The times., 1897-04-08
A TRANSFER BOX BURNED
The Fire Caused Much Excitement
While 1t Lasted.
A Coal Oil Stove Exploded and Four
Men Were Panic Stricken.
The LOSS $1,000.

Everybody who has ridden any con-
siderable number of times on the cars
of the Capital Traction Company have at
| one time or another had occasion TO pro-
cure a transfer ticket at the little box
| at The corner Of Fifteenth and streets,
| directly in front of the Treasury building
AT that particular box no more transfers
will be issued, for yesterday afternoon
ii was burned to the ground, and Of its
charred ruins there remained not enough
to be taken away in wheelbarrow
People who changed cars at that point
last night looked surprised AT the pec,.nar
little shanty from which transfers TO
Georgetown and Fourteenth street were
handed out. Then they looked again, and
observed that something was wrong, but
just what was the matter the average
traveller was not able TO explain, and then,
as rule, while waiting for their train
they made inquiry.
accorGing To the estimate made by the
night transfer man. he told the story Of
the burning of his business haDitation
over 5000 times. Perhaps his statement
was q little eXaggera ted but he repeated
the story OF the fire so often that when
Times reporter made inquiry, be was
able to give the account in u very lucid
manner and with gestures.
Policeman Enlmert, who is detailed at
the junction of Fifteenth street, New York
and Pennsylvania avenues, went into the
transfer station to get a drink of water.
There were three other persons in the littlc
building at the time, and 1t was conse-
quently crowded. that, in some manner,
in turning TO go out, his coat caught upon
the coal-oil stove and upset it, and an inn
mediate explosion followed.
The four men made n dash through the
door to escape, and two ladies' who were
approaching the window to secure their
transfers, heard the explosion and nearly
swooned in the street. In an instant the
box was on fiIe, and an alarm was sent
in to which engines No. 2 and 6 responded,
but We're only able to save a portion OF
the shed over the sidewalk and under
which the building stood. The depart
ments had just turned out their thousands
of clerks, and there was soon Il tumultuous
crowd and much excitement The fire
had its amusing incidents as wei, for the
crowd could not suppress its shouts when
the truck company arrived with its lad
ders thirty and forty feet long to ai1 in
tANmEhlSliilE ilft IA ~ Du'ANihE SibpNb
seven feet tall.
The entire damag gels estimated at nearly
1000 Besides the loss Of the building,
which was finely constructed, it CON
tanned two complete printing outfits in
Guiding press and considerable type which
is used in printing the transfers, and which
were made especially for the company.
Besides these there were also burned sew
eral overcaats belonging to employees and
considerable other property Policeman
Cramer lost his billy and belt, which he
had stored in the building, as well as d
macintosh.
A peculiar incident in connection with
the fire is the fact that the stove which
exploded and caused the blaze is the same
one which was upset and caused the burn
I'M of the handsome mail car on the Wash
ington ana Georgetown line last summer,
and which made an interesting sight as II
ran ahiaze down the Avenue. Another
feature is the fact that the stove when III
the car was upset directly in front of the
transfer station.
a temporary house which had been used
elsewhere was last night removed and set
up on the ruins OF the old transfer station.