Indian Chieftain

A BIG BLAZE.

Destruction of the Hannibal & St. Jo Railroad Shops at Hannibal by Fire--Three Locomotives and Several Freight Cars Included in the Loss.

HANNIBAL, MO., Sept. 21.

At 3:30 this morning the city was awakened by the blowing of whistles, clang of bells and the cry the Hannibal & St. Jo shops were on fire. The citizens turned out en masse and discovered the shops to be one sheet of flames. The fire department arrived promptly on the scene and began throwing streams of water upon the burning mass, but finding it impossible to save the machine shops they turned their attention to the other buildings and worked with such a will that only the machine and blacksmith shops were burned. This building stood between the car and carpenter shop and the round-house, and both of these buildings were saved. The machine and blacksmith shops were totally destroyed, with their contents, including tools, machinery, material and three locomotive engines that were undergoing repairs. One of these was completed and would have left the shop to-day. The fire on the east communicated with three freight cars, valued altogether at $30,000, and burned these and their contents. The roof was burned from the engine house, but the engine itself was uninjured. The car building was also badly scorched, but otherwise not damaged. The loss will fall heavily on the laboring men, nearly 200 of whom are thrown out of employment, and whose tools, which were very valuable, were burned. The total loss is estimated to be from $40,000 to $60,000, but it is believed to be covered by insurance. The fire originated in the eastern part of the machine shop, and was first discovered by some section hands who were sleeping in a construction car near this building. The men have been working from fifteen to eighteen hours a day in the shops, and had been working in this room until 10:30 p. m.; but there had been no fire in the room all day, except that connected with the riveting machine, nor is any smoking allowed on the premises. The watchman says he passed through the building at two o'clock, and at that time saw no signs of fire.