Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1921-08-05

Property Damage in Nlconet Ave-
nue. Mystery Explosions
Over $4,000.
ADVANCE MANY CAUSES
Electric Company Head Says Hot,
Weather Thought to Have Broken Z
lnsulation-PoIice Think Il
Was Caused by Gas. +.

Minneapolis-Property damage ex-
ceeding $4,000. resulted from eight
mystery" explosions in electric cable
conduits on Nicollet avenue, between
Sixth and Seventh streets, Saturday
night, according to partial check
made Sunday. g. .-..~. -.
Damage to buildings near: the four
manholes from which the explosions
issued was estimated at $4,000, while
the Minneapolis General Electric COM
pany is expected to suffer losses OF
more than $4,000.
Trouble Had Been Brewing.
Records IN the Minneapolis fire de-
partment revealed Sunday night that
the trouble in the manhole near Lig-
gets drug store at Sixtha and Njcol-
let had been brewing for at least forty
eight hours before the explosion.
Thursday night the squad wagon Of
No. 10 station ives called to- the cor
ner by citizens who reported that the
manhole was "on fire. The cover
was removed, and the firemen ex-
amined the cables, but, aside from 4
little smoke, could discover no trouble.
They reported the matter to the cleo
trio company.
Again Friday afternoon, a proprie-
tor of a store in the vicinity called
the fire department and said the man.
hole was smoking. Robert Waddick,
lineman for the fire department, was
detailed to look the cables over, and
an employee of the Minneapolis Cen
eral Electric company also inspected
the cables, the firemen reported.
Alarm System Inspected.
sWaddick was told to inspect care
fully the fire alarm system, to see II
it was endangered, and reported that
it was not. The electric company en-
ploye could not discover any trouble.
Curious crowds, which pushed their
way through downtown streets Sun
day. viewing the wreckage and peer
ing into the manholes, were asking
what caused the explosion"
: Officials Of the electric company and
city officials were equally perplexed.
: "The actual cause of the explosion
may never be known" said R. F. Pack,
vice president of the Minneapolis Gen.
.eral Electric company, similar ex-
plosions in New York and Chicago
have never been explained. 1t is pos
sible that heat generated by the recent
long hot spell broke down insulation
in the cables, resulting in the short
circuits, which seems to have started
the explosions" Tii. =
Possibly Leaky Gas Main.
Police and fire officials were of the
opinion, however, that some form of
gas must have entered the conduits
either by the breaking down of in
sulation or by leakage Of Illuminating
gas from some nearby main.
Whatever the cause, the amount of
damage and number of injuries was.
surprisingly small, police officials de-
clare, in view of the violence Of the
explosion, and the fact the downtown
streets were filled with people at the
time. They commented particularly
on the fact that no person was IA
tally injured in the second explosion,
which occurred in the middle of a.
dense crowd of spectators, and which
wrecked the United Cigar Store, and
the adjoining optical store owned by
James E. Lee.
Although fifty persons suffered in
jury, and thirty were taken to the
General hospital for treatment, all ex-
cept five Of the thirty were released
nv SUNDAY voopninu ond thu rou, O IN inor
i've were reported recovering.