The morning journal-courier., 1908-09-10
|LUES' TRAIN | IN EXPLOSION |lggage Oar of Visiting Milf tary Company Destroyed in $10,000 Fire at Union
 Station.
AS TANK INJURIES THREE
est End Train Sheds and Adams Express Room Burned Out
 All Express Goods Taken Out Safely.

rhe explosion of the gas tank under baggage car of the special train ed by the Richmond Blues caused a Fe at Union station early this morn- g that destroyed the train shed at west end of the station badly dam Jed the Adams express shed at that lrt of the station and destroyed not hly the baggage car of the Blues hin containing their uniforms and her equipment but siso freight car. lveral other baggage cars and pay r which were at that end of the sta on. The baggage car of the special lain had been backed up along Track at the end of the station 10 be flll- with gas from the tank when the if either backed too far and collided eavily with the bumper or some un- nown accident occurred which caused explosion of the tank. Immediately he car was ablaze and smoke and ame spread instantly all over that kction of the station The night sta on master sent in an alarm from the rivate box of the station. 12S, and the re department found bad blaze con- ronting them
 Blazing baggage cars were quickly roken off and drawn out of the sta on and the train ablaze on the hill to he west of the station looked like an- ther fire. Seven trucks of express natter were stored in the Adams ex- ress shed which was burned but ev- ry bit of 1t was saved by the men Of he company and some outside helpers nder charge of Night Foreman Dan- els In the mail room where tons of 3,aiI matter was stored the clerks got busy and got it all out safely
 Al the time of the explosion Guar erma ster Sergeant c. c. Boisseau Of Ihe Richmond Blues and Bert Arnold bf the Foot Guard were going over the baggage in the car They were envei. med in flames and had very marrow Pscape from being burned 10 death They were both painfully burned bu heir injuries will probably not be SC ious. James Wynne, a boy employed >n the gas tank at the station who wa bn the scene at the time of the explo sion was also burned about the fac bnd hands but not enough to be sen the hospital He was taken car bf by a doctor.
 The blaze spread rapidly towards tn nain part of the station and with car bbaze up against the fence. the roo bf the train shed a mass of flsmes. ga iets pouring out flame and the smok killing every part of the station It look ed as if the whole station was doome to the thousands of persons who has tened to the scene. They saw a qutc change however, and within the ne1 hlaf hour the blaze was completely UT der control with the train shed gon except for the Iron framework, the es press shed badly burned but the maj part of the station unchanged exceT for the volume of smoke which filled i Every light was put out at once whe the alarm was sent in, The flreme made a hasty response and numb' of travelling men from the Gsrde hot were on the scene at once and helpf largely in the saving of the stuff in ti express company's office. Among tho' who were in the thick of If and WI were almost suffocated at the time the were forced to quit were Joseph Stac representing the Wood, Selleck con panv of New York. Harry Graf of tl Schrafft company of Boston and WI liam Leckie of the Royal Baking Poy der company.
 Mir. Curtiss, manager of the Adam station stated that there was m To of goods by his company, that ever thing was saved through the efficie work of his men under MT Daniels al that their only loss would be the she The total damage will probably req ehout sl0.0oO as several cars were q .stroyed in addition to the station T pay car standing on track IS ana freight car in the rear of II with se eral baggage cars which were draN away and burned almost compete were practically total loss as neal os could be estimated last night, ! baggage car of the Blues IS also pro ably total loss and their basga will probably be beyond redemptl' Most of the loss Is covered by lns' ance,
 The fire was so completely utd control in short space of time u no second alarm was sent m and train came in and made the regu stop on the second track before [ o'clock, There was much wrecks about, however, and the passengers
 the train stepped off and gazed at unusual sight of station ltire VII they stopped at 1t. They were dri'
 back to their cars again by a sudd
 turn of some of the hose lines in tn
 direction,
 The fire caused great deal of
 citement following so closely upon
 triumphant entrance of the Blues Il
 the city and there was large thrc
 who hastened down to see the f
 Although the damage was small co
 paratively owing to good work on
 patr of the tiremen the Are was