The herald., 1898-11-26

Southern California was afflicted Thurs
day night with the fercest and most de-
structive windstorm for years. The dam
age in this city was considerable, the capers
of the elements causing havoc in the oil
district, where forty-five derrcks were
blown to the ground and more or less spln-
tered up. AS they toppled over they de-
molished everything before them, and no
less than six houses and half as many barns
were more or less wrecked. Several huge
tanks were smashed by the falling derricks,
releasing as they fell thousand barrels of
oil, which found its way to the streets,
where, minglng with the deep dust, it
formed a most unpleasant mixture. : The
houses were all occupied, and as the fiercest
part of the storm was between o'clock and
daylight, most of the occupants were
wrapped in slumber, and it is marvellous
that there is no loss of life to chronicle.
One of the most miraculous escapes was that
of the little daughters OF Mrs. j. Romero,
who resides on the corner of College and
Adobe streets. The four girls occupied two
BEDS placed at the opposite ends of rect
angular room, 1Oxl6 feet in size They were
terror-striclen at about o'clock this morn
ing by the crashing in of the roof and side
of their room and the thunderous entrance
Of the top Of a derrick which fell between
the beds, one plank of which, breaking
loose and falling to the floor, weighed $50
pounds. The length of the room was all
that saved the little ones from frghtful in
Jury or death.
In the house adjoining lives fruit peddler
by the name of Herman Rohrs. The der
rick of Maier & Zobelein fell across Mr..
Rohr's horse and wagon, killing the former
and smashing the latter,
The greatest loss from the topplng over
of derricks occurred in the northern dis.
trict, in the region bounded by College,
Bernard and Adobe streets and Hinton
avenue while the greatest loss of oil from
bursting tanks was in the more westerly
part of the bet, on the corner of Boylston
avenue and Temple street and on Hinton
avenue.
Two hundred men are at work repairing
what is possible of the damage and clearing
up the debris.
Oil Inspector Monlux estimates that the
moIey value of the loss to the oil industry
Will reach fully $4,000. The damage is ap-
portoned as follows Loss to buildings
crushed by falling derricks, $500; loss to
derricks, $4,000; loss in stoppage in oil pro-
duction, $4,000; loss by repairs and necessary
improvements to owners, $4,000.
Following is list of the derricks blown
down and houses injured as recorded by
Oil Inspector Monlux:
The DeGroot derrick within the l6OO-foot
limit about Westlake Park was blown over,
but will be re-erected; the American Crude
Oil Company, one derrick, corner Belmont
and First; l.. G. Parker, one, corner First
and Belmont; Mrs. Schwarzendahl, one, on
lockwood avenue; Turner Bros. one, cor
ner lockwood and Belmont, fell Oh the
house and crushed in the roof badly; Brook
ems & Aiken, one, corner Bonnie Brae and
Miramar streets, fell on the house and
knocked down two chimneys and crushed in
the roof; DR.. Karl Kurtz, one, on Belmont
avenue, fell on the house, damaging the
same; Chas. Victor Hall, one on lockwood
avenue, fell across the street, cutting wires;
Daggett & Fletcher's pumping wires across
lockwood avenue are down; Crown Oil Com
pany, one on Cotton street, near Ohio; Mrs.
A. Strauss, two on Metcalf street; Parker,
Craig & Proudfoot, one on Edgeware road,
fell on house and crushed in the roof; Cross
we'll Oil Company, one on Edgeware road;
J.. G. Parker, one derrick corner Temple
street and Boylston avenue, one 500-barrel
tank, oil lost and running down Temple
street, the derrick fell on this tank and
punched two holes in the bottom of the
tank; O'Donnell & Co., one on Hinton av-
enue; A. G. Solaro, one derrick on Hinton av-
enue, fell across tank, loss 400 barrels of
oil; A. Solano, one on Ramona street;
Proudfoot, Craig & Parker, one derrick on
Hinton avenue; Rex Oil Company, one der
rick on College street, near Ramona, top
of derrick twisted; Mrs. Summers, one der
rick on College street, fell across house, dam
aging same; Hillside Oil Company, two on
Boylston avenue, near College street; A.
Reese, two derricks on Boylston avenue
near College street; the New Slocan, two
derricks on College street, on the north side
of the street, and one on Adobe street;
Chadwick & Brunton, one derrick on the
south side of College street; P. NJ Darcy,
two on College street; City Brick Company,
two on Hill street. south of the brick plant:
Capitol Milling Company, four on Adobe
street, between College and Cemetery
streets, one fell across a barn; Anderson Il
Cochran, one, corner Adobe and College
streets, fell across house and completely de-