Grayson County TXGenWeb

Missouri ~ Kansas ~ Texas
Railroad

Union Depot, May 23, 1873
(Note : 2 sets of tracks ~ MKT & Houston & Texas Central)
11 = Passenger Depot
12 = MKT Freight Depot
13 = Government Depot (a federal warehouse used primarily to store military freight)
14 = Express Office
Source : Detail, 1873 Bird's Eye Map

A Union Station is a railway station where tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently between them, eliminating the necessity for passengers to leave the station building to change trains between different railroads or routes.---Wikipedia, 2015

In December 1873 a notice was printed in The Denison Daily News that all hotel "runners" and anyone who solicited customers for hotels, boarding and lodging houses as well as restaurants at railroad depots and other public places were required to pay an annual license of $10 and wear a badge bearing the words "Hotel Runner". These licenses were issued only to persons connected with responsible hotels paying state, county and city taxes. Also notice was give that thirty minutes before the arrival of and departure of M.K. & T. and Houston & Texas Central trains, the Denison depots and platforms "were to be free and clear of vagrants, loafers, idlers and people of disreputable character." (The Denison Daily News, December 21, 1873)

Denison Daily News
Sunday, March 15, 1874
pg. 3

The Fire Fiend!
The Union Depot, with Contents, Totally Destroyed.
Losses Estimated from $50,000 to $60,000

About half past 4 o'clock Saturday morning last, the watchman, Mr. Chas. Eaton, at the Union depot, this city, discovered fire and smoke issuing from the building near the stairs. He says he is confident if he had a few buckets of water he could have easily extinguished the fire, but none being available, and knowing Mr. Eddy, superintendent of the Choctaw division, was sleeping up stairs, he made his way up stairs through the smoke by crawling on his knees and awoke him. By this time the flames had cut off their retreat, and they were compelled to make their escape through an upper window.
By this time the alarm had been given in the city, and a large number congregated, but it was impossible to do anything towards saving the building, and but very little of the contents was gotten out.
Several loaded cars were standing on the side track, several of which were run out of danger, but a car loaded with lumber, one with corn and another with a miscellaneous stock of merchandise, dry goods, groceries, liquors, etc., were from some cause neglected until too late, and were consumed.
In the depot were 75 pieces of baggage, which were burned; also the tickets, ticket cases, furniture, etc.; in fact, nothing of much value was saved.
The Adams express office adjoining was soon on fire, and all that was gotten out was the money in one of the safes, and the books. Mr. Brouchi, the express agent, had very fortunately sent off the express matter that came in the day before, but all the old express matter was burned. Mr. Brouchi, Mr. Kingsbury, ticket agent, Mr. Smith, telegraph operator, Mr. Eddy, superintendent, Mr. Day, clerk, and Chas. Eaton lost their trunks and clothing; as also Jim, the colored porter.
The origin of the fire is not known. It started near the stairs, and some are of the impression it caught from the stove in the lunch room, but the hour at which it occurred would seem to contradict this supposition. Others believe it the work of an incendiary, and that it was set on fire from the outside by placing combustibles under the stairs, through an aperture under the lower step. A lighted stump of a cigar might have rolled under there and done all the mischief. Probably the cause of the
conflagration will never be discovered.
We are of the opinion, after a conversation with rail road officials, that the total loss will amount to between $50,000 and $60,000.
The depot building was a frame structure, but one of the finest Passenger depots in the State this side of Houston.
The car load of lumber belonged to a dealer in Gainesville, the grain to Mr. Pierce of our city, and the merchandise to merchants in Honey Grove and Paris.
This is the first fire of moment that has occurred in our city, now 18 months old, and we are extremely fortunate that the destruction was no greater. Had it not been raining during the night, so that the roofs of the neighboring buildings were wet, there is no doubt the M., K. & T. freight depot would have been consumed, and quite likely the Alamo Hotel also. As it was,
the windows in the former building were cracked by the heat, and so imminent was the danger that the bulk of the freight was removed for safety.
It is believed the 2 railroad companies will construct a fine stone or brick Union passenger depot on the site of the old structure. The citizens of Denison would no doubt contribute liberally towards the work.

"It now transpires that the burning of the passenger depot last week, which was considered such a calamity at the time, will prove the happiest misfortune that could possible have happened to Denison. Occurring as it did at a time when General Manager Stevens and other officials in high power were in consultation with the officers of the Texas Central upon the subject of making Denison the terminus of the latter, it brought matters to a focus, which might otherwise have been weeks in culminating. Those of our citizens who have been frightened by the sensational reports originated at Sherman and Dallas, that the M.K. & T. were about to sell of lease the track of the Central to one or the other of those points, or commit some other suicidal act, can now rest in peace without any fears of waking up some morning and find Denison had disappeared! A depot and improvements of the kind contemplated are not things easily moved when once erected, nor is the building of them a thing into which a railroad corporation would rush blindly into without calculating the cost as well as the necessity. We congratulate ourselves and the citizens of Denison upon the prospect of having the first Union depot in the State, and also upon the confidence shown by the railroad companies in our future by deeming the city of Denison worthy of this great expenditure of money. The permanency of Denison as the terminus has been established." (The Denison Daily News, March 23, 1874)