CanadianNational
Senior Member
It's clear that the wall of condos has ruined the waterfront.
Heeeeeee!
Heeeeeee!
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Bathurst Gasometers
- Thread starter Earlscourt_Lad
- Start date
Earlscourt_Lad
Active Member
Eastern and Booth? I did not know there were so many.
I've got 2 at Front and Bathurst, 3 at Parliament and Front, and what 2 at Eastern and Booth?, so are there any more that anyone can think of?
TKTKTK
Senior Member
I actually read a story yesterday, while looking for more photos of the gasometers at Parliament and Front, about some tragedy that befell the people working at the gasometers at Eastern & Booth (if you drive along Eastern you'll see similar structures to the ones on Beverly). Apparently while they were balancing the gas loads between the three gasometer locations or something, workers opened a valve and flange and were quickly asphyxiated by the gas. Their friends outside rushed in to help and were soon asphyxiated as well. It took some time for them to realize precautions needed to be taken before rescue efforts went underway. 10 friends in all died.
I'll see if I can't find the direct quote tomorrow. It was poignant.
Earlscourt_Lad
Active Member
Please do post that, should you find the quote again.
I think one thing that gets overlooked, with industrial history, is just how unsafe a lot of these environments were.
I think one thing that gets overlooked, with industrial history, is just how unsafe a lot of these environments were.
TKTKTK
Senior Member
I'll have to transcribe it:
The original is found on page 25 here: http://books.google.ca/books?id=Wbq...ters&sig=PZ_wBPeMKGQXiWHaVRduVCEjfFY#PPA25,M1
(written March 20, 1983)
"Let's look at the circumstances leading up to the event. Consumers' Gas had been established in 1848 and unlike today, the gas that the company supplied to its customers was manufactured gas; that is, it was a by-product of burning coal, oil, anthracite and coke. The coal gas, as it was called, was stored in huge gasometers prior to distribution through mains that snaked all over the city.
"In 1923, the year the accident occurred, there were two manufacturing plants in Toronto. Station "A" was at Front and Parliament streets (several gas company buildings still stand: Acme Crane, Toronto Free Theatre, Dalton's) and Station "B" on Eastern Avenue at Booth. In addition, large storage gasometers were located at Station "C" on Bathurst Street opposite Front.
"It was at Station "B" that the tragedy occurred. The circumstances were thus: Gas was being pumped from Station "A" at Parliament Street to the storage tanks at "B" to "balance the load," as the operation was called. To reach the gasometer (1) the gas flowed through the valve house (2).
"It was in this small building that several employees were removing a flange from a large distribution pipe and, not realizing gas from Station "A" was flowing through the line, removed a large flange and gasket. In flowed the smothering gas quickly overcoming the men. In an effort to aid their friends, others rushed into the building and they themselves were quickly overcome.
"By the time it was realized that special precautions had to be taken before entering the gas-filled structure, ten men had been asphyxiated. Ten friends lay on the valve house floor, their lives squeezed out of them by the choking gas.
"The victims were Jogn Cotterell, Fred Carey, John Martin, Reuben and Arthur Leadbeater, George Stephen, John Bruce, Frank Rose, Henry Lonsdale and Archibald Murdock."
The original is found on page 25 here: http://books.google.ca/books?id=Wbq...ters&sig=PZ_wBPeMKGQXiWHaVRduVCEjfFY#PPA25,M1
(written March 20, 1983)
"Let's look at the circumstances leading up to the event. Consumers' Gas had been established in 1848 and unlike today, the gas that the company supplied to its customers was manufactured gas; that is, it was a by-product of burning coal, oil, anthracite and coke. The coal gas, as it was called, was stored in huge gasometers prior to distribution through mains that snaked all over the city.
"In 1923, the year the accident occurred, there were two manufacturing plants in Toronto. Station "A" was at Front and Parliament streets (several gas company buildings still stand: Acme Crane, Toronto Free Theatre, Dalton's) and Station "B" on Eastern Avenue at Booth. In addition, large storage gasometers were located at Station "C" on Bathurst Street opposite Front.
"It was at Station "B" that the tragedy occurred. The circumstances were thus: Gas was being pumped from Station "A" at Parliament Street to the storage tanks at "B" to "balance the load," as the operation was called. To reach the gasometer (1) the gas flowed through the valve house (2).
"It was in this small building that several employees were removing a flange from a large distribution pipe and, not realizing gas from Station "A" was flowing through the line, removed a large flange and gasket. In flowed the smothering gas quickly overcoming the men. In an effort to aid their friends, others rushed into the building and they themselves were quickly overcome.
"By the time it was realized that special precautions had to be taken before entering the gas-filled structure, ten men had been asphyxiated. Ten friends lay on the valve house floor, their lives squeezed out of them by the choking gas.
"The victims were Jogn Cotterell, Fred Carey, John Martin, Reuben and Arthur Leadbeater, George Stephen, John Bruce, Frank Rose, Henry Lonsdale and Archibald Murdock."
J T CUNNINGHAM
Senior Member
Regarding the "bridges to nowhere", that cross the Don River below Queen St E;
the more northerly of the two carries a large Consumers Gas (Enbridge) pipe over
that river. There are also web pics showing the former collapsed bridge.
Regards,
J T
the more northerly of the two carries a large Consumers Gas (Enbridge) pipe over
that river. There are also web pics showing the former collapsed bridge.
Regards,
J T