Evening journal., 1910-05-25


afternoon sad VI
I'VE are now running cars on the
usual scheduled service, and doing
what we can to try to divert cur
rent for street lighting in certain =
districts"
"a se
At the very beginning of the storm
last night lightning struck the plant
of the Wilmington City Electric Com
pany. at Nos. 2Os-215 West Fifth street
resulting in a fire which according to
Superintendent David l.. OFT, caused a
loss which may reach 100000 All the
switch boards and electrical mechan-
ism and the distributing tower on the
roof of the building were practically
destroyed The big engines We're not
seriously damaged but some of the
dynamos were badly damaged by
water.
Current for street lightning was sup
] piled from the West Fifth street plant
and it also was the distributing station
for current for the Wilmington City
Railway Company's lines. In conse-
quencc when Tire fire broke out all
I llE company p GltCll1t AkllAE III Allt
city were put out Of commission and
street cars of the Wilmington City
Railway Company came to a stand
still.
1t did not take General Manager
Samuel S. Hoff. of the railway COM
pany. long to get busy and within a
short time he had every electrician he
could find working on the street maxi
ing direct connections between the
system and the plant of the company
along the Brandywine. The connec-
tion with the West Fifth street plant
was cut out first, this taking some
time and the men then went to work
| to make street connections.
! Several gangs Of men were sent over
| the company's lines TO remove fallen
! trees and other obstructions and at
| 1890 o'clock this morning the cur
rent was turned en from the Brandy
wine plant The car crews who had
been waiting for the Juice" for five
| hours and then took their cars to the
barn This morning the lines Of the
/ company were operating on the usual
| schedule time.
The fire at the electric plant COM
/ ing as it did, at the height of the
storm, caused considerable excitement
| Two alarms were sent i'm, one from
box No. 80 and the other from the
| City Hall box, No. 12, and for this
reason many thought that a second
or general alarm was turned i'm.
Tore Cables Apart.
The lightning is supposed to have
entered the distributing tower on the
roof of the plant and tearing the hum
dreds of wires and cables there apart
went down to the switchhoards on the
first floor. In an instant the struc-
ture was in flames.
The employees of the plant made a
hastv exit. the last one to leave being
Herman Spinden who happened to be in
a second story room where many
wires enter. He was enveloped in a
flash of light.
The flash Of the bolt which struck
the plant could be seen some distance
away and the cry of fire quickly
spread. Fire Chief Moran and his as
p sistants were on the scene within
few minutes after the alarm was
struck and the fremen who arrived
about the same time Immediately went
To work. The blaze by this time had
assumed considerable proportions and
appeared to be making its way through
the building, i'm the rear Of which is
the building Of NJ. Megary and Son
furniture dealers. which if it had
caught fire would have resulted In a
big confagration.
During all this time the storm was
blowing and rain fell in sheets. Elec-
triictv was flashing everywhere. and
appeared to want to vie with the bolts
of lightning which shot at intervals
from the sky. 1t was a beautiful sighl
but one to strike terro.
Despite the rain a crowd collected
+ about the plant and it was with dih
e Guilty that employees of the concern
could keep the crowds hack. Tha
o. somebody was not electrocuted by tn
e heavily charged wires is a miracle.
Within thirty minutes after the FIRE
men started the battle with the flame
the fire was under control
a Superintendent OFT. OF the company
q was on the scene soon after the fir
! broke out. with his assistants.
! Mr.. OFT said to-day that he did no
think current could be supplied for tn
city lights Tonight, but thought tina
within a few days the plant would h|
s able to again furnish electricity. II,
e added. however. that II would requir'
e. two TO three months TO repair all tn,
, damage done. He had six expert
q switchboard men, six expert linemen
y two electrical eneineers and on,
mechanical engineer sent here to-day