Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-24
l. FIRE STATION IN DANGER
Structure started to slide Int
Indian Creek.

Structure started to slide Into
Indian Creek.
For a while yesterday the old fire station
at the foot Of Bryant street was in Inn
minent danger OF sliding backwards into
Indian creek. As It was the structure,
which had been lacked up on blocks pre-
paratory to being moved across the street
while the new fire station Is being con-
structed, sank about two feet at the south
end.
J.. p. Hollenbeck, who has the contract
for moving the building, was hastily sum
moned and about 4 o'clock in the afternoon
he got q gang Of his house movers to-
gether and before night the old house was
drawn on to terra firma and safety.
The driving of the plling close to the
rear Of the building is believed to have
been responsible for the building sinking.
The constant Earring from the pile driver
loosened the bank and yesterday morning
a long strip of it subsidized about four feet
at the rear and east of the fire station.
The first warning the men Of No. 3 com
pany received that the building was sink
ing was about 1850 o'clock. when some OF
the timbers cracked with a sound like the
explosion Of a shotgun. The first thought
of the men was for the horses whose stalls
were in the end of the building next the
creek, and the animals were hastily lee
into the street. The heavy combinatI
chemical and hose wagon had been lief
standing in the street while the building
was being screwed up.
Investigation showed that the south enC
Of the building had dropped about a foo
and word was sent to Contractor Hollen
beck to come to the rescue. About 4 o'clocl
in the afternoon there was another crack
ing of the timbers and the building settled
nearly another foot. 1t was then decided
that the structure must be moved to pre-
vent 1t topping into the creek and Hollen
beck and his men got busy. By 8 o'clocl
the building had been moved about twenty
five feet on to terra firma. Hollenbecl
will begin this morning moving the build
ing across the street on to the Steinkol
/ lot, where it will remain until the fire sta
ton is completed.
While the building is being moved acros
the street the chemical wagon has beei
given shelter in the shed next the patro
e, house which holds the city ambulance, an
the fire horses have been provided wit
stalls in the police stable. Chief Nichol
sons buggy and horse are quartered in
stable at the rear of the lot where tn
: building is to be moved to.
Contractor Hollenbeck said that he wa
ava that it was the intention of Con
tractor Saguin TO drive piling Sunday
otherwise he would have made arrange
ments to move the building sooner.
A water pipe directly under the old fir
station burst yesterday morning and, OWN
to the blocking and other timbers unde
the building, the break could not be got q
and the water company was compelled {
shut off this main. The closing of thi
main shut off the water from Vine stree
The entire distance from Bryant street
First street, and on Bryant street frol
Broadway to Washington avenue. This le
the city jail and police headquarters will
/ out water and residents on Vine street wei
forced to haul water in buckets from whe
| never they could obtain a supply.
n An effort to locate the break will
. made the first thing this morning. 1t
not known whether a joint was broken
S merely the service pipe into the fire st
ton. The break. whatever It may be,
y supposed TO have been caused either
the jarring of the piledriver or by Il
d weight OF the heavy timbers placed und
4 the fire station preparatory to moving it