Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-06-13
LICKED UP BY FIRE.
ROUND HOUSE At ARKANSAS
CITY IS WIPED OUT.
Burned At Midnight Both Buildings and
Contents are Total LOsS-Flames We're
30 Fierce to Check.

Arkansas City. June 11.-tspeciaL)-
The Santa Fe round house was burned
to the ground here tonight. The blazC
is still raging at this hour but 1t l:
only feeding on the skeleton Of what
was a magnificent building three hours
ago.
Before midnight every engine In the
yards began to Shrek The steam
whistles were turned loose and the peo-
pie they terrified jumped out Of theiI
beds in their night clothing not know
ing what had happened, and still the
whistles shrleked in distress. The night
was fine, apale moon shed her light over
the calm city and the people were at a
loss to account for the strange and
terrible noises caused by the iron hors-
es Of the Santa Fe. Finally pillar OF
fire was seen to rise over the tree-fring-
ed horizon and they all shouted "fire
in the Santa Fe yards" Just then
the fire bell rang nd volunteer firemen
were seen darting towards the fire de-
partment from all quarters, some al
most naked and some half naked.
Many Of them did not have time to
put on their shoes or take off their
night shirts. Such terrible excitement
was never seen In Arkansas City even
in the days or rather the nights, when
the expected Indian raids were heralded
on the streets.
There was scarcely house in the city
left tenanted and all ran towards the
yards, yelling fire, like an army Of
ghrleklng ghosts called back to their
graves by the clarion voice OF the mid
night cock.
When the brow of the hill was reach
cd a scene that exceeded the greatest
tableauX ever seen presented itself.
Flames of fire danced around the mass
i've round house which was visible only
at intervals as the flames receded to
get a fresh start on the building and
to shoot higher up than before. The
firemen did the best they could but all
their efforts were in vain. They could
not reach the building and the great
big fantastic fire demon seemed to
laugh at them as he licked up the build
ing inch by inch, foot by foot and sec
ton by section. The heat was intense
and no one could approach anywhere
near the building.
The few switch engines in the yards
kept on whlstllng and shrieklng, dart
Au6 " anu llOf 10 IL aGElLGuf W AGoCuG
a car or coach from the yards that was
threatened with destruction. 1t was
terrible scene and were 1t not for
the fact that 1t threatened to extend II
would be a delightful one as viewed
from the slopes of the city. The fire
king seemed to realize that he was I'M
conquerable, and he gave the people
an idea of his fury.
The excitement is so great that no
one Is able to tell how the fire started.
It cannot be stated at this hour wheth-
er the fire originated by accident or
whether It was the work Of an incen-
diary. Neither can anyone tell what
the loss Is. Some say that It will be
100000, but that depends on the num-
Der Of engines that were in It. Some
say there were ten engines in the build
ing but that is probably guess work
If there were the loss Is not over esti-
mated. Nothing like fair estlma-
ton Of the loss will be known for a
few hours yet to come The only ac-
eurate thing that can be stated about
Il now, Is that 1t was the greatest fire
ever seen In Arkansas City.