Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-16

the fire along at a great rate of speed
and the entire lumber yard was burn
ing clear down to the waters edge
Sparks and burning brands were car
ried high into the air, and before long
fires had started at hundred places
Oh the arsenal, but they were grass
fires for the most part. and were easily
taken care of.
Not SO on the railroad bridge. how
exer. 1t took fire and was soon rem
def9d Hsafe fHe d ~ Old lumber IN
the old saw mill burned like tinder
when the first sparks struck 1t. There
was nothing the firemen could do. how
ever. to save it, and their. energies
were expended in saving what they
could on the south side of the railroad
tracks. There were a large number
of box cars on the tracks between the
piles of lumber at the time the fire
started. but nearly all of them were
taken out before damage was done.
Throw Lumber Into River.
When it was seen that the entire
river bank would be burned over /,
large force of volunteers was sent into
the lumber piles near the water. Pro-
vided with boards they centered their
efforts on one pile after another. over
turning them into the slough. Thou
sands of feet OF lumber were saved IN
this manner and the duration of the
fire shortened thereby.
Big Lumber Sheds saved.
The Rock Island Lumber company
had recently built one of the best and
most modern lumber sheds in the coun
try. extending along the north side OF
Fifth avenue block east from the
Office at Twentyeigth street. Another
wing extended a block north. Along
this shed one of the hardest fights oi
the evening took place. Several times
the north end was afire, but each time
the firemen who had hose running
two blocks from Fifth avenue and
Twenty-ninth street got the upper hand
and finally triumphed,
start Fire on Island.
Sparks, carried by the gale. were
showered over the entire west end Of
the island across Sylvan siought. and
in an hour from the outbreak of the
flames grass fires had been started in
the vicinity of the Rock Island tracks
The Rock Island road sent a force OF
men from Davenport and Commandani
Hobbs of Rock Island arsenal ordered
out the fire brigade there to cope with
the flames and prevent possible danger
to the storehouse and other property
near the south end of the main Rock
Island bridge.
Railroads Interrupted. .ss.,s
Not least important among the Incl
dental results of the fire was the com
|plete suspension of traffic on the m:ir
Iline of the Rock Island and on shs Bur
Ilington and Milwaukee roads. Pas
Isenger and freight trains were tied M
| on both sides of the blaze, and indiea
Itions are they will not be able to NOV
before morning. The Rock Island roal
lis helpless, the slough bridge being pu
lout of commission for a time at least
| When the fire reached the lumbe
lpiles near the south end of this struc
lture the ties soon. caught. and driyel
Iby wind which blew. exactly length
wise the flames rapidly followed tn
full length. and soon it was unsaf
for AN engine to attempt to crosse Mos
of the ties which formed the only ,woot
en part of the bridge. were destroye
and the rails warped and twistes
Switching crews at work in-the ward
for time did what they could to kee
/ the line open, but as the bridge wa
directly in the path of the fire it 500