St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-02
UNION DEPOT ON FIRE.
A Blaze Plays Havoc With the Big
Passenger Building.

A Blaze Plays Havoc With the Big
Passenger Building.
The union depot had a narrow escape
from being RACED to the ground by the
fiery element last night. Shortly after
5 O'Clock the man having in charge the
lighting was ordered to turn on the cleo
trio light. lie turned on the switch,
but only few of the arcs burned, and
the current was turned off again in
order that an Investigation might be
made. Nothing could be discovered,
the dynamo appearing to be in good
order and all the visible wires in perfect
condition. The lights were therefore
turned on again, but, as before, only a
few of the arcs would burn at all. So
the gas was lighted, and IL was not until
$50 o'clock that smoke was seen issuing
from the ceiling of the main waiting
room. In few moments a hickman
rushed into the ticket office and in
formed the ticket sellers that flames
were coming out of the roof. Then be
gan the fire, and to all appearances the
depot would have to go, for the fire was
raging between the ceiling of the wait
ing room and roof. The fire department
responded promptly, and the men were
soon at work cutting their way through
the shingles of the roof.
All this time the flames kept pouring
out from under the caves and "a dense
smoke filled the neighborhood. making
il extremely difficult TO operate owing
to the heavy darkness. A dozen streams
were kept pouring upon the IuckleSS
roof, and when the fire had eaten itself
through the ceiling of the waiting room
so that the plasterng fell off, the water
81 lnd n
torrent. The water in the waiting
room was nearly a foot deep and force
of firemen were kept busy sweeping. 1T
away from the ladies' waiting room.
Everything was soaked and grimy. The
lunch counter had its doughnutS
softened and dishes ratified and fell over
the floor in Gathering confusion. The
fire was kept away from the south por-
ton of the depot entirely and only lit
tie of the north side was Scorched and
wet. 1t was the roof of the CEN
trail part, directly over the main
entrance and the ceiling of the down
stairs waiting room where the main
damage was done. The plastering fell
off in many places, and chairs and desks
suffered. Manager Howard James stated
that it was impossible to estimate the
Joss correctly, but it would not fall far
DelOW S0,UUU. lu6 UcpUG 49, VI COuloS,
fully insured. S. S. Eaton, Of st. Paul,
carries the insurance. The fire origin
ated from the electric wires, which ran
in through the roof and supplied the
building with current for light. The
wires, it is thought, became crossed in
some manner, which accounted for the
failure of the lights to burn.
The fire caused the greatest incon-
venience to the travellers who were
waiting to take their trains and those
who arrived on the evening trains. 1t
happened just at time when the ma
jority of trains from the West were due
and the trains for the East were to de-
part. Passengers were forced to walk
around through the mud under the
bridge. and follow the tracks until they
reached the depot shed. Supt. James is
authority for the statement that the
depot will be open for travel as usual,
and that the work of repairing the dam
age will commence at once. 1t was first
thought advisable to close the depot
until the repairs had been made and
use the new st. Louis depot. This will
not be done, however.