Evening star., 1896-09-30
THE SOUTHWEST SECTION
Damage to the Metropolitan Car Shed
Placed at &2O.OOO.

With the exception of the collapse of the
car shed of the Metropolitan Railway Com
pany at the foot of AZ street, and the
havoc wrought along the river front, the
southwest section of the city may be class
ed as exceptionally fortunate OF course,
trees were uprooted. branches were snap
ped In twain and roofs were uplifted galore.
tut. all in all, the situation might have
been worse. as it was in other localities.
The car shed of the Metropolitan Rail-
way Company today Is sight to behold
The structure was located in the rear of
the new power house of the company and
was erected about seven years ago, when
storage battery cars were under expert
ment. The dimensions of the shed were
three hundred and fifty feet by eighty feet
and consisted of a brick wall twenty feet
In height. surmounted by an immense "
shaped roof supported by a forest of steel
girders and rafters.
1t is stated that the roof was constructed
at great cost. In the shed last evening
Were about forty of the new motor cars
and traflers of the company, including
many new closed cars for winter service
that have not yet been put in use
AT II o'clock last night a great crash was
heard. followed by a grinding noise which
was plainly heard a long distance Off
Those in the vicinity had no difficulty In
learning the origin of the sounds The i'm
mense roof had succumbed to the force of
the wind and toppled over. About two
thirds of the brick wall all around was
ground to dust, and the roof sank until the
rafterS rested on the concrete floor of the
structure The beams and girders crushed
through the handsome new cars as though
the latter were egg shells. Not a single ca
escaped injury, while several which were
standing near the walls were shattered in
frfghtful manner There were seven or
eight men in the shed at the time but " hen
the first sounds Of the disaster were heard
they made rush for the outside A piece
Of stone struck colored man named John
Riley, while William Oden, also coIored
was also slightly injured. Riley was re-
moved to the Emergency Hospital for treat
ment.
The ruired shed was visited by largo
crowds of people today, but few were a1-
mitted to the interior. large sign was
hung on the entrance gates refusing ad
mittance, with the explanation thai the
building was in a dangerous condition Ono
Of the directors of the Metropolitan Rail
way Company who visited the demolished
shed at o'clock this morning, and who
made careful investigation of the build
Ing and stock, stated to q Star reporter
that the damage was by no means as great
as appeared on first sight The trucks and
motors of the cars. the most costly and
important portions of the rolling stock he
said, were not injured. The framework
can De replaced at q cost of from $50 to
500 to car. The total damage It is
thought, will not exceed $4,000.
Cars Kept Running.
The wrecking of the car shed did not
Interfere to any extent with the running
Of the cars over the 9th street line today
Nineteen trains were in service Work will
be begun Friday morning to repair the
damage. and 1t is thought that the old
roof can be removed. a. well as the re-