The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-11-04
BOILERS BLOW
UP AND WRECK
POWER HOUSE
Big Explosion in Works
Of Oakland Transit
Company.
Elmhurst Is Saved From Ruin
by Fire With Great
Difficulty.
Workman Is Hurled Across the Street
a Distance Of Fifty Feet, but
Escapes With Minor
Injuries.
Oakland once San Francisco Call

l1lS broadway, Nov 3.
The boilers In the power-house of the
Oakland, San Leandro and Haywards di-
vision of the Oakland Transit Companys
system at Elmhurst blew up tonight.
wrecking the power-house and setting the
town on fire. Aid from Oakland was
sought, and had 1t not been for the Oak
land Fire Department and the most ener-
getic work the entire town would have
been destroyed.
Buildings In the neighborhood Of the
power-house were injured and wires, ma
chinery, rails. bricks and woodwork were
blown through the walls OF adjoining
buildings, the wreckage covering blocks
around. The electric road was tied up for
nearly three hours and people were COM
PEELED to walk from San Leandro into
Oakland In order to reach home.
In the midst of all this only two men
were injured and those not severely,
though the fireman, Michael Victor, was
blown across the street, a distance of fifty
feet. into another building.
The explosion occurred at 1925 o'clock,
and shook the surrounding country. 1t
was felt in Oakland, and many believed
mile distant. buildings were shaken in a
lively and alarming manner.
The Cause Is a Mystery.
Whatever the cause, IL HAS zone Iuliy
$4,000 worth of damage to the plant Of
the electric road and q considerable
amount to buildings In the neighporhood.
Two Of the three boilers in the engine
room exploded. One OF the boilers blew
up and the conclusion exploded the sec
ond. The explosions, We're practically
simultaneous.
The eastern and southern walls of tho
power house were blown out, the explo-
sion spending itself in that direction. The
wall between the engine room and the
fire room was blown out. One Of the
engines was badly damaged but the other
three are intact. The explosion shut Off
all the power, breaking the engine and
dynamo connections and wires.
Everything was thrown into darkness,
neighborhood came from the ruined pow
er-house. Debris was piled in all direc-
lions, and for a while no one seemed to
cropping about in the darkness and wreck
age, amid fallen bricks and tangled wires,
some trying to reach the scene OF the ex-
posion and some trying to get away
vision happened to be in town at the
time and Immediately took charge of
affairs. He went right to work to get
things in some kind of shape so that the
cars could be run. The wires were all
down around the power-house and the
demolition of the power-house shut OF
wards line. but all of the East Oakland
lines were stopped, they receiving power
from the Elmhurst station
There were hundreds Of passengers who
had gone to Haywards and San LeandrO
who suddenly found Themselves unable
to reach the city, and 1t was to accom-
modate these that Mr.. McLenegan bent
mis- energies. In less than three hours he
had got his wires up. had secured power
from the Bay Counties Power Company
and set the cars in motion.
While this was going on the people Of
Elmhurst found themselves facing an
other danger. The Willows Hotel, across
the street from the power-house, caught
fire from the hot coal that was blown
1t was this fire that necessitated a call
for the Oakland fire department.
Fireman Hurled Across Street.
John Allanson, the engineer in charge
was in the freroom at the time the explo-
sion occurred, together with Fireman
Allanson and Nicolaison were uninjuaed
Victor was blown out Of the fireroonA and
across the street, fully fifty feet Victor
was bruised and cut, but had no bones
broken, while Billy Taught, a machinist,
had his leg broken.
DR.. Tormey of San Leandro was sent
for and the injured men men put under his
that he has no idea how the explosion
occurred, that everything was in good
condition and ten minutes before the ex-
plosion occurred the boilers were full of
water.
Superintendent McLenegan says that he
is at a loss for an explanation, but that
he will make a careful inspection of the
wrecked boilers tomorrow, which may re-
veal something.
Grays drug store, in which the Elm
pretty badly wrecked by the explosion
but Courant's Hotel. on an opposite cor
ner and nearer the power house, escaped
injury heavy steel rail was
blown out of the power house and over "a
car that was standing on the track and
into the barber shop of the Willows Hotel
The car was filled with passengers at the
time and had the flight Of the rail been
shorter death and injury would have fol-