St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-21
With 4 Wild FLASH.
The Tank Room at the Eiec-
tpie Power House Blown
Into Air.
John Johnson Blown Into
Fragments as the Result
OF Incaution.
Damage Less Serious Than
the Excitement Would
Have Indicated.
Two Singular Damage Suits
Being Aired in the
Courts.

AT S:45 yesterday morning terrific
explosion occurred at the power house
of the street railway company on Sec
ond street, at the foot of the bluff. I'M
mediately afterwards column of flame
$50 feet high shot upward. One of the
tanks containing crude petroleum, used
for fuel, bad blown UP, and 10000 gal
Ions of Oil were burning furiously. John
johnson, a steamfitter, employed by the
company, was instantly killed, and his
body cremated. Johnson had been sent
to repair leak in pipe used in feed
lug oil to the furnace. He took with
him a lighted candle. The gas accu-
mulated from the escaping oil imme-
diately ignlted, and the next instant the
tank was ablaZe. The fire department
turned out promptly, every available
piece of apparatus being on the scene I'D
few moments. Water was useless as an
element for controlling the flames, and
chemicals met with little better success.
Nothing could be done beyond giving
plenty of vent to an adjoining tank or
oil to prevent its exploding. THIS was
promptly done, and 4 second explosion
was averted, though the contents Of the
second tank were almost entirely con.
Sumed. But for the Stringencv of the
fire regulations, which compelled the
sinking of the tanks underground, the
burning Gil would have run under the
power house, and nothing could have
prevented its destruction. AS it was,
the fluid seethed and rOared in the pit,
and was confined TO that spot.
Harry Jones, a fireman who was
at work at the furnaces when
the explosion occurred. knew John
son well. He says the latter
was steady, responsible man. and it
seems incredible that in performing
piece Of work like that in which he had
been dispatched he should take a
lighted candle. Johnson had been in
the employ of the company since last
August. He was a single man, twenty
five years old, and boarded at the cor
ner of Sixth and Olive streets. Not a
veStige of the man remains, he has been
literally wiped from the face of the
earth. The unfortunate mans parents
reside in Stockholm. The were tele-
grabbed to last night by friends of the
deceased. Two carpenters who were
working on one corner of the tank
when the explosion occurred were blown
forty feet. Neither of them was in
jured. Efforts made at II O'clock to
smother the flames by Shoveling earth
from the bluff proved futile.
AT l O'Clock a slight explosion Oc-
CURED. 1t was the bursting of the roof
of the other tank. The only effect was
temporary increase in the force of the
flames. The fire WAS practically under
Chief Jacks0n'S control at noon. The
department did firSt-clasS work in say
ing the power house, which was at one
time in imminent danger. The siula-
ton of the tanks. with a cliff of 100 feet
in their rear and the blank wall of the
power house in front, was the
most favorable that could have
been chosen for them. If the
tanks had been above ground the
power house and much surrounding
property would have been destroyed
The loss to the company is estimated by
General Manager Scott at $1,000. The
Oil in the tanks was the property Of the
Standard oil company, and did not be-
come chargeable to the railway COM
pany until it had passed the meters to
the furnace, i'll which way the number
of feet used was shown. 1t is uncertain
under the circumstances just whose
loss the oil will be. Everything is COW
cred by insurance.
Immediately upon the explosion of the
first tank and the outbreak of the fire,
the entire street car system was blocked.
Cars remained standing on crossings
and about the streets. The blockade
began at $50, and from that time until
$3.50 p. III. not wheel turned. Great in
convenience was caused to the travelling
public, bTt, considering the circum-
stances. the company did marvelously
quick work IN reopening traffic by the
middle of the afternoon.