The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-05-26
SEABOARD AIR LINE
SHOPS BURNED
To ASHES,
Three Quarters of a Million
Melt in Flames at
Portsmouth.
ONE DEATH MAY RESULT
In an { fort TO Save His Tools He Was Fright
fully Burned---The Destruction of
Every Building and Car in
the Yard.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Norfolk, Va. May 23.-(Saturday. 1.-The
Seaboard Air Line Railway shops, minor
offices and warehouses on the outskirts
of Portsmouth, were practically destroyed
by fire, which broke out shortly after ten
O'Clock tonight. At a late hour tonight
the blaze had not spent itself, but the
destruction of nearly every building ard
near as can be estimated at this time, the
monetary loss will foot UP to some three
quarters of a million dollars.
James Harrel, a machinist, who sought
to save the tools with which he earned
his daily bread, was so badly burned that
has not already succumbed to his in
juries.
FIERCE HEAT AND WIND.
Firemen from Portsmouth, Norfolk ana
Berkeley got hose into position, but the
heat of the flames drove them back be-
fore they could approach within many
yards of the fire. To render matters all
the more hopeless, a terrible wind storm
swept over that portion of Norfolk coun-
ty. A binding cloud of dust, sand and
grit drove hundreds of men, women ana
children in every direction, in quest OF
shelter. For nearly fifteen minute the
wind blew at the rate of at least fifty
miles an hour. Several children were
hurled from their feet and sent rolling
across the t~horoughfare. Mothers be.
came panic-stricken. Hats were blown
from heads and never recovered. Present
ly a refreshing shower made its appear
ance and soon cleared up the air. In q
few minutes the breeze moderated and
veritable pandemonium resolved itself into
a scene of comparative tranquility.
HOW IT BROKE OUT.
In some u~naccountably way the fire
broke out about 1915 o'clock in a build
ing known as the working shop, situated
in the southern part of the yards. In this
wooden structure was stored a largt
quantity Of dried lumber. Within a very
few minutes the entire building was IL
flames. The wood repairing materla
burned like hay. In half an hour this
wrecking shed as it was called, was fall
ing in. The flames reached a height OF
at least 200 feet and reached out hun
grily on all sides. The adjoining building
was a storage house for the care of many
tons of stationary, the supply headquart-
tons of stationery, the supply headquart-
of the country.
A MAN TERRIBLY BURNED.
James Herold, a machinist, residing IN
| Cottage Place, rushed into the wrecklne
shed when the blaze was at its height
He was at home asleep when the alarm
was sounded. Hastily dressing himself he
hurried out to save his property. Into
the building he dashed needless OF the
protestations of those about HIM. The
burning timber fell upon his shoulder bear
ing him to the floor. The frebrand lay
across his body setting his ralment OF
fire. When several men rlsked their OWL
lives to save the machlnlst and succeeded
in pulling him out into the open air, the
unfortunate man was more dead -thaI
alive. Doctors McMurrln and Maupln
Seaboard physicians, administered to hun
In removing his clothes, Herold's flesh tel
from his body. He presented a spectacle
gruesome and shocking in the extreme.
A machinist named Penrose is reported
to have been seriously burned while at
temnting to recover his tools. 1t wa:
stated thai he was seriously wounded by
a falling plank in addition to sustaining
internal and external injuries by fire.
THREE HUNDRED IDLE MEN.
H Burpee. a boss painter, was seriously
though not fatally cut about the head by
lhying glass. Several minor cases were
reported, but on account OF the latenes'
of the hour and the excitement prevailing
it was impossible to arrive at a full ane
complete detail OF facts
The wrecking shed, the stationery ware
house. the paint and oil house. Office
building of the Superintendent of Wood
Wood. a large brick building used TO-
the reception of passenger and sleeping
cars. in which was located the painting
shop. the carpenters and cabinet maker
shops, fifty or more box cars and elghteer
passenger coaches were burned. A grea
deal of the yard track also was destroyed
The origin of the fire is not known.
Three hundred men will be thrown GU
of employment.