The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-07-27
Ssesscs assd IsleIsIenfs OF fIae Great
sTrp,n IN, N,sw = I. &. :snt, .rtts On

~ SSaSfc9 1Ia1t k3l&af5eft28 Oh rtst1 sarGzfEEs
| Efra.
| From sfic New Il at suus .IatS sst
AtS:15 o'clock Inst night the caft6nter's
shop in the e,st end OF the immense Eric
railroad machine shops. Jersey City, took
| lire. a general alarm was Mt once sounded,
which WINS responded TO with sldcrfty by the
elitirc fire department OF jersey City, under
Chief Engineer Farricf, and the whole police
force; with Chief New iiiams of their head.
Before the eifginss tniiu be put to work the
flames flashed from ote end Of the Building
to the other, cnYelopirg twentt-fix loco.
motives, which were uudef course OF re-
pair:
The buiIdiiigi which was brick, two stories
high, with slate-covered roof flced Pro:
yost street and extended to Meadow street.
and from Tenth TO Eleventh streets. 1t COW
cret, Tith the ground used for storing and
repairing the engines and ears, several acres.
The fire Illuminated the entire metropolis.
Crowds crossed over to Jersey City, ana il
was estimated that $4,000 persons viewed
the destruction of the shops and contents.
So rapid was the fire that the employees,
who were very soon Oh the spot, saved only
u very small portion Of their tools. They all
lose niura OF less, From the carpenter shop
the flames extended to Tho .pTttnrn shop.
thence to the tin shop, taking IN fhq tniirt
shop, brasS-iinisling department, boiler shop,
blacksmiths' FORCES, and machine shops, i'll
rotation. The fire then communicated TO the
Offices md storC-rooms, and in an almost in
credible title the whole structure, contents,
and locomotives Wcra ous solid sheet OF
hApa.
Tho Diaiis stra4rrrs Of water thrown on 1t
from AL directions Warh ~ nc avail; II
burned with lightning rapidity, did DO,
stroyed everything OIL its way. Then the
tiremcn directed their attention to saving the
adjoining buildings. Henwood's extensive
tobacco warehouses were threatened, but
were saved by the eXertons of the tircmcn.
The freight dcC0t, which contained large
nllnller Of Gars and several million dollars
worth Of freight; was also saved with much
difficulty by tho Eric employees. j. stiff
Wrs.trls bt;irZd was blowing; Which carried
the sparks towards the G:iiJnins and cndall-
gcrcd the depot and many Warehouses, bit
the fire was proriIcntialiy confined TO the
machine shops.
Gre hour after the discovery Of tho fire
the roof Gf tlfh nmir building had been
burned Off The raittr. tbai fell IN. and the
north wall totterei for an instant aid t1iu,I
bltd over with Tremendous crash. 4 few
minutes ,atar Ciii:f Engineer Fdrrier d:
rcctcd steam fire engine No. :; &c 'Ilke posi-
ton in front OF the PrOFcst-SirCet wall and
play on the fire. T!is order WAS protested
a:uilI>t ,y Chief Of Police McWiiam., but
tn. latter had no discretion in the matter aud
could only offer Il suggestion a> to the t|nuscr
OF tho men trcm the falling walls. 1t was
iirGdcd,
n moment later the wall fell outward,
completely burying the engine in the dSbr's
Instantly killing Engineer james Mccarthy
and dangerously injuring Charles Maggie.
The police and tiremen rushed to the spot,
uuluindlu of their danger, to dir out The
mlnylcd bodies Of poor Mccarthy and
Nagle. The former had just. at the break
ing ont Of Tie ire, returned from picnic
given Ivy Hiram Lodge Of bla3ohs! 81. whi"li
he was Il member. lie Ia said 20 haze lHe'l
the best engineer of Che Jersey City Fire
Department, and leaves wife and family to
dcplore his sudden and untimely death.
1t Was rumorcd that one of the carpenters
rushed into the building just after the fire
broke out, and WAS not seen to come out
again. 1t is supposed he was smothcrcd and
| then burnt alive. This. however, needs
confirmation.
Fears were entertained that tho large
boiler would explode. and the crowd WAS
! kept back from it, As it became heated the
whistle began blowing; and continued for
olcr fifteen minutes. At the Same tiuc
steam wHS blowing of from the safely valve,
and the excitement became intense.
Two hours after the discovery Of the fire
| the whole structure, with the entire contents
| and ali The books and papers. was destroyed,
| Some OF the machinery was very valuable,
| and cannot be replaced. Nearly six hum
drcd persons are thrown out OF employment
! by the fire, and the lows to tho company Is
| almost inc;llcllahIc. In money value it will
approximate nearly three millions OF dollars
BY direction OF the station-rlastCr Il long
| train of freight cara was drawn out from Tic
vicinity Of the fire to safe place. and all III.
coming trains were stopped at The Bergen
tunnel until the flames had subsidized. When
| The fire had dc>trn, ed everything within its
| reach. extensive dJprcdations were com
United hy The gauge Of dock rhts aud thieves
who had been attracted Ivy the unusual gtir,
caused by the tire. They were checked a.
far rs possible by the Jersey City police
| force.
OF thu locomotives destroyed two; Brooks,
| no. 321 and No: l05; were new and very
costly. They were said to DO the finest
| owned or ever built in this country !; the
others, with three exceptions, were freight
engines. They were not insured; and are
total loss. 1t was said, but how correctly l,
not known, that the stock and buildings
were insured tor about two-tiIirds tholl
| value.
1t will bc impossible to estimate the actua
| loss for some time. The loss of machinery
alone will amount to about a quarter OF ;
million of dullarS-lathe, planners, drill
presses, trip-halnmeTs, some Of which lmt
lately been placed there ut cost OF many
thousands or dollars. One trp-hammel
alone is said to have been bought lust montl
ut n cost of over 900.
| The cause Of the fire b unknown. govern
theories as to its origin were advanced, In
the most probable seems 10 he that it or1Sl
mated from a spark from a passing locono
tive. InccndiariSm was spoken OF, bll
secuted by the respectable portion OF tn,
community. A thorough inye .tigstion will
however. be made. All the telegraph wire
in the ncighborhood were broken by Tin
falling walls. which will crcnte great dea
of annoyance and trouble, rs they are th'
southern lines. Altogether il * pro'u''I.
| the NEST disastrous fire that ever Occurred
in jersey City.
Tlae Author Of That Infamous Para
grapl, ~ Grant Man.
! From the New York Tribune.
| Air ConIIinr amonr the thplIsrud III;