The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-11-19
THE BUILDING DROPPED.
HOUSTON AND TEXAS CENTRAL
FREIGHT DEPOT TUMBLED.
Some Of the Occupants Thought a
Switch Enuine Had Struck the
Old Building,

The clock hands In the office Of the old
Houston and Texas Central freight depot
on washington street. between Fifth and
Sixth, are standing still, pointing to the
hour of II 81 They have stood there since
that hour yesterday forenoon when the
ancient structure without warning or pre-
meditation Sided from its foundation and
sat down on the ground with force that
must have given the Inhabitants of the
celestial empire on the other side Of the
globe an idea that an abeboded earth
quake had occurred. The old building has
done service as a freight depot for many
years 1t is $50 feet long and originally
stood across the tracks from its present
site, just above the McGowen foundry
and was moved on car trucks away back
In the SOS to the location 1t now occupies
1t stood on cedar ping, the office end
about four feet from the ground, and the
warehouse end about two feet, and most
Of these supports have rotted, the remain
ing ones gave way yesterday forenoon, as
stated. letting the building drop TO the
ground About twenty five men were at
work in the building when the fan oc-
Cured most of whom were In the ofhce,
been seen In Houston in many day. The
occupants were thrown promiscnously
| about the room. collidng with slipping
| desks chairs and tables, and the stoves
| being overturned, the ashes mingled Win
the dust which poured up through tne
| floor, making cloud which ooscufeh every
| object in the room. ~,
what did / think had happenedf"
| echoed one of the clerks when the question
was asked him by Post reporter wei.
! | thought switch engine mao 81 urh w :,
| building and knocked It into smithereehs
How many Of the hoys went under Ia
bles? asked the reporter
Il cant say, exactly because crowded
under one myself" was the reply, eut !
guess most of them sought Sheller' ior we
| al expected the roof TO fall In
! All Of the men in the office received 2
| good shaking up and several were sHhs 4,rt
! IN bruised but no one was seriously hurt.
| The old negro porter, who has been Ia th6
| office so many years that he has lQst Inc
/ count of them. was the worst hutt' nay
received considerable bruise on one Oh
H' Aad there been fires in the stoves q
! conhagratiou could scarcely nave peeh
! avoided, but as it was the only injury VIZ
/ to the building. and workmen were soon
! eettine iackscrews under that, preparatory
/ To giving it another foundation; 80
AS was stated, the clock, Ike the one
STOPPED short of, when the wreck &C.
I Cured. and refused to go again When the
boys tried 10 make It run.
The structure. while 1t bore the ear
] marks OF age did mot appear particularly
/ dilapldated until after its precipitation. y
! was then seen how badly the central hreus
q new freight depot and 1t may be tnal
the accident to the building VIII result y, "
a modern and better equipped ofhce build
ing and freight warehouse displaclng y ~
The course Of a few months. The erection
of new building for ne aeeom IlLf9l hoa
Of Its enormous local freight tratnc, has
been in contemplation by the Central ioi
some time, the only drawback 10 the prop
0sition being the lack OF desirable snss
The ground upon which the present bll I
Ing stands. OF rather sits, now i hardy
broad enough In area 70 accommodate sneu
building as the road would Ike 70 pu,
IN vet ii may be decided In the course %
a short time to erect building there
which. by providing an upper story I0I
the Offices, may be made to answer az
| purposes. -. ,,,,,
The site as located above Is $50 feet long
but hardly more than 100 feet wide, and
| il is rather a difficult problem 70 pfoNat
| ample warehouse facilities and AZ lne
same time allow space for the necessary
| driveway.