Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1872-08-07
FIRE AT HARRISBURG.
Tho New nachiAS SAsp Of the Harrisburg
Car Company In Rnins'

Tn Nav uaehiAS SAsp Of the Harrisburg
Car Company n knins'
LOSS ESTIMATED AT $4,000.
A NUMBER OF FIREMEN INJURED.
On the twenty-6fth day Of april the
extensive works Of the Harrisburg Car
Company, situated Oh the railroad. be-
tween Herr and Broad streets. were de-
stroyed by fire. As soon as possible at
forwards arrangements were maize oy
the officers and directors for the erection
Of new buildings. and in about three
months time substantial brick shops,
slate rooted and we'll arranged. adorned
the spot where the old one stood. with
dimensions of 81 feet by l2O.
Shortly after IL o'clock on Saturday
night the continued wlfstiing Of locomo
tives and shop whistles gave the alarm
of fire, aud dense volume OF smoke
arising in the upper portion Of the city
gave notice of the progress of a contia
grafton Our frem-n we're soon on the
streets with their apparatus. and it wa
ascertaiued that the fire was at the shops
of the Harrisburg Car Company
About quarter before one o'clock the
wall. on three sides gave way from the
great weight on them and came down
with a crash resembling thunder or the
discharge of cannon. carrying with them
timbers, machinery. &c. Great excite
ment was created by the fact that large
number of the fremen were in close
proximity to the building Immediately
before. An investigation proved that
four persons were among the ruins. three
of whom were almost hidden by the
bricks and rubbish. They we're extri
Gated from their dangerou. situation aa
soon as possible and received prompt
medical attendance.
James G. johnson, a member of thu
Paxton fire company No. 6, aged aboul
twenty four years. a married man. and
boiler maker by profession. residing
on Strawberry alley near Fourth street,
was the most seriously injured. He was
found at the canal end Of the machine
shop covered with bricks. many OF
which were hot His skull was fractured
in two places his head cut. his arms
from the hands to the elbows badly
burned. his legs also burned and con
siderably bruised in the back. He is
considered in a very dangerous condi-
tiOn
Jacob Kohler. residing on Third street.
near Broad. was partially covered by the
falling wall. He had one of his legs
broken in two places above the knee,
and sustained severe bruises about the
head and body.
John Maloney, residing on Herr stree,
between Pennsylvania avenue and Cow
den, was also caught by the wall. He
partially succeeded in extricaiing him
self, but fell hack from exhaustion. lie
was badly bruised about the shoulders
and back. His injuries, though painful
are not considered dangerous.
Kobler and Mal'ney had the branch
pipe of the Hope company when the
wall fell.
WIN Nj hIeer. moulder at the car
works. was struck in the back and
knocked down, but his injuries were
comparatively slight.
VIM. M'Coy. Henry Stees, Albert
Welper. John Hoke. John Casey. and
John Young. jr.. were injured. but none
seriously A number o: almost miracu
i"..- --.s-p.- ....-l- Iy ~...iou.
Der. of the fire department.
The origin of the fire is involved in
mystery. as it is stated that the men
stopped work on Saturday afternoon
about four clock, and there was no fire
in use. nor necessity for i; after that time,
and the shops having been running only
IA short time, it is not probably that it
originated from friction or combustible
material. Some people are of the opin
ion tina, it was the work of an incenii
ary or incendiaries while others account
for it on scientific principles or attribute
it to accident As will be seen else
where, the mayor has appointed a jury to
investigate the matter and perhaps their
invesligations'may throw some light on
the subject.
The insurance on The building and
machinery is $4,000. divided among
thir,y-one different companies Harris
burg Ttlrgroph.