Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-23
LOSS BY FIRE
NEARLY MILLION
BUSINESS SECTION CRIPPLED FOR
LIGHT AND POWER
Three Hundred Men and Fifty Teams
Immediately Began Clearing Debris
From FIame-Damaged Gas-Elec-
trie Central Station
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated T'ress
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. ga fire
early this morning in the central sta
ton of the San Francisco Gas and
Electric company caused a loss esti-
mated at nearly a million dollars, be-
sides crippling many commercial and
manufacturing establishments, though
none so seriously as would be the case
were not this a holiday All of the
evening newspapers for hours were
without power to run their machinery,
even the linotypes being rendered use
less. After long delay the evening
papers succeeded in securing power
from nearby plants and appeared to-
day though there were no early edi-
tions.
Candles and kerosene lamps are being
used to illuminate many dark offices,
elevators are not running and bus-
ness is almost at standstill in some
places.
News Travels clrcuitousIy
Nearly all of the telegraph wires
leading out of this city are idle, both
the Western Union and Postal COM
panies having obtained their power
from the station which was burned.
News to nearby cities is being sent by
circuitous routes involving much delay.
Every effort is being made to install a
temporary power plant.
The origin of the fire. which COM
pletely Quilted the building in which it
originated, has not been ,ositively de-
termined. Workmen who were in the
building at the time say that there was
fash, and followed by a sheet of
flame, and In few minutes the flames
had broken through the roof. 1t was
the impression that some of the dyna-
m
Another theory is that the fire, which
started in the battery storage room,
was caused either by crossed wires or
the melting of lead pipe used to con-
vey gas.
The flame communicated at once with
waste and oil and was Immediately
beyond control. In imminent danger
of their lives the employees plugged
OUT before trying to make their es-
cape, thus preventing a heavy draft
and weakening of the other power
stations.
Series of Explosions
The fire was accompanied by a series
of explosions, and the firemen worked
at the risk of their lives, but as the
burning station was in the heart of
the city they did not relax their efforts
until the danger of great conflagra-
ton was over.
During the progress of the fire six
teen persons were hurt, only one, VIM.
Keane, however, sustaining any serious
injury. He was taken to a sanitarium.
The officers of the gas and electric
company state that their loss will be
about $S50,000, but others place the
figure at $1,OOO,00O. Six engines valued
at from $60,000 to $150,000 each were
destroyed, as also was the generating
plant worth $125,0OO.
Three hundred men and fifty teams
are at work clearing away the debris.
All of the leading hotels and res
taurantS in the downtown district are
without light and power, but are hope
full of being in good running order
soon.
Streets in Darkness
Many of the streets in the downtown
section are in almost utter darkness
tonight.
The station was one of the largest
in the city and it's loss has been widely
felt today in the loss of both light and
power. In all of the big hotels ele-
vators were stopped and more prim-
tive methods of illumination were used
in the darker rooms.
Gas is being burned almost every
where in the business section of the
city, where fixtures are in place.
superintendent Napthaly of the gas
and electric company tonight placed
the company's loss at about 100000.
He said the plant at the ruined sta
ton cost between $250,0OO and $500, 900.
He thought that three weeks would
elapse before matters were restored to
the ordinary smoothness.
Independent and private plants are
aid to the effected company
and considerable electric power is OBJ
tanned from these sources. Connec-
tions are also being made with the