The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-28
NEARLY A SlSO,OOO Loss.
Wrecked Electric Light Plant Was
Totally Destroyed by Fire.
ARRANGING FOR NEW MACHINERY,
Tbe street Chr Company Furnishes
Power 10 Opcrntc Elevators, Etc.
No Lights for several Days.

That norton or tho Citizens Eectri
Light company plant situated at the 100
of Gable street, on the bayou, That wa
not DESTROYED or wrecked by the exploaior
early Saturday night was burned by hr'
| between aud ! o'clock yesterday morn
| ing. The almost total loss of the build
ing and plant may be attributable 10 this
| location of the property and the difficulty
| Tie department encountered, in setting Il
| the scene. Sir. Blake Dupree, receiver Tor
| the company, last night estimated that the
loss by explosion and fire will reach near
| Is $3.50 900. He was unable TO estimate
| tie amount OF insurance but believed that
| the property was fully covered. He says
the company will begin to get their plant
in operation again as soon as possible, and
hopes to be able to furnish the city with
lights some time duyinf this week.
Had 1t not been that the company's fret
intention was to put corps OF men at
work at the wreck Saturday night, clear
ing away the timber and damaged ma
chinery, Chief Ravell of the fire depart
ment would have detailed a company TO re-
main. with hose strung, in event of ar
outbreak of fire. II appears that the com
pany altered its intentions and left
Waterman ut the building, contemplating
putting gang of workmen on the wreck
Yesterday.
A few minutes before o'clock yester.
day morning the fire broke out in the ives,
END of the building where the unchanged
II achinery stood. and the oil -soaked floor
and other inflamabe substances fed the
flames to a fury before the department
could arrive The blaze was first seen by
police officer standing on the Galveston,
Houston and Henderson tracks, and he
gave the alarm by the nearest telephone.
half mile away. Chief Ravell and com
NAMES Nos. and TO- made the run. hut
were able 10 string but two lines of hose
aud that from plug two squares distant
In very few minutes after the fire start
cd 1t crept to the Gil room where there was
large quartity of liquids stored and from
there 1t went to the tank stand, which
burned rapidly and soon fell The depart-
ment remained on the scene until O'Clock
Yesterday morning. thu building and plant.
however, being a total loss.
reporter for The Post saw Receiver |
Blake Dupree in his office in the Gibbs
building Yesterday afternoon where the |
latter said: I'VE will ondeavor to give the
public service this week We consum
mated an arrangement with the electric
street railway company yesterday to fur
Ilsn power 10 machine and attach our
wires with which to operate elevators,
ans and give power to the manufacturing
plants about the city. There are large
uuinper OF patrons who use our power tn |
'uh printing presses, machines and which |
'mpioy several hundred workmen The
'tfeet car company very kindly offered III.
ne use Oh machine OF several hundred
torse power, We are on a deal nov
whereby we viii be able to start our ma.
hihery soon, giving service to the streets
ma business houses, This we exnect I, |
-ccohplisn during the next four of five
avs Galveston and other Texas cities
ave very kindly rendered us dynamce
men are now en- route to Houston Tn,
ollers were insured with the Hartford
isurance company. They have sent an
Xpert inspector TO Houston to investigate
ne property Until it is passed upon The 2
cmpany does rot feel at liberty to move |
l."
Had 1t not been for the fire, in all prob,.
any the streets would have been light.
last night. The company's $50 horse
over engine that was located in the eX-
rene wcSt end of the building was prac-
cally uninjured, and four of the seven
oilers were intact in the battery. The
yhamos we're in such a shape that Re-
ever Dupree anticipated they could have
cen started, giving power to nearly all
| the city md commercial lights. Such |
after now, he says, is out of the question
The business portion of the city was
raped in almost total darkness last
ieht, as on Saturday night. and only IN,
'eole glow OF the oil lamps in all-nigh,
ores lighted the main thoroughfares OF
custom. In the residence portion the out
'ors was uncertain and little short OF
,ngerous.
me wrecked boilers and machines have
d been removed from the nostion in b
hich the explosion left them The strange
oVement of boiler 6. which parted at one
the roundabout seams under the pres
ire OF 100 pounds of steam, is something =
al can not be accounted for The seven :
'liers stood in battery, and as far as 1
s company knew were in perfectly
una condition. The fatal boiler was next I
the last OF the row and was hurled at |
most an angle of IS degrees. about ffty L
Ell distance. An examination of the lues
vesied that they were intact. showing
'siheers say that there was plenty OF
l'er IN the Compartment. Chief Engineer q
attmer had given the steam gauges ana "
iter glasses an examination less than =
irty minutes before tho explosion. and
ports that they registered ali that was 9
cessary' The roundabout seam of No.
' llpped completely, and the only cause 8
: euihpsny car now assign for the disas- 9