November 24, 1908
Bloomington Telephone
$20,000 Fire At Monon Yards - Roundhouse
and Two Engines Burn Saturday Night
A Match, half burned, resulted in a $20,000 loss Saturday night in the burning of the Monon roundhouse and destruction of two engines at the McDoel yards, just south of town.
The wonder is, with the very dry weather, and the way the fire raged for an hour, that any adjoining property was saved, but fortunately there was no other damage.
It was about 6:30 when the fire was discovered by one of the workmen in the northwest corner of the big roundhouse, which is ordinarily the home for ten or more large engines, and before the alarm could be given, or anything done, the frame building was in flames in half a dozen places. The department was summoned from up town and the mile run was made, but once ther, there was no water with which to work. In the meantime every railroad man was using every effort
to save something, but it was of little use. Two big engines were dead and could not be moved, and two car loads of coal were also on fire. The burning building lighted that entire end of town, and sparks were carried a mile or more by the wind. Adjoining houses caught fire, but were saved by watchful owners although the heat was intense.
The building was made with ten tracks therein, and the usual turntable and pits for cleaning engines. The old No. 64, one of the first 8-wheel engine on the line, and the 59 were completely ruined, as they were in a seething furnace for an hour or more. Much machinery and many tools were also destroyed. The total loss is estimated at $20,000, and this, with the two locomotives, are all insured in special railroad risks. Sup't. Sucese was down last night and he states that steps are to be taken to rebuild a fire proof structure at once. Had the fire occurred an hour later, half a dozen engines would have been in their homes, or had it been on sunday, the loss would have been even more.
