Fort Worth, Texas, USA
1901 - Big Fire Yesterday. The Department Had Hard Work To Do Before Breakfast. Beautiful Depot Burned.

Santa Fe-Central Station Badly Damaged.
Business Is Going On As Usual.
Roof Burned Off of Main Building, But Walls and Side Rooms are intact-Fire Started in Boiler Room and Climbed Wall to Roof. Details of the Catastrophe-Uninjured Portion Rearranged.

The beautiful union station of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe and the Houston and Texas Central railroads on Jones Street, between Fourteenth and Fifteenth, was badly damaged by fire at an early hour yesterday morning. The roof of the main building was entirely destroyed, and while the walls are intact, much of the decorations were injured by the fire, smoke and water. The alarm was given at 5:35, engines in the yards whistling vigorously in addition to the alarm of the department. The fire raged for nearly two hours, but by 7:30 it was entirely extinguished.

The fire originated in the boiler room in the basement of the south end of the building. While it is now positively known it was due to wooden boxing that had been recently placed about the smoke-pipe leading from the furnace to the flue, the pipe probably got so hot as to ignite this boxing and from that the fire spread through the wooden floor up the wall into the roof. At the south end of the building there was more wood work than in any other portion, and was in fact almost the only part where fire could start or burn with much effect.
The fire in the furnace, which is used for heating purposes only, is banked after the 10:15 train at night goes out, and is kept until about 5 o’clock in the morning, when is started up again, and a big fire made to warm up the building for the reception of the passengers that come in on the 6 o’clock train. This was done by Night Watchman W.D. Ferris yesterday morning between 5 and 5:15 o’clock. Mr. Farris then went to the freight office to get the arrival time of the Santa Fe train. While over there, at 5:30 he was told that there was quite a smoke and smell of burning timbers in the depot. He immediately went back and found the boiler room so full of smoke that if was impossible to get in, so he then turned in a fire alarm.

The fire department responded promptly and after quenching the furnace and stopping the flames in the boiler-room supposed the fire to be out. They were still wetting the coal and putting out any possible sparks when it was discovered that the upper ceiling was in flames, which had been transmitted from the boiler room through the ceiling to the upper floor of the café, and which reached the upper ceiling, where it caught between the ceiling and the roof. The ventilators in the end of the building furnished a suction, which at once set fire to the entire roof, and the wind being from the south, the flames swept the entire length of the roof. The space between the ceiling and roof contained a great many wooden girders, beams and braces, so that there was plenty of combustible materials, although the ceiling was stamped steel and the roof of metal.

H.A. Johnson, the ticket agent, was notified of the situation at about 5:40 o’clock, and he arrived on the scene about 5:55. He first secured all the cash and tickets and then removed the furniture from the ticket office. Then with the assistants (sic) of the chief of the fire department and the night watchman and the assistant ticket agent, Clyde Hill, removed all the baggage room, which was at that time burning very rapidly. The damage to the baggage cannot be ascertained as trunks were charred and also damaged by water. Several mail sacks were also scorched, but their contents saved, except one sack of paper mail that was entirely consumed.

The loss is, at a very conservative estimate, $8000 or $9000, while it may amount to twice that sum. The building was completed at a cost of about $50,000 only a year ago, and was first occupied the early part of April. The insurance on the building is reported to be $40,000, which is held by a railroad syndicate, and not my any local agencies.
The waiting rooms, aside from the main rotunda, are uninjured, as well as the ticket office, news stand, etc., all of which are located on the west side of the building. These rooms will be used for the accommodation of traffic. Carpenters and other workmen immediately began arranging conveniences for the traveling public. Doors are being cut through towards the train sheds, which will allow free access to them. The main entrance of the depot from the trains will be utilized for passengers purchasing tickets, while the archway into the rotunda is closed with a wooden partition. There will be ample space for the accommodation of the usual traveling public.

With the exception of the roof being burned away on the main building the walls are intact, and most of the furnishings and finishing on the inside are in good condition, except for some injury by water and some windows being broken out.

The three big allegorical windows in the north end of the rotunda, and which were the most beautiful windows in the city are damaged beyond recognition. They represented three stages of development in this western country: First, the prairie schooner, second, the cowboy; third, the locomotive. They were veritable works of art and were placed in the building at a cost of $5000. In the restoration of the building the public will be greatly disappointed if these beautiful windows are not replaced with all their attractiveness.

The railroad tracks were not encumbered in the least, and all trains arrived and departed without any delay on account of inconvenience at the depot, as Mr. Johnson had all his ticket stock, etc., in good shape for handling trains. Moreover the coolness of all the men under such exciting circumstances was marvelous.

W.C. Nixon, general superintendent of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe, and Hans Helland, general manager of the Fort Worth and New Orleans (Houston and Texas Central connection), arrived in the city yesterday to inspect the situation, and it is likely that other prominent officials of the two roads concerned will be in the city today.

Fort Worth Morning Register
Fort Worth, Texas
February 22, 1901

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