The Meeker herald., 1894-03-24
IMPORTANT COLORADO NEWS.
GREAT LOSS AT DENVER.
The Union Depo. Completely Destroyed
by Fire.

ms Union Depot Completely Uest royed
by Fire.
The Union Depot at Denver was burned
down on the morning OF the 18th. The fire
started shortly after midnight.
The origin of the fire is supposed to be
from detached live electric wire. Early in
the evening two of the wires In the ladies'
waiting room suddenly broke, letting the arc
laghts TO the floor. AZ no particular damage
was done little was thought of the occur
renee. The officials at the depot can ascr.be
40 other cause than this.
The fire one OF the most disastrous that
has occurred for years in Denver. Tho he
roic efforts of the fire department seemed to
have little effect on the progress OF the
Hamcs. An alarm at the central station
brought out the apparatus at the city hall. 1t
was soon apparent, however, that the fiery
element was beyond control by the means at
hand and Il general alarm was made for the
entire department Of the city.
The tire was discovered by the nightmen, IN
1he western wing, in the second story and
above the baggage room. 1t was hoped for -.
ehort time that it could be checked and a.,
damage confined to that part of the b. n,tn,r
The employees attempted to put out ~. a.,
and did not call the department = -,>,,,,,,,,.
The Offices where the conha' ,,.,,,,, ha, Il,
Inception arc occupied by ,s,, na,ro. y,
Rio Grandc railroad. Tn var, a, ,ha mia
ing was soon a mass of s,mes T,rh.r no
began to fail Blair e rafters ENDANGERED
Inc ives OF every An VINO sought to stay tn,
u ''o .emcs Bat apparently nc
was >s,ie IN the uneven fight. The
n '"' u" Il In the building was of an In.
,r, character, except the stone walls
>eFc many narrow escapes from death
~ &C s,ternen and each new experience OF
rs nature was received with hush of awe
eG the spectators and shout OF rejoicing
when = huge timber OF flames missed the per
1903 OF some fireman..
As the flames greedlly spread from one
apartment TO another, it seemed to the spec
tator OF the lurtd scene as though 1t was bu,
the burning of a toy paper house.
Every railroad cmploye was pressed into
the service and nearly all the baggage stored
in the rooms below was quickly removed on
trucks or carried out upon the tracks,
The most trouble experienced In the
attempt to save the records in the Offices
This met with only partial success. Books
and papers were thrown out OF the windows
lrccklessly and out of the wreck many docu.
imcnts were saved. There were, however,
some Office, in which the loss was complete
and In Others the swiftly moving flames and
the smoke made 1t impossible even to enter
the door.
The building was owned by the Union De
pot Company, four-iifths of the stock in
which was held by the Union Pacific aud one
nth by the Rio Grade, The building cost
about 100000 AMI WINS insured for 5000.
The depot vii. be rebuilt immediately. 1t Is
hoped that the old walls can be utilized.
be'.cer building can be made now with
the expenditure OF the s2a5,OO0 at which the
soss Is estimated than could have been built
In 1850 because of the very great difference
In the cost OF labor and material. II the old
walls can be utilized as the officials now
Shink the depot will likely be rebuilt and
ready for occupancy within two months.
Should the tearing down of the walls be
found necessary the plans will he altered
somewhat, though the beginning of work on
the structure will not be delayed for any
such cause.
\ few rooms can still he used and tempo
rary arrangements will be made until the new
building Is ready.