Tor aid. The WIN
dows we're smashed in, and one or two
rescued through the opening thus made,
but the rapIdity with which the flames
advanced drove away all further assist
ance, and it is feared that several persisted. 1t
is almost certain that one poor old man, infrm
with years and Sickness and another whom
Heaven Orglve was IN a beastly state of intoXi-
cation, perlsned in the flames. Whether there
were others lost cannot as yet be ascertainPd,
escape, but little attention was paid one another
So rapid was the progress OF the fire that some
OF the laier ones in the sleeping cars escaped
only partially clothed. They were completely
stupeted and bewildered with the suddenness of
the Outburst.