The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-07-20
A FIRE THAT WON'T GO OUT.
Phenomenon Exhibited at Railway sta
ton In Scotland.

IL is not generally known that in
Scotland, not more than three miles
out of Glasgow, there is fire raging
at railway station which has been
going on for months, and notwth.
standing that tons of water have been
poured upon this insidious fire, it
cannot be put out.
Several months ago a waste piece OF
ground close to the station was want.
ed by the railway company as siding,
The level of this ground was too low,
so truckloads of refuse were dump
ed on it to bring it to the necessary
level. large proportion of this re-
fuse consisted of rotting vegetation,
and in the course of little time 1t
heated TO such an extent that com.
bustion set in and started not only a
smoldering fire but flames actually
burst through the ground.
Attempts We're made to quell this
fire, and it was thought, after several
weeks of hard work and tons of water
that 1t had been put out. What was
the surprise however, to see it break
er the station. Fears then began to
be felt for the safety of the station
buildings especially as the main dou-
BILE line to important coast and coun-
try towns led through IT,
Fresh energy was then brought to
bear, and much more water was pour
ed on this fire, which seemed to have
-. L., 3
earth, but from the volume of steam
and smoke issuing from innumerable
crevices it was seen that the fire de-
mon was resisting all efforts, and was
slowly creeping nearer and nearer TO
the foundations of the railway station.
1t was now whispered and soon be-
came known that the station had orig
inally been built upon a sort of shale,
which came out of the mines in the
near neighborhood years ago. These
shale mounds have been known to take
years burning right through, and the
stencil from them is anything but
pleasant
The fire gained ground every day, un-
til by and by it reached beneath one
of the platforms, and any day there
after might be seen the novelty of a
crowd of people waiting on platform
from the chinks and crevices of which
were arising in many places jets of
steam from the fire below. Such
volume of water was kept continu-
ally playing upon it that actual flames
were prevented from showing above
ground but any casual observer could
see the evidences of the great heat be-
low.
In time it was observed that the
foundations of the station were set
tling and cracking and twisting in
many places. and all sorts of efforts
had to be resorted to to keep the
buildings from being permanently in
jured. At this present moment, as
these lines are being penned, the fire
has reached under the main line Of the
track, and it is one of the curiosities
of the neighborhood to see the jets of
steam and smoke issuing from between
the sleepers.
1t is now forcgone conclusion that
the fire cannot be eXtinguished, and
it is being left to have its own sweet
way and burn itself out When this
will happen nobody knows, as there is
large part Of the foundation of the
station not yet reached and as this
has been going on for many months,
it is quite probable that this fire in
the bowels of the earth will go on sap
ping under the station until the build
ings tumble about the passengers
ears.-Tit-Bits.