Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-08-07
THE FIRE FIEND

|
THE CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO HALL
ROAD COMPANY.
The alarm of fire sounded ABOUT four
o'clock Wednesday morning, WAS caused
bv the burning of the Round-House OF
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Com
pany. situated in the western portion of
the city. The flames burst out just at the
hour when our people were wrapped in
the deepest slumber, the dark hour pre-
ceeding dawn. Never-t he-lesS, in a brief
space after the first toll Of the bell. a con-
siderable crowd had collected. At the
time there were thirteen locomotives in
the house, and the first effort WIS to save
/ them. There was no locomotive fired up
| with which to have them drawn out, but a
plenty of willing hands to work, and work
they did with a will, saving eleven out of
the thirteen engines, without material
damage. The Augusta Fire Company,
commanded by Captain T. J. Crowder,
arrived promptly after the alarm was
sounded, but the fire had gained such
| Roadway that they could do but little, save
play upon the men who were at work push
ing the engines out. The heat within the
! Round-house was intolerable, and the
scene battles description. The flames APP
parently originated in the blacksmith
! shop, which Was situated at the east end
of the building. Thence communicating
to the temporary plank end, and Selling
the woodwork under the slate roof, they ira
III DIV b,1f
four O'Clock the inside of the building was
one vast furnace, darting fierce, lurid
tongues of flames out Of the numerous
windows, as if in ravenous search of other
prey, and comforting the huge iron grders
and rods that supported the roof, into
writing, fiery, snake-lle shapes, that fac
mated as they appalled,. About five
O'Clock the heavy roof with its mass OF
iron and slate fell with a fearful crash,
throwing out shower of sparks that was
grandly beautiful, and Illuminated the
whole city with /. weird, unearthly glare.
The fire company worked nobly, showing
themselves true metal, and with the fall
ing of the roof, despite the binding smoke
and threatened falling of the walls, turned
their attention to subduing the heat in
proximity to the locomotives that had been
run out, The two locomotives seriously
damaged are No. 80 and No. 70. The
former-the old shifting engine-will prob
ably prove.a total wreck, but the latter we
are told with a new cab, a new jacket and
a coat of paint, will be. as good as new
Damage to other locomotives consists
principally in mashed smoke-stacks and
headlights, and ScOrched cabs. The walls
of the round-house remain standing,
though seriously cracked in some places,
but more total wreck than greeted the
eye inside Wednesday at noon, can hardly
be imagined. Workmen are now engaged
in clearing away the debris, and it is I'M
derstood that all the damaged locomotives
will be in running order in a few days
The loss will probably reach $4,000.
Colonel A. H. Perry, the General Super
intendent of the road, reached the city
Wednesday evening, and made careful
inspection of the injured stock. The
building, though known as the round
house, was really but section, and we
understand was to have been completed
this summer. 1t was built about nine
months ago, and took the place of the
wooden engine-house, which, it will be re-
membered, was also burned, together with
several fine locomotives. The fire is gen
orally supposed to have been accidental,
but there are not a few who hold the the
DRY of incendiarism. We learn that the
work of rebuilding will be commenced at
once.