Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-11

The entire plant of the Norfolk Ran.
way and Light Company on Church
street burned last night.
still alarm was sent in from Hunt.
crsville last night at 12:45, the message
saying that all the cars and the .elec-
trio plant of the street railway were
in n blaze.
Assistant Chief Weber and one OF
the uptown engines and Chief RYAN
were soon on the ground and hard at I
work. They arrived almost too late
to do any. service. but seeing the dam
ger that threatened the large u,lapti-
ty OF kerosene oil stored on the lot
of the Standard Oil Company, which
adjoins the lot of the car-sheds to the
North. they went to work to save that.
They saved 1t.
Within twenty minutes after the
fire was discovered the entire lot OF
the street car company was abIaze.
Inere was an area of about half an
acre that seemed to be q seething Inass
OF flames. 1t was impossible for any
one to so inside of the car-sheds TO
push out the cars or to turn on the
electric power to bring them out.
There they stood on the tracks inside
awaiting the rapid approach of the
flames.
Within ten minutes after the firemens
arrived all OF the, cars inside were
burning so that they with the wood,
work about the shed to support the u
corrugated iron. of which its sides
We're made, We're In an uncomfortable
fire.
The flames shot UP twenty five feet
above the roof OF the sheds. making
grand sight, shedding a lurid glare all
about the open lots OF the nninhabitedi
vicinity, and causing a heat SO intense
that IL was difficult for the firemen to-
get near enough to do effective work.
That, however, was not the chief diff
Guilty. In that part OF the city, or the
country. there is always the difficulty
of the lack Of water to contend against.
There was but one engine in service
and it was difficult to get water for
that. Despite the difficulties, however,
the firemen did splendid work.
They prevented the fire from reach
ing the Standard OIL Company plant
although the danger WAS inmineut.
The eutire plant, with the exception
of the little frame office of the Norfolk
Railway and Light Company! was de-
Stroyed. This includes the car sheds.
the engines. dynamos and fittings OF
the electric motor plant. which II not
destroyed must be seriously injured,
and fifty or more cars. There We're but
eleven cars saved.
The fire was discovered soon after
the ears had turned into the sheds, and
after nearly all OF the motormen and
conductors had gone home. 1t caught
from one of the cars that was In the
shop undergoing repairs.
The loss is $500 So
The hour being late, the distance
from the city great, and the vicinity
sparsely settled, there We're not more \
than 100 persons to witness the magni-
ffserrt spectttcfe of the most Obstructive
fire that has occurred for about two
years.
There was a report that one man had
been killed, but no one whom the res
porter could find substantiated the re-
port. Thomas B. Ogle, one of the en1-
ployees. was injured, but not seriously,
by falling wall. He was in the care
of DIR. Southgatei Leigh this morning,
and was doing well.
One unoccupied frame house in, the
rear of the car sheds caught lire and
burned in ten minutes. There was no
water TO spare from protecting tne
Standard Oil Company works, to. try to q
save the frame houses. 1t stood alone
and burned like finder.
Mr.. j. Lancaster Williams. president
of the road bespeaks the indulgence OF
the patrons OF the road during its tenn
porary difficulty. He says but IL cars
were saved. but that cars will be run
schedule. with the exception OF the
Queen street line. That will he sus-
pended.
The Lamberts Point line will be run
on a half hour schedule, the Old Points
line. will be run according to g schedule
published as time table elsewhere IN j
this paper.
New cars will be provided as quickly
as possible. and the road Will soon be
in more efficient condition than Is
has ever been.