Evening journal., 1902-12-29
COAL CHUTE A
MASS OF RUINS
Pennsylvania Railroad Build
ing Burned to Ground
Last Night

The coal chute Of the Pennsylvania
railroad. located along the tracks be-
low Front street crossing was last night
burned to the ground and the loss is
to be $1,000, covered by In
surance.
The flames caught in the engine
room Of the building about 10 o'clock,
and soon enveloped the entire building
with the bridge. which spans to the
tracks
The chute. which consists OF the en-
gine house and bridge. is of frame. and
quite old. The flames burned fiercely,
and soon the rear shed, in which were
number Of cars. some loaded with
coal. were on fire.
About FIVE minutes after the alarm
the bridge work fell upon the tracks
with a terrific crash, sending up high
a shower Of sparks. The fire companies
were arriving about this time, when
the shed was In danger Of destruction.
The end nearest the engine room was
blazing fiercoly, and IL looked as If the
flames might get beyond control
When the fire was first discovered,
the engines in the yard of the round
house set mp a prolonged footing. caus-
ing many persons TO arrive ahead of
the fire companies, which made quick
time Railroad crews rushed to the
chute, but could give no aid whatever,
ewing to the great progress OF the
flames. The building burned like tin
der.
Wrecking Master VanGasken.as soon
as the fire broke out, began prepare
tions for clearing away the debris.
Travel was delayed from 10 o'clock
until early this morning. and many
trains were held up in this city.
In the chute which was burned was
the hosting machinery whereby the
coal is lifted to the bridge. The ma
chinery was operated by an engine. and
In the building were two large boilers.
The firemen therefore were warned not
not to approach too near the burning
building, as it was feared the boilers
would explode. The flremen, however.
approached as near as the heat would
permit The boilers being filed with
water soon began to blow on great
clouds Of steam, which enveloped sur
rounding objects. making Il difficult to
determine the progress Of the fire.
Several freight cars standing on the
sidings near were burned and charred.
AT IL o'clock the flames were under
control and by midnight the fire was
smouldering, but it required the wreck
ing crew some time to got the tracks
clear.
Fire Helped Poor
There was one phase Of the fire en-
Joyed by the poor of the vicinity. and
that was that they were allowed By
the railroad company to carry away
the charred wood and the ccal along the
tracks and they certainly took adyan-
tage of it. They were coming and 60
ing almost all morning. II was sur
prising TO see the big pieces Of wood
that the women WOuld carry.
A temporary semaphore signal was
placed where the former one was
burned.
1t is the general impression that the
chute will not be rebuilt on the present
site. but will be placed in West Yard.
All engines are being loaded By hand
from the coal cars, the work being done
at Edge Moor. West Yard and the
round house. II is thought the perm
anent cooling station Will be a pre-
tentious one on account of the in
creased number OF engines that will
have to be coaled here in case the New
York and Washington divisions meet
here.