The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-06-12
RAILROAD
YARDS SCENE
OF HOT BLAZE
Hammond Department And
Railway Employees Do
Wonderful Work

Fourteen loaded freight cars were
destroyed by FIRE and thirteen oth-
ers were badly damaged by flames
early Saturday evening Il the Cab
son yards Of the l. II. 3. railroad
when a tank car filled with benzol
exploded after being punctured in a
collision with gondola loaded with
ron .crap, The accident. said TO
e one of the most unusual in the
annals Of railroading. will result n
loss of merchandise and rolling
si0, K that may run TO $4,000. Eff
Iorts 10 fix responsibility and to
6etern me tLc extent of the damage
TIN oUgh a check OF the merchandise
destroyed. is now being conducted
b. b. ~. smith head OF the oper-
at1nE department. 4 formal inves-
tigGtion Will be made tomorrow. he
said
Four hundred freight cars con-
tanning thousands of dollars worth
Of Merchandise were threatened b.
the fire that ragged for six hours
Saturday night. Untiring energy on
the part of hremen of the Ham
nond city department under Chief
operation and loyalty of yard en-
pioyes kept the flames centered in
a spot about twelve rails in width.
One man was slightly burned about
the legs when he stepped into a
cloud OF steam and hot water es-
Gaping from a locomotive that had
been run into the fire zone to fight
the flames
HON 1T HAPPENED
The accident occurred a 500 ?. m
Cars we're being diverted over the
north hump to the various tracks
These spread in a net work in all
directions cars routed over GER
tain roads are grouped in sections
TIE section in which the fire took
place contained cars destined for
western points II lies on the west
side Of the hump and is clearly Wis
ible from Summer ST
A switchTn5n stationed at the top
OF the hump sends the cars over the
hill Among these yesterday after
noon was a car loaded with scrap
iron. This vas sent. like those be-
fore it. hur-lins down the Grade.
1t struck lhe switch that was TO
OlNNIl II 10 one OF the scores OF
tracks that spread like a fan from
the foot Of the hump. 1t swerved
into this track and 2GC feet beyond
crashed into the benzol filled tank
car. The draw bars OF the two cars
rammed together.
In the fearful impact OF the two
heavily laden cars. the steel drum
@ the tank car was punctured. \
moment later there was a fash as
the gas and benzol became isnited.
Some say this was due to a spark,
Others say that friction caused the
explosion. IKE detonstfon was not
loud but the flames lcaped up in a
moment and within five minutes a
spot 80 yards in circumference be-
came a raging furnace as car after
car or mercha ndise caught FIRE. The
high wind famed the blaze and il
became a question not os hating
the fire. but of combining it. OF
saving scores Of other cars in dan
serous proximity.
In addition TO the tank car Of
benzol. another tank filed with
trude oil caught fire and burned
flercely. Huge clouds of black
smoke poured from the blazing con
tents. This retarded fremen fur
ther The tenzol was in transit
from n East Chicago steel mill
where il is manufactured as a by
product TO Chicago users.
ONE MAN BURNED
Companies one. three and four Of
the Hammond FIRE department were
summoned. These worked with the
hre-hEhting crews of the raiIrono
Specially equipped locomotives were
called into play. Switch engines
were hurried to the scene and be-
gan hauling cars out Of the danger
zone. Firemen and rail employees
worked frantically. At 1880 D. M
more than SIX hours after the fire
started. the situation was under
control. More than 2.400 feet OF
hose was used by Chief Mil to bring
water to fight the flames Water
was obtained at Summer street and
at the hump. But difficulties here
combined with the terrific gale that
blew all afternoon aasi late into the
night made the work of concentrat-
ing the blaze one OF desperation.
The man who was burned Is F. A.
Rowen. a switchman. His injuries
were slight He stepped into a jet
Of steam and hot water He walked
into the offices Of DR.. H c. Groman
Of Hammond. was treated and went
home.
Loaded cars that were destroyed
were these: Six refrigerator, five
merchandise. two tank cars. one
with benzol and one with crude OIL
and one uncla ssifed. Those par
TALLY destroyed contained coal and
scrap iron.
The loss In freight cars alone will
total s2s.00o. according to l. n. 3.
Officials. Loss and damage to mer-
chandise in transit will bring the
whole to around $40. 600. This IS
covered with insurance. il is said.
WASHINGTON June 12-Ths body
Of Mrs. Cornelia Gflliland Roberts.
SO. mother of Mary Roberts Fhine-
,a m pitt ehr1rrh