The sun., 1907-08-18
FIRE TIES UP WEST SHORE
KINGSTON STATION AND FORTY
CARS ARE BURNED.


IN the Faces OF GAPING Crowd -EN.
press Trains Lost TO Dispatcher.
One OF the most spectacular and exciting
fires seen along the Hudson Valley for
long time occurred last night at Kingston
when the big West Shore freight station
and forty cars we're destroyed. The fire
also put the West Shores telegraph lines
out of business and left the train despatcher's
Office at Weehawken in ignorance OF the
extent of the fire and the whereabouts Of
the westbound Chicago Limited. due there
at 915 o'clock, and the National Express
due at Kingston at 1918.
The burning OF the forty freight cars
was accompanied by a seriea OF explosions
which could be heard for many miles along
the Hudson Valley and by immense sheets
OF fame which redeemed the sky when
several carloads Of kerosene went up.
Although the burning station and cars were
surrounded as closely as possible by thou
sands Of spectators when carloads Of black
injured.
uated along the north side Of the railroad
tracks about a thousand feet opposite
the passenger station. The building is
over 400 feet long. and on account of the
big traffic of the last few days it was jammcd
with merchandise Of one kind and another
from end to end On the sdetracks ad-
jacent to the station were forty cars OF
Enerchandse which had not been unloaded.
g. far in
others we're to have been transferred to
the Ulster and Delaware and Waikiki
Valley railroads.
The fire started near one end OF the sta
ton at about O'Clock. The floor was 30
thoroughly soaked with oil and other in
fammable substances that the flames
spread rapidly and licked up the mer-
chandise stored in the building with as
tonishing quickness.
When the seriousness of the fire was
seen Chief Engineer Tripp Of the fire de.
partment called the entire fifteen COM
panies in Kingston. and enough water
was directed on the blaze within a short
time to food it under ordinary circum-
stances. Just at that time. however,
the flames had reached the freight cars
beside the station and they were speedily
envelope1.
A series Of explosions which told Of the
igniting Of hundreds of casks of black
powder. with which half a dozen OF the
ears were loaded, sent the firemen tumbling
back to places of safety and gave tn 8
spectators who were massed around the
freight yards the worst kind Of fright.
Great sections Of tho burning cars were
scattered around the freight yards by the
explosions.
Hardly had the danger from the ex-
plosions passed when the fire reached a
string of cars loaded with barrels cf kero-
sene and other oils. The work Of the fire.
men vas made almost hopeless when
great Good of the flaming oil poured out
over the tracks and engulfed section Of the
freight house upon which the fire fighters
had directed their efforts with hopes of
saving portion Of 1t
A heavy rain which fell during all the
time the fire was at its height was RESPONSE
ble for saving dozens Of little frame cottages
along the railroad tracks which were within
striking distance OF the firebrands which
went hurting in all directions, The fire.
men turned their attention to these houses
| when il was seen that the fire couldn't be
stopped until the freight house and all the
freight cars near it had gone
Train schedules on the West Shore we're
knocked out completely for three hours.
| The flames swept across the passenger
tracks with such derceness that the ral-
road officials wouldn't have the passenger
trains sent past them. The Chicago Linn
tied, due at Kingston at Gl5 o'clock was
held up this side Of that point until II o'clock
when the flames had died down sufficiently
to make the passenger track safe for traffic.
! The National Express. due at Kingston sr
/ 1915. was also held up. and reached the sta
! ton short time after the flyer had passed.
| The Weehawken train despatcher's Office
| had no word about the two fast trains.
and also knew nothing about several local
| trains that couldn't get by Kingston. The
| Weehawken Office could get no informa-
ton beyond Esopus. on account Of the
| destruction of the wires at Kingston. but
felt convinced that the Kingston officials
were taking good care of the through
trains.
| A conservative estimate OF the damage
J was $500 600. made by the West shore agent
at Kingston. H. was believed. however.
that the burned freight house and cars
with their contents would make the loss
| much higher