Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-23
Hartford, of Hartford. .,.,...,,...,.. iso
Orient, OF Hartford Observation-Disclosures. 1871

Hartford, Of Hartford. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 800
Orient, OF Hartford. 1875
Total. ....,........S 9,0o0
THE TOTAL LOSS
as given above will be about $4,000. 1t
is not known what will be done until
President Holmes arrives from Chicago
and he is expected tonight or in the morn
ing. While the loss is severe, and it is
terrible to think of the fate of the many
horses. the stock was as q rule, pretty old
and worn out. and if Mr.. Holmes is con-
templating electricity. as he mustneces
sarily largely restock the road. now is
the time to introduce it, At least dozen
new cars must be built for the Rock ISL
and s. Moline line, and it is likely that
the fitness of the same for electrical APP
pliances will be considered in their con-
struction. As to the old cars the public
has no regrets at their destruction
and is only sad that the few tn at
were saved by being in the Union barn
n
time when street cars reach that state of
decay when pride in public appearance
should demand that they be removed
from the streets. This was the case with
some of the old cars of the Moline &
Rock Island horse railway. 1t is to be
hoped that Mr.. Holmes will stock the
entire road with equipment similar to
that of the blue line-and he is very likely
to do 50.
1T Is MYSTERY
as to how the fire originated, and az vet
Supt. Schnitger has not been able to
learn whether it started at the north or
south end Of the roof. The entire build
ing seemed to be enveloped before the
discovery was made. There is not the
least clue as yet as to how or where it
caught, A lady living in the neighbor
hood says tramp called at her house late
in the afternoon and was smoking. He
went from her house to the car barn and
apparently entered by back door The
tramp may be responsible for the fire,
locomotive spark may have started it, or
it may have started from some other way
AFTER EFFECTS.
Considering the circumstances. Supt.
Schnitger is giving the public very satis>
factory service today. Cars were out
on usual time this morning. and have
been running on fifteen minute time all
day. The blue cars with the addition of
one Of the old open cars, are running
between Fifteenth street and Riverside,
connecting via Thirty.fifth with transfer
at Fifteenth street with No. 10 and at
Thirty-ffth with No. IL for the lower
end of town and the business part of
Moline, respectively. With this arrange>
ment Supt. Schnitger will be able to get
along very nicely until definite plans are
decided upon.
Supt. Schnitger received a dispatch
this afternoon stating that President
Holmes would be in Rock Island at 4
o'clock.
Supt. Schnitger stated this afternoon
that he would not be surprised if human
body was yet found in the wreck. He
cannot see how the fire started unless it
was from tramp crawling into the hay
loft and going to sleep after smoking.
Mr.. Schnitger is very grateful to the
Rodman Rifles for the seyice they per-
formed. They exercised true soldierly
spirit in being equal to the emergency in
protecting property. Mr. s. proposes to
refund the fares they paid to Moline and
back last night.
Supt. Schnitger bought ten head of fine
horses this morning and is getting all the
suitable horses he can find.
The drivers thrown out of employment
will be kept on the pay roll until work is
again provided for them.
A view of the scene today shows that
many of the horses persisted in their
stalls. while others got out ON the main
door where they we're cremsted. The
shrieks of the poor animals will never be
forgotten by those who heard them.
Among the number was a white horse
called Rocky" twenty seven years of
age, which had been In the service of the
road ever since 1t was built.
The electric light wires were consider
ably impaired by the fire. One of the
wires fell, striking ]. E. Swami on the
forehead, while he was rescuing goods
from Mr.. Hills house Had the wire
been charged it would have killed Mr..
Swami instantly.
The entire fire department turned out.
The Franklins made the run in splendid
time from their hose house in the extreme
west part of town.
The dimensions of the building were
$50 by rs feet, it having been enlarged
from its original size since Mr.. Holmes
became possessor.