, 1875-04-15

zxLusIvxLY TO THE DAILY DISPATCH.

III~N3L {
zxLusIvELY TO THE DAILY DISPATCH.
SAN Francisco, March THE bark
Florence, from Port Blakeiy, with lum-
Der and Mths for San Pedro. put into
this port Yesterday. having experienced
heavy gales. March 21st. she split her
Nwer foretopsail and staysail; on the
24th, barometer stood $50 "a encoun-
tered heavy gales, split sails. stove in
bulvarks. and threw over portion OF
deck :oad; on the 2Sth, lost upper fore
tOpsail and split the main mast; April
5th, the upper maintopsail was blown
away.
Shortly before four o'clock this after
noon, Ae city was shaken by an explo-
sion, followed directly by alarm of fire
from Box, corner of Stewart and Fol-
som streets. On the arrival of the fire
men at the corner of Garrison ard Spear
streets a fearful scene presented itself
Eext west of 9athaway's brick bonded
warehouse was q small wooden building
used by Mr.. Risdon. contractor for
removing Rincon rock. as an office
His foreman. Mr.. Clark, was engaged In
filing giant powder cartridges. when
an explosion occurred. The office,
saloon and a restaurant al the corner,
and two frame dwellings, adjoining,
were blown into fragmen S. The wall
of he bonded warehouse and large
hay barn on the opposite side of Harri-
son street and debris Of the frame
buildings were in a mass of flames.
From the burning pile. came cries and
groans of crushed and E,angled men,
women and children who were caught in
the fallen ruin and writhing IN the en-
brace of the flames. The heat was IN
tense, rendering assistance almost i'm
possible. By the greatest exertions, a
number of unfortunates were rescued
from the fearful situation, but many
others we're beyond all aid and perished
m the flames. At present. three bodies
recovered, and it is believed that others
have been taken out. 1t is impossible
to state the number for q certainty. A
number Of wounded have been taken to
st. Mary's Hospital near by. The fol-
lowing believed killed, either by explo-
sion or flames, are Mr.. Clark, Risdon's
foreman, Fred Haas, barkeeper in the
saloon, Coyel, a colored man, - In
glesman. unknown boy, Mr.. Sharp,
proprietor of the restaurant, Mrs. Sharp
and II. P. Baker. Of those removed
TO the hospital wounded. are Alexander
Thompson, who is said to be dying at
time the reporter left the scene. Her.
man Haas, son of the barkeepef. and
his mother are both severely hurt.
Henry Richards is dangerously. Many
bodies are supposed to be still in the
ruins. The loss of property in tue
bonded warehouse is not less than
$500, 900. The principal consignees of
goods stored there are j. c. Merrill &
Co., H. F. Blanchard & Co.. Forbes
Bros, Parrott & Co., and c. Adolphe,
Low & Co.
SAN FnANc1sco. April SIN connec-
ton with yesterdays fire. the following
statement shows how the explosion was
brought about: II went into Risdon's
Office with Mr.. Clark and Joe Corran to
have a talk. I used to work for Mr..
Risdon. Mr.. Clark went into the Office
10 get cartridges ready for blasting. He
took the loose powder off box filed
with powder, put this powder in tin
cans with wooden scoop through the
hole, about one and half inches large,
and Lad filled one can and placed that
on the table, and placed two empty cans
near box and commenced filling them.
The box with the powder was standing
on the floor from which he filled the
cans. He then lighted his pipe and sat
down on an empty boz along side the
powder. he vas crossing his legs,
which Jared the pipe in his mouth,
from which dropped some fire into the
box of powder. He then tried to ex-
tinguish the spark with his finger,
pressing on it. when, after moment,
the powder in the box blazed up. On
seeing this, ran out to the distance of
about fifty feet, wher l heard the e1-
plosion He had a number of fuses
prepared with caps on the end of them.
These we're some three or four feet from
the can of powder on the table. There
we're two more cases of powder in the
room, also two small tin boxes. which
think contained caps. standing on the
table. There were also some paper
cartridges with powder on a box in the
room. I only saw one can filled and
Two commenced on but don't know if
there were any other cans filled or not"
Signed, GEORGE GREEN.
Green u q blacksmith and had been
at work upon the rock for Mr.. Risdon.
His part of the job had been concluded
and he simply dropped into Mr.. kis-
don's Office for his hat. The Corran,
mentioned by Mr.. Green in his states
ment, has not been seen since the ex>
plosion, and it is feared he has been
killed. He was boatman and was
employed tc carry loaded cartridges out
70 the rock.
SAN DIEGO, April S.-Mr. F. S. Law
renee, agent for Wells. Fargo & Co. for
many years, died last night Of consump-
Ion-
MAUcH CHUNK, April 8. About 20
special policemen went on the Lehigh
Valley road train LAST night as far as
Rackerton, where they were ordered off.
Tbaro ware faw still in fnvn fhe root