Semi-weekly herald., 1909-06-17
THE sNowsAeD FIRE
AT LIZARD HEAD

1
The Telluride journal deyotes two
columns to the burning of the Rio
Crande snowshed at Lizard Head Fri.
day from which we make the follow.
ing extracts:
Practically on time the north bound
train from Durango reached Lizard
Head divide about 5 o'clock yesterday
afternoon, and found the snowsheds a
seethins mass OF flames. a freight
had shortly before climbed the noun
tain. with a portion of iis train, which
had been loft or the siding in the
sheds, the crew aud locomotives com.
Ing back down TO ophir station for the
balance of The train
There were some fifteen or eighteen
uen on the passenger train. These at
once organized fire fighting brierade
and worked like troopers. iinnliy con
trolling the flames after some 500
feet OF the sheds and seven freight
and HAT ears. aud the snow flanger
sthnding on siding. had been de
sitoyed Three OF the burned cars
we're londcd with railroad ties, one
with scrap iron, one With groceries
aud general merchandise and Two of
coal. The burning OF these. with the
Hanger, 800 feet Ia length Of the big
snowshed. the damage 10 the tracks,
etc., make the loss to the railroad con
siderable
When the volunteer Are Fighters got
in iction the shed AZ either end of
tb,' fire was demolished 10 check the
progress of the blaze. "A bucket brigade
was organized and with water from
the little rivulet along side the track
the fire was controlled after hard
ilght.
The fire was checked before the
flames reached the little station house
midway of the shed. and used during
the stormy winter months MS tolc
giaph office. but closed al this season
Among the passengers were two
eastern tourists, one of whom was a
telegraph operator An entrance to
the station was effected and word
sent TO Telluride.
a train was made up and sent over,
picking up ON the way all the section
men. These cleared portion of th-
debris from the tracks, baggage, OK
press mail and passengers were trans
ferred and brought on into Telluride.
While for short distance In the
center Of the long shed, on the sum.
nit. there is level space. the track
enters the shed in either end at a
! stiff grade, where engines working
hard throw out cinders and sparks.
lt Is quite probable that sparks from
the freight locomotives lodged IN the
dry iimbers of the shed. smouldered.
| and were famed Into q blaze, which,
once started. spread rapidly. Quite a
stiff wind was blowing but fortunately
change In the direction. and a slight
| lull as the sun went down. made II
possible FOR the lmprovised Ore com
I pany 10 control the flames before Tho
| entire shed was consumed.
Judge BELL. who was returning from
visit TO the Montczuma valley. as
sumed the foremanshlp OF the lr,
company, worked with the energy thai
Is characteristic OF him, and the train
crew says that the subduinE OF tn
fire without much greater loss. /,
largely due to Judge Bells hard worI
and intelligent direction. Somewhere
he doesn', know when-he sustain
ed a sprained hip which was quit,
painful and stiff this morning.
After three hours strenuous labo
the fire hghtefs were considerably cs
hausied and very hungry. a raid wa
made on the express car In the hop
OF finding something OF nourishin
nature, either solid or liquid, bu
the only discovery was few cases
eggs. Facilities for boiling or fryin
, the hen apples were not available, an
aA only few OF the hungry men re
inhed egss In their pristine purity. IN
stock was not seriously depleted