The morning call., 1890-06-16
FLYING MAGNETS
Hurled From a Rapidly ReyOlv-
ing. Wheel.
Several Columns Destroyed by the Heavy
Weights-An Employe Of the Elec-
tric-Light Company Injured.

A sensational rumor spread along the
street yesterday afternoon to the effect that
a terrible catastrophe had happened at the
California Electric-Light plant on Town.
send street, near Third. 1t was stated that
one of the large wheels used in the machin-
cry had been blown to pieces by being
too heavily charged with electricity. An
other report was that the boiler used in
furnishing power for the dynamos had ex-
ploded with disastrous effect to the works
and plant. besides killing two men and
wounding several.
reporter of THE CALL visited the
works on Townsend street and inquired for
information regarding the affair. The en-
ployes in attendance were considerably
surprised at the inquiries made and stoutly
maintained that there had been no accident
at the place at all during the day, and con-
Quoted the reporter all over the place to
prove their assertions No evidence OF dis
aster was found in any department, every
thing being in apparent good working
order. One employe said that during the
day a pulley had been displaced, which
struck one of the men, who was not badly
hurt, but who readily took advantage of
the opportunity to lay off.
DAMAGE NOT LARGE.
A second visit was had to the California
Electric COmpany's plant on Stevenson
street, near Third. Hero it was also denied
that there had been any accident. After
much questioning one of the employees at
last admitted that one had occurred. The
damage done was not as large as was re-
ported, and only one man was injured.
According to the explanation made it ap-
pears that one of the engineers of the COM
pany and helper were engaged IN expert
menting with new machine. In this
machine the magnets of the armature, a
large revolving wheel are attached TO the
wheel by means OF bolts, while in the old
machine they are attached by means of
cOiling. The bolts in the machine expert
mented with yesterday were weak and
when the armature was started on its revo-
buttons this was not noticed. The magnet
bolts weigh about twenty pounds, while the
diameter of the armature is about four feet.
WITH TERRIFIC FORCE.
Nothing occurred until the armature had
attained the speed of 1000 revolutions a
minute. Then suddenly the magnet bolts
began to fly out Of the armature. The
20-pound volts were hurled off at various
tangents. The bolts attaching them had not
been strong enough to resist the centrifugal
force, which at q 1000 revolutions is most
powerful IN an armature with the clTcum-
ference of nine or twelve feet. The buZzing
balls. a helper standing by was thrown
down. but not struck, as he was standing by
the side oiling the machine, while the mag
nets went off in straight line. He was
rendered insensible by either fright or
charge of electricity. The engineer was at
the time at safe distance.
SHATTERED COLUMNS.
The flying magnets struck against sew
eral columns in the line of the tangent they
followed and cut them in two like so many
matches. This broke their force and they
buried themselves in the wall. Forum
ately none of the valuable machinery or
dynamOs were in their line or the damage
would have been considerable. AS it was
the loss will not amount to much, as far as
injured property is concerned.
DIR. Williams of the Receiving Hospital
was called in TO attend the man who had
been rendered insensible by the shock.
After applying restoratyes the injured
man was sent home.
The employees of the company, when
questioned, stated that they did not know
the name of the man. He had been only
recently employed as helper, and as there
are 100 of them, who work in shifts, they
could not tell VINO he was.
EXTENT OF HIS INJURIES.
DR.. Williams was asked about the condi-
ton of the man and said that he could not
tell how seriously he was injured. II would
take several days to discover definitely the
extent of his injury, as he might have been
hurt internally.
The officers of the company on the other
hand, affirm most emphatically that the
man was not injured seriously at all, and
that it was impossible for him to have been
so hurt. Had he been struck with one of
the flying magnets, he would never have
been no more conscious of it than if he
had been hit with cannon ball OF a shell.