Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-03-30
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE III EIL-
WkUKEE.


Milwaukee was visited with seri-
Gus coufagration on Wednesday morn
ing last, destroying the repair shop
of the Milwaukee and 81. Paul Rail
way Company, and four locomotives,
involving a loss Of 1925, 600 We
CLEAN the following particulars of the
fire from the Milwaukee SentjncZ Of
the 24th inst:
The fire originated in the engine room
Of the shop, low addition Oh the north
west corner, with roof on 40 angle and
connected with the main roof When
FIRST discovered the flames were max
ing rapid progress under the roof, over
the boiler, from whence they com
municated with the main building,
prevailing breeze from the westward
carrying them through the loft Of the
structure, which was dry as finder, IN
4 remarkably short space Of time, On
discovering the Ere, Mr,George Faux
ner, a maehinist in the employ Of The
company, rushed into The engine-room
to pull the cord Of the steam whistle
for the purpose Of sounding an alarm,
but SO rapid was the progress of the fire
that he had scarcely sounded it, when
a cloud Of FIRE and smoke swept down
upon him, burning his cap and blouse,
and obliging him to beat a hasty re-
retreat upon all tours, without being
able to secure his clothing and tools
His felIow-workmen barely secured
their coats and vests.
There was four locomotives in the
shop FOR repairs at the time, all of
which are badly damaged. One of
them, fine engine valued at $20, GOO,
had just been flushed, and was cam
ing up when the fire broke ont. The
locomotives destroyed were Nos. 50,
l02, lis, andl44, representing an az.
gregate value Of 81 900 The entire
force Of the shops aud yard was sent to
that point, and, BY means Of log chains,
dragged engines No 10, 50 and Las
and their tenders to place Of safety,
and were busill engaged in getting out
the remaining locomotives when word
was sent that the building was out of
danger. Upon the TRACK along the
south side Of the building, four freight
cars and platform car were bBrned.
The loss on cars and trucks is estinat-
ed at from three to four thousand dol
lars.
The building was divided into two
departments, one for the repair Of ma
chiaery and the other for the construct
ion and repair of The wood work Oh
freigh and platform cars In the ma
chine shop tcere were twelve Iathes,
the best worth $40, 900; four plaaers,
six drill presses, four bolt cutters, be-
side number Of other useful and val
liable machinery, which was all dam
aged to the extert Of from thirty to
forty per cert. et the aggregate value
The department contained planning
machine, several circular saws, boring
machines and other wood working ma
chinery. This portion of the building
was provided with a loft, in which
about s. 900 worth Of clear hardwood
lumber was stored.
Nothing was saved in this depart
ment except the tool chests belonging
to the WorkDlen
The building was known as the 'Mis-
sissippi Shop"of the St.Paul Railway,
and was built about eighteen years ago
by the company then known as the
milwaukee and Mississippi Railway
Company" Several additions gave
the building length of two hundred
and fifty feet, with a width of aboat
thirty-six feet. 1t was built of wood,
was about two stories In height, and
altogether presented quite an Imposing
appearance. At the west end of the
building small addition was devoted
% the storage Of patterns for the castings
for locomotive building, which was
also consumed, together with is con-
tents. These patterns were very valu-
able and cannot be replaced without
the labor Of years.
The machinists lost all Of their tools,
and ii several cases their clothing, cor
taining watches, and other articles of
value. About forty machinists were
in the employ of the company, and
each had personal property in the way
of small tools, ranging in value from
fifteen dollars to one hundred. At a
fair average Of twenty-five dollars per
man. their losses will make an aggre-
gate Of one Thousand dollars, indepen-
dent Of clothing destroyed. The work
men in the car-shop, being remote
firm the point at which the fire
originated, were more fortunate in get
ting out their tool-chests Two hun
dred men were thrown out Of work
BY the distraction Of the shops.
Competent judges estimate the loss
on building, locomotives. cars, machin-
cry and patterns at $125 900 A por-
ton Of the loss is covered by an insur-
ance of $50, 500.
Superintendent Merrill, with his
usual promptness in the interest of the
company, Immediately leased the ex-
tensive works lately occupied by the
Bay State Manufacturing Company,
together with its new machinery, which
is in complete running order, and will
resume operations to day. y track will
be laid to connect the works with that
Of the Milwaukee and Chicago Railway
which vii enable the company to bring
its repairs to aud from the works, by
way of the Union depot, without much
Inconvenience. Should the new works
prove satisfactory, they will, we under
stand, be occupied by the company until
they erect their nrnnnse1 shnna in the