Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-27
Immense Wharves of the Illinois
Central Railroad Are
Destroyed.
LOSS ESTIMATED AT SIS, 900, 900
No Lives Lost But Numerous Narrow
Escapes--hany Men Will be Thrown
Out Of Employment.

New Orleans, Feb. 27.--Wlth the FIRE
that destroyed its immense export ter
minals still burning though beyond the
power to do further damage, the Iii
nois Central railroad announces today
that as soon as the ruins cool, forces
win be put to work to clear away the
debris, and stuyyesant docks and ele-
yators will be promptly rebuilt on
more elaborate and substantial scale
than before. Meantime the officials
OF the road are louay engaged in the
formulation OK plans that Wil enable
them 10 handle the frame now ON It's
way here from the west ana avoid any
material diversion OF freight from TINS
cts,
Conservative estimates hgure the inn
mediate loss by the ire AT 10000, OUO.
Inc railroad carried its own insurance
ana the contents, OF the various ele-
yators ana sheds We're insured IN the
local ana Foreign agencies.
Inc WharVes covered 1900 feet, over a
distance ot ten BLOCKS, OF this wharf
age 5000 feet, ana what 1t contained,
were destroyed, the remainder al the
upper end OIL the terminals beng saved
throuBn the TACT that the wand pleW
strongly IN the opposite direction. Inc
destroyed MnarI COST SOUU,UUu. Eie-
yator -, leased To Harris, scott q Co.,
or chicago, cost 500, UU0 wnen butt, ana
elevator h., which was operated by the
Illinois Central, cost 100000.
Apparently no lives We're lost in the
fire, though there were many narrow
escapes OF those who were engaged in
iighung the flames, owing to It's rapid
spreaa, and lives We're constantly en-
dangered by debris OF all kinds mat
was whitfield through the air. The es-
cape OF two nre engines was cut OF
and their crews mad 10 run for
their lives, Driver Charles Richardson
OF NO. being painfully hurt.
The fire started IN the conveyors to
elevator d. 1t spread with remark
able rapidity. sparks dropping into oil
barrels on the wharf and extending the
flames In every direction. Ten ships
were lying at the docks when the lire
started and all except two escaped
without damage. 's'he- Indian, OF the
Leland line, had her rails cabin house,
waists, etc, wiped clean off and the Cy-
Gle was burned about the bow and
sides. All the tugs In the harbor that
had steam up hurried to the scene
when the fire started and by her forces
succeeded In pulling the steamer into
the river out of reach Of the ilames.
Supt. c. NJ Dunn, directed the forces
OF the railroad company for several
hours and when the fire was under
control went to the office Of the COM
pany, whore he spent the night IN wire
communication with officials east and
west IN settling the lines for clearing
the wreckage away. He said that II
was prabable that the piers, elevators
and sheds could be restored within a
year and that they would be made
more extensive and substantial than
those destroyed, Mr., Dunn said In his
opinion the fire originated from spon-
taneous combustion.
Throughout the night and today many
messages passed between the local Of
fees and the head offices of the COM
pany I'm New York and Chicago and ar
rangements were set on foot to take
care OF the traffic now en- route here
and to provide for handling the export
and import trade of the company until
the docks are rebuilt The Texas &
Pacific has an immense elevator at
Wesrwego and there also Is an elevator
at Chalmette, the property of the 'Frls-
co. General Manager Preston OF the
latter road rendered the use of the
Shalmette property to the Illinois Cen
trail aud It is probable that the traffic
will be handled to that point
In addition to the railroad property
the fire destroyed the Crescent Ice COM
pany plant, many small stores and
large number of small residences, and
many pathetic scenes were witnessed
as the poor occupants Of them struggled
to save their small belongings at the
risk of their lives.
The fire will temporarily throw out
OF employment large number OF em-
ployes, but this loss will be compensat-
ed by the very much larger number
which will be employed in the course Of
a few days In clearing out the debris
and reconstructing the terminals at the
highest attalnable speed.