New Ulm review., 1922-03-08
QUEER STUNTS IN
ELECTRIC WIRING.
MYSTERIOUS SPARKS FLY AND
LIGHTS ARE BURNED OUT Il
CAUSE NOT FOUND.
WATCH YOUR OWN ELECTRIC
WIRING, ESPECIALLY NEAR
STEEL CEILINGS.

Something queer was going on Sun
day night, or rather early Monday
morning, and it has not yet been ex-
planned to the satisfaction of all
parties concerned for no agreement
can be reached as to just exactly what
happened to cause the necessity of
calling out the fire apparatus at that
early hour while the rain was pouring
down. While there really was no
necessity for calling the boys out, still
it looked as if there was going to be a
fire and some one put in a call without
stopping to investigate.
Cause Not Found.
The queer part comes in there.
What caused the sparks to fly and
gave the appearance of a fire? No one
has yet been able to explain. At the
the Motor Inn where the alarm was
turned in, various parties were still in
the restaurant and pool room, a be-
lated guest having just finished his
supper. Mrs. Reinke had just gone
to bed, when all of a sudden the room
in which she was seemed to be filed
with sparks of fire. A commotion
down stairs told her that something
was going on there also and almost be-
fore she could say "Jack Robinson the
fire whistle blew and down the street
came the fire truck, shrieking. Some
one in the pool room had turned in an
alarm to the fire station when the
sparks began to fly in the lower rooms
and the truck was almost at the doors
of the Motor Inn before the cat-call
finished blowing.
No Fire.
There seemed to be no sign ct fire
but there were signs of some electrical
distur bance near the lights, especially
one of those that had canopy near
the steel ceiling. The rosette at the
ceiling was blackened and the fremen
tore away little of the steel ceiling
to see if they could find any fire but
there was none: There was no need
of their services further and after
making sure that all was we'll they
went back to their beds.
Others Saw Sparks.
The explanation seemed simple
enuf but when the electricians came
to fix up the wiring the next day they
found it impossible to locate the cause
of the trouble. A couple of fuse blocks
had been blown out but no further
damage was done. Inquiry developed
the fact that about the same time the
fire alarm was turned in at $40 a. m.
something similar was taking place
at the residence of John Schneider a
block farther south on Minnesota
street. There the sparks flew merrily
but no damage was done. Fire Mar
shall Forster was in town Monday and
he expressed the opinion to the Light
Plant that there had been sudden
high voltage coming in over the wire
leading to the Motor Inn, caused by
the crossing of main wire with a
service wire, but Mr.. Huevelmann
says that if that had happened there
would have been damage to the wiring
that would have needed the services
lof the plant electricians to repair, and
there was nothing Of the sort necessary
Monday. There was absolutely nc
trouble on the line that feeds the
places on South Minnesota street.
Trouble on Other Lines.
i just shortly before the alarm was
turned in there was trouble with the
line that feeds the opposite side o1
! Minnesota street and the lights were
out for a short time along the east side
of the street and along German street
going south. This was caused by .
short circuit in the lines in the alley
behind the L. G. Vogel place on South
Minnesota. This happened agar
Monday forenoon during the high vino
and people on that side of the stree
we're without power until the elec
tricians could get at the pole and max,
repairs. Such work in wet clothin,
and about wet poles is very dangerou
and sometimes there is a necessar,
delay in getting at it. But there wa
! no such trouble on the lines Monda,
on the opposite side Of the street an,
I. Mr.. Huevelmann can not account TO
} that, if it was short circuit in th
outside wires that caused the spark
to fly. 5.,
: About two weeks ago mum Der 0
the business places along the east sid
Of Minnesota street found Monda,
morning after rainy Saturday night
that they had no light or power. III
!. electricians found in nearly ever,
place they visited that there wer
steel ceilings and that the trouble wa
lgomeghsEe near the ceiling, s1t' d