The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-01
The Building With It's Entire
Contents Was Quickly
Consum d.
THE LOSS IS OVER $4,000
Insurance Only $l2, 500 and
Tt ksa Out in Northern.
Companies,
SOME so MEN OUT OF WORK

and Out Of Sjght OF the Fire
nan--A Great Loss
to the City.
The New Year brought to Raleigh, as
a present. a greet calanity-a loss that
It wsl take many months and much mon
ey % repair.
The city is deprived Of street cars and,
to a great extent, of electric lights.
Exactly al 10:10 O'Clock last night the
fire alarm sounded from BOX %. Hardly
had the first clang of the bell died away
when the electric lights went out like
snapped thread. The street cars then on
the tracks stopped, Ike the inhabi-
tants Of the fabled palace when sleep
fell upon them. This morning they are
iusr where they were last night al 1910
O'Clock; and they via only be moved to-
day when propelled by human muscle.
When moved they have no home to be
taken to, for the power house and car
shed are in ashes, only gaunt charred
climbers and blackened machinery remain
ing to mark the place where they stood.
When the FIRE alarm sounded and the
lights went out the people rushed forth
% find ont the cause. In the northwest
ern part Of the city they saw great
IuTsd light, as If the whole heavens were
afire.
Tba Raleigh Street Railway power
,H~--y Z srsh.s a
on the corner Of Edenton and West
streets, were wrapped In flames. The
Ere department responded promptly 30
Tie signal, the first engine reaching the
sSo1 within three minutes after the alarm
was turned in; but the fire had gained
such Roadway than no amount OF human
effort could save the burning building.
II was a large frame building, rough,
and unfinished on the inside. Dry and
well seasoned it burned Ike Under
box, the tin roof preventing the water
getting 10 the fire. Within the first quar-
ter Of an hour after the fire was discoy-
ered four huge streams Of waiter were
playing upon the building without ap-
parent effect Then others came, but
the seven streams seemed only to add
consuming power to the contiagrataon.
BY IL O'Clock the building was a black
ened ruin and the flames licking UP the
last Of their New Years feast.
1t is not known exactly how the fire
originated, but it is believed that 1t
caught from one Of the engines. SUI
Eerintendent johnson thinks it started in
the boiler room in the back part of the
building, and then burned along the
floor Of the car shed, which is some 20
feet above the boiler room, to the front
part Of the building.
The fire was first discovered by peo-
pie living on West street. Mr.. john
Riddle and his brother, Mr. Tom Fassett
and Mr.. i, i. Allen all saw it about the
same time. Mr.. Riddle says he went
out into his yard TO get some wood and
stood looking around for some time, but
saw nothing unusual. lie went back into
his house. Five minutes later q servant
girl went 30 the door and saw the flames
which were bursting out from all parts
Of the building. 1t was then that the
alarm was turned in.
Five persons were in the building when
the fire was discovered: The book-keep-
er, r. b. Register; two engineers, M. G..
Jones and g. w. CoFbett, both ON duty;
two firemen, j. NJ Williams, who WAS
asleep, and Pat Norwood, who was on
duty. Norwood was the first TO find
out the building was burning. He dis
covered the fire ait about the same time
those on the outside did. 1t was his timely
warning that enabled Mr.. Register to
save most Of his books and papers. Other
than these the building and its contents
are at total loss, including engines, boil
ers, dynanos, belts, machinery and cars.
There were in the building nine street
cars, all in good repair; four engines,
125 horse power each; three boilers; five
dynarnos; betting, shafting, gauges and
other equipment, besides several tons Of
coal
The total loss is fully $4,000, with
only $4,000 insurance, in Northern com
panfes. THE original cost Of the plant
and equipment was 100000. Only four
cars are left These were on the tracks
in various part Of the city.
The electric light plant supplied the
people Of the city with some 1900 lights,
including the capitol, the Supreme court
building, Agricultural building and Gov
ernOr's mansion. Nearly everybody who
could get these lights were using them.
Now they will have to depend for lights
entirely ON the Raleigh Gas Company s
electric plant.
About thirty men are thrown out Of EN-
ployment by this fire. Among them are
thirteen m0tormen and conductors, three
men working on cars, two engineers,
two fremen, a book-keeper and several
labOrerx and helpers.
1t must be several months before the
street car line can again be put in opera
ton. Superintendent johnson said that
if the company should at once order new
machinery it could not get here, be put
in place and Started under two or three
months
The Raleigh Street Railway Company
10 composed principally or Raleigh ei.t
2eas, m2QslS tFeH Ar Aif 4 Lbompsv1