Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1910-12-29
CITY Gas 6!
BY TERRIFIC SasJ5sIoN. ONE
MAN INJURMD.. BUILD
ING BLOWN 10 PIECES
COMPANY BEGINS REMOVING
DEBRIS FOR BUILDING
BY TERRIFIC 5s1oN. ONE
NY BEGINS REMOVING
DEBRIS FOR BUILDING

81. a------ ----- -
An explosion which was started
from fire in the jamestown gas
plant Saturday night, destroyed the
entire building, without warning and
causesd heavy loss to the company.
The entire circumstances, leading up
to the explosion are not yet known.
The gas seems to have accumulated
from some cause either an open
: valve or a ventilator, In the gas
room and becoming ignited from fire
!. in the engine room. an explosion
of terrific; force followed. The walls
sof the building were thrown over,
the roof demolished and, the floors
of the building. and surrounding
ground were covered with brick anl
mortar. A number of the pipes in
the building, connecting various ma
chinery and tanks were bent and
broken. ,t.
The only man in. the building at
the time was an assistant, H. Swear
niger, who was badly burned on the
face and hands. Night Foreman
Nelson had been in the building at
IL O'Clock to repair a belt, and when
: he left everything was all right. At
11:45 the explosion occurred, the
door between the engine room, or: the
retort room was opened, and in look
ing over the debris of the building
it was found that the wooden parti-
ton, which enclosed the: small office
was burned, and the probabilities are
that fire had started in the retort
room, which ignited the gas in the
adjoining room . None of the large
tanks were greatly damaged and on
" one small tank was blown open
and this was the second explosion
which occurred after a number of
people, including the firemen were
on the ground. 1t is believed that
the engine and some Of the other
machinery is considerably damaged.
Mr.. Swearington was, taken to the
City hospital where he had his BURNS
treated and will Re laid up for sew
eral weeks. He walked out Of the
building, amid the falling brick and
mortar, and the wonder is that he
was not more seriously hurt.
The company had an insurance OF
$4,000 on the buildingrsan estimate
their loss at about $4,000, including
loss of revenues.
The building being destroyed by
an explosion, there was little for the
Are department to do. The boys
were on hand promptly, but could
Z only assist in protecting other prop
erty which was not much in danger
OWING to the isolated situation of
the gas company building. .
There we're over 800 consumers in
the. city and the company was furnish
ing from 10000 to 100000 feet Of
eas q month. Many people were de-
pendent entirely upon gas for both
cooking and lighting and there was
a great demand for gasoline stoves
! and ranges, and in many cases neigh
bors were called upon to help cook
1 the family breakfast, and prepare the
christmas dinner. Every gasoline
stove available was brought into use:
A number of patrons had kept their
!. ranges or gasoline stoves, and and g 60
were not seriously inconvenienced.
The comp&s announces that they
will begin at once the work OF re-
building the plant and putting 1t IN
hetter shape than ever, and will put
in a new system known as. water gas.
instead of gas made from petroleum.
This change had been contemplated
before and blue prints had been
made for the new system, intending
to install it and make the connec-
tions this spring. 81.
"A large force OF men were: employ
ed Monday in clearing away the
ground and + making arrangements
for REBUILDING the building which is
now q complete wreck. The company
has had many difficulties to overcome
\ in getting the plant In operation, and
hopes that their patrons will feel that
theirs is not the only loss and in-
convenience. The new gas system.
il such as is being used in many up
to-date gas plants and similar to that
used In Grand Forks, Chicago and.
other, places. It Is less expen.s,iye. Y. e
manufacture than coal sag and = sis
said rs he very satisfa actory. y will; 4 \;