The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-11

Money cannot make good the princi-
pal losses to the Oregon Short Line
The building can be rebuilt, new furni-
ture purchased and new Office equip
ment installed. but nobody can replace
entirely the maps and records that
were transformed into smoke and
ashes. Nearly all the most important
records were totally destroyed. The
exact condition of others will not be
known until the vaults that remain in
tact can be reached and opened. 1t IS
impossible TO estimate the loss in dol
lars and cents. and both General Man
ager Bancroft and General Superln-
tendent Calvin refused to attempt it.
The engineering department has suf-
fered heaviest. Maps and notes that
cost hundreds of thousands of dollars
were DESTROYED Some of them can
never be replaced. while others will re-
quire months even years, of time, and
many thousands of dollars. The arti-
cles destroyed include maps and blue
prints of the extension toward Los An
geles, the Houston extension in Idaho
and other extensions contemplated at
various times in the history of the
Short Line and of the roads consoli-
dated &c make the Short Line. Old
Union Pacific surveys and field notes
applying TO this territory were brought
to Salt Lake at the time of the sesre-
CATION Of the Union Pacific and Ore
gon Short Line systems and fell
prey to the flames. Maps and other eX-
hibits to be used in evidence in the
pending litigation with the San Pedro
road were stored in vaults in the Short
Line offices. It is as yet impossible to
tell how much Of this evidence was de-
stroyed, but it is feared that large
part of it has gone and that the cases
coming up this month win be delayed
therefore for some time.
Resident Engineer William Ashton
is at present in Nevada, miles beyond
Geographic communication. He is not
expected back for two or three days
at least. and probably does not yet
know of the loss. Chief Clerk w. E.
Critzer said yesterday that everything
of Importance had been destroyed The
/ engineers vault. with that of the local
treasurer. was near the seat of the ex-
plosion and was consequently shat
tered Scant hope is entertained of
finding anything intact that was leIt
, there. The Office contained a small
! safe. which has not yet been found in
/ the ruins.
I But all the safe contained" said Mr..
J Critzer was u few blank passes. some
/ private deeds and few unimportant
/ things like that"
] The field notes Of the surveys were
} for. the most part in the vault but
maps. tracings and other articles of
this character We're kept in the drawers
! of the tables
Loss of Treasurer's Office.
The local treasurer's office also lost
all its records. together with about
$1,000 in cash. This represented the re-
cepts taken in after banking hours
The records are the most important
IF the books in the auditors Office havs
remained in good condition the current
accounts may be Strengthened out tc
some extent. but the old records are
gone.
/ Until the auditors vault is opened
and the records examined the extent o.
the losses to that department will NO
be known. Auditor G. J. McNit
promptly wired all agents 10 send du.
plicates of their July and August re
ports. and sent forty of his clerk
along tne line last evening to assist tn
agents in making up their reports
The others viii be put to worl
Strengthening out the books as soon a
an investigation Of the vault can b
| made
In the Office of the superintendent o
motive power were drawings of loco
motives. machinery details and othe
! valuable data which have 0ean de
stroyed superintendent J. F. Dunn i
now on his way home from New York
Not the least 0f the losses was il
the department Of Car Accountant c