Charlotte Street Cars Running Again After Explosion and Fire, July 22, 1923

Charlotte Street Cars Start Again. . . Suspended More than 18 Hours as Result of Explosion and Fire

By the Associated Press

Charlotte, N.C., July 21—Street car service was resumed shortly before 6 o’clock this afternoon after being suspended more than 18 hours as the result of an explosion and fire late last night in the electric power station which drives the trolly system. Officials of the southern public utilities company, which operates the street car system, would make no estimate of the damage, though admitting that it would run into many thousands of dollars.

Experts and workmen during 18 hours work were able to make such partial repairs as to enable the car system to resume operations, but it will require months, it is said, to restore the power station to normal. Meanwhile the car service will be somewhat curtailed, as the crippled station is not able to carry the full normal number of cars.

From the front page of the Durham Morning Herald, Sunday, July 22, 1923