New Hampshire Statesman

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE—LOSS $40,000.

On Wednesday night, about the hour of eleven, the car house of the Concord Railroad Corporation, containing eleven passenger and three baggage cars, a car house and paint shop of the Northern Railroad Company, with one baggage car and a locomotive, were totally destroyed by fire; and a building used by the last named corporation as a storehouse and lumber shed considerably injured by the same element.

The conflagration had attained great headway before an alarm was rung, and even before, it would seem, anybody's attention had been called to its existence; so that before many people reached the locality, the three buildings first mentioned were wrapped in flames, and beyond all hope of even partial rescue. At this time, the sky being overcast with heavy clouds, the light of the conflagration was reflected to every byway of the city, causing much alarm and apprehension in the minds of those who awoke and hurried toward the scene of devastation. The flames seemed about to communicate to the storehouses of George Hutchins & Co. and Pearson, Barron & Co., and thence would have found ready access to a mass of combustible material, threatened the Phenix Hotel, and other buildings along Main street. Therefore it is no cause for wonder that the utmost exertions were put forth to confine the conflagration to the buildings contiguous to its source. Those persons who were earliest at the spot opened the doors of the Concord Railroad car house, where the fire probably originated, and moved out a baggage car, which stood near the entrance. Even then one end of this car was charred, and the interior of the building enveloped in flames. Several cars were removed from the premises of the Northern Railroad, but the locomotive "Sunapee," just put in thorough repair, required more force for its removal, and consequently shared in the general ruin. The heavy rain of the previous afternoon had effectually drenched the sides and roofs of the mercantile warehouses above mentioned, enabling them to withstand the heat until the streams from the hand engines, and the hydrants of the corporations, contributed to their safety.

The larger portion of the property contained in the half acre of buildings burned was altogether immovable in its nature, and many of the spectators found they could be of no personal service: therefore, all available adjacent space, together with the roofs of neighboring buildings, were crowded with lookers-on. During the height of the conflagration, the city firemen gave most of their attention to the salvation of private property, while those in charge of the hydrants were equally as attentive to the interests of the corporations. It is cause for congratulation that the amount of destruction was not greater than we are called upon to record; for we are confident that to the still atmosphere of the night, and the previous rain, may be attributed deliverance from greater disaster.

The car house of the Concord Railroad was the first passenger station house erected in this city. When a larger edifice was demanded, this was removed from the site of the present building, and, with an addition, adapted to its recent use. Within it were all of the best passenger cars of the corporation; some ten or eleven inferior cars, used for excursions and the like, only remaining. On the building and cars was the following insurance: Springfield Company, $5,000; Massasoit, $5,000; Conway, $4,000; Hampden, $3,000; Providence, $3,000; Howard, $2,000. In all $22,000. The loss to the Northern Railroad is understood to be nearly or quite covered by insurance. As to the cause of the fire, no general opinion has been reached. Several watchmen are employed by the corporations.