The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-05-27
THE FIRE FIEND.
The Greater Portion Of the q. P.
and G. P. Freight Depots at
Ogden Swept Away.
Loss Estimated at 100000 to
s250,000.

LOSS ESIllnaL6u 81 SEVU,UOU
s250,000.
A large portion of the joint depc
lof the Union and Central Pacifi
railways at Ogden burned on Thurs
lday. The rumor of great b!az
a t0gden reached this city in tn
early part Of the morning, and 70
the remainder OF, the day the snbjec
of the fiTe,subsequently proven TO b
true, was the general topic of con
lYersation. A HERALD reporter Wis
tied the spot last evening, and founC
it desolate indeed. but the work Of
removing the debris was still in
progress.
The fire broke out about 1;
minutes to 4 o'clock on Thurs
day morning, and though the
alarm was given and the scene
rapidly surrounded by large
crowds, the fire made such remark.
able Roadway that it was utterly be-
yOnd control before anything could
be done to prevent it. There must
have been between 500 and 600 cars
in the joint yards at the time of the
occurrence, and they were so placed
that there was danger of a great
number being burned were not
proper care taken. 1t appears that
the men engaged all night in trans
ferring freight had entered a car
filled with gasoline, and set their
lamps on one or more of the barrels.
gas was generated in the
car and exploded, or the lamps set
the inflammable fluid in a blaze is
not definitely known, but the gaSo-
line caught on fire and could not be
The flames spread
rapidly, and after pushing
he burning oil car along the trans
Ter shed, some 500 feet, an unsuccess-
Jul attempt was made to pull the
,ar away by coupling it to sn engine.
The car, however, ran back to the
point where it started, and as it did
70 set fire to the shed.
An attempt was made to save
of cars which were on
lifferent tracks which converged
nto one. On one track the cars
we're left so near the turn that
here was not room to pass, and the
was that in trying to
'un the others off, a collision ensued,
which tipped over some and so OBJ
itructed the way that none could
,ass, and many cars that would
otherwise have been saved were thus
destroyed by the fire.
The transfer shed being of
thoroughly dried wood, yielded
eadily to the flames and was licked
Up in an incredibly short period, all
he freight contained in it, a build
ne about 500 feet long by 80 wide,
Ilso being destroyed. In addition to
his freight shed, the offices and a
arge platform were also consumed,
nd while streams of water were
'oured upon the rising sheets of
lanes from tanks, sloughS, wells
nd the hand engine of the Ogden
remen, all was of no avail, and
was swept away.
Some nineteen to twenty-three
CENTRAL Pacific cars and two or three
Union Pacific cars, all filled with
reight, were burned, and all about
Tere cinderS and spoiled, half burned
and twisted iron. Fire
hieves bagged quite a number of
mall articles in the confusion, but
II were more or less damaged.
PERSONS could hardly get within
alf a block of the fire, sol
intense was the heat; besides
Thich, it was not known but there
TaS powder, oil and other explosives
4 the cars or transfer shed, which
aight go off and do additional harm.
mall explosions could be heard
rom time to time, but nothing of
ny moment.
Great exertions were made on all
ides to save property, and it is due
o individual and combined efforts
hat many more cars were not
The cars, while in flames,
re described as having the appear
nee of a very large fence, being
urned to the ground, and the scene
While the blaze was at its height. is
aid to have passed human powers
f description. Fortunately the wind
vas not blowing at the time. The
wires were burned down
or quite q distance, but were re-
laced in a short time so that
communication was maintained.
dany of the trucks belonging to
he transfer department were
destroyed, and the safe of the
J. 2. was SO marred that it had to
Ie opened with chisels, when, how
yer, all was found intact, save that
ONE of the books were scorched.
7he whole place is said to have been
n a blaze within seven minutes
fter the car had caught fire., and
he fire to have spent its force
within forty minutes, though it
in many places for the
est of the day. Temporary offices
we're secured in a short time and
he clerks set to work.
The railroad bosses will perhaps
II be on the ground to-day and de-
as to future buildings.
1t is a difficult matter to estimate
he loss by this fire. Goods were on
forage in the depots, either await
ng delivery to consumes here, or
lSe shipment to other points. Bills
f many of these goods are lost, and
t will, in many cases, require tracers
o determine their destruction and
-alue. The railway men say they
an form no estimate, but their
owest figure is 100000, while some
lace it one-half higher.
Mr.. T. r. Mcconnell, agent of the
Union Pacific in this city, went to
ogden in the afternoon, and states
hat there was nota pound of freight
to Salt Lake parties in
my of the burned cars. There may
ave been a trifle in the sheds, but