It is Being Installed at the Western End of the Erie Switch Yards
The men who occupied the box car which was burned at the boatlanding Wednesday noon are machinists engaged on important work for the Erie railway company, instead of Italians as stated in The Journal of yesterday. For several weeks they have been installing a complicated Interlocking system at the west end of the Erie yards.
Seven skilled mechanics are employed in the work, which, when’ completed, will increase the convenience and safety of the local freight yards, They have been living in three box cars sidetracked near Ashville avenue and certainly have a cozy and well-furnished home, well adapted to the work in which they are engaged. The fire in the middle car was not discovered until the interior was a mass of flames, from which many valuable tools could not be rescued.
It was with difficulty that the blacksmith and bunk car were saved. The value of the tools and personal effects destroyed will reach $125, and furthermore the loss will somewhat hinder the progress of their work.
Source: Jamestown [NY] Evening Journal, 31 January 1901, p. 8, NYS Historic Newspapers.