The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-07-10
POWDER WORKS DESTROYED
Disastrous Explosion Near West Berk-
ley, Cal, Involving Loss of Life.
Several Mills Destroyed and an Unknown
Number Of Persons Killed-hany Chinese
Injured-San Francisco Shaken.

SAN FRANCISCO. July AT 9:23 o'clock
this morning this city was shaken from end
to emo by terrible explosion. What it
was or where il occurred no one could tell.
Before the people had recovered another ex-
plosion, Fully as severe as the first. again
shook the buildings and caused windows
to rattle. People began to realize that
onlythe explosion of powder-mill could
have produced q shock of that nature.
This explanation had hardly been arrived
atwhen, at $50, the:e occurred q terrible
explosion thai shattered windows all over
town, blew in sky-liahts, broke plate glass
on Montgomery avenue, California
street. Montgomery street, Kesrney
street, and other thoroughfares.
and caused people to rush into
the streets as though a convulsion was
about to tumble all the buildings ABOUT
their ears. The CONSERVATION was still at
its height when there followed two more
shocks little less severe than the terrific
one which has just been felt Glass ratified
into the streets all over the city, and not
few buildings, according to their inmates.
came near collapsing. Men in the tower of
the ire-alarm station were sure that the
structure was going to collapse. AT the
Palace Hotel there was great fear among
tho guests, and all over the city there was
created feeling of alarm. The intensity
of this shock can be appreciated when 1t is
known that il was distinctly felt OF Sacra-
mento, eighty miles distant. and that win
dows were cracked at Napa and other
points along the bay shore twenty-five
miles from the scene Of the explosion.
Along the east side of San Francisco bay
are . number of large powder manufacto-
ries, which have been the scenes of period
ical explosions, in which q number of lives
have been lost. At Highland. about one
half q mile from West Berkeley, and north
of Berkeley and Oakland. are located he
works of the Giant Powder Company. con-
sisting of chemical-works. mixing and
packing-houses. i've large buildings in all.
together with three large powder mag a.
zines and number of small ones, and it
was here that the explosion occurred this
morning. The explosion began in the
nitro-glycerine-works, and the conclusion
soon caused an explosion In one OF the
magazines. Flames also broke out to add
To the danger, and, though wrecklng
train had promptly been sent from Oak
land. the efforts of the crew were confined,
to q large extent. In keeping of the great
crowds of people that pressed forward to
the scene, for within two hundred yards
of the flames, unknown to many, was q
magazine containing three hundred tons
of black powder. the explosion of which
would have caused terrible fatalities
MANY sCoRCaED CHINAMEN.
The work of gathering the remains of the
dead and caring for any who might have
escaped from the flames and ruins was
pushed forward as rapidly as possible, but
the scene was one of such confusion and
danger that the work was slow at the best
The flames from the burning packing and
mixing houses were terrific and drove the
crowds back repeatedly. Cinnamon were
huddled together in little knots, with
scorched eaces and hands. and their emf
fering was intense. Even surgeons were
prevented from passing the guards, for the
largest of the black. powder magazines lay
just over the brow of the mill. and flames
from the burning wreckage wore creeping
nearer and nearer from the top of ths hill
just about the magazine could be seen
evidences of the explosion. On the west
ern sloDe scattered timbers of the giant
powder-house were blazing furiorsly,
while little yellow stream. trickling to-
ward the bay. showed where the contents
of the acid tanks had emptied themselves.
All the mixing and packing houses of the
black powder department and sulphur
mill werc IN ashes. The damage to the
black powder-works alone will amount TO
over $4,000. The very first ex xplosion that
occurred caused tho giant-powder smaga-
zine to go up The black powder.mills iay
directly In the path of the explosion. and
burning brands were heaped on the already
wrecked buildings. and almost before the
frightened Cinnamon could collect their
senses the powder in the black mills had
exploded.
Is was for a long time impossible to gain
any idea or the number of lives lost. The
company declined to give out any particu-
lars. and as most of the men employ ed were
Chinese the names were not obtainable.
However, an estimate was made at o. clock
that there were 104, of whom 10l were
Cinnamon, but there was reason TO believe
that that estimate was far IN excess of the
actual number. The cause of the explosion
10 said 10 have been the upsetting of a bot
tie of acid in the office, which set fire to
the building.
THEE WHITE MEN KILLED.
This afternoon no one would approach
the magazine which had not exploded and
which contained over 800 tons of giant
powder and dynamite. Fortunately. how
ever, the fire kept away from the main
magazine. Three white men who were
working in the nitro gly cerine house were
killed. They we're John Bowe, Wallace
Dickerson and Charles Guberlige. Their
bodies were found. The head engineer of
the giycerino house was blown twenty
feet and knocked senseless. The first ex-
plosion gave the men m the other depart
ments warning. and they ran In time to es-
cape.
Mrs. Painter, of West Berkeley, who was
sick. was so affected that she Is believed
TO be dying. boy named Borchero was
blown through the roof of ono of the build-
ings. He will Gle. The body OF China
man vas found on the railroad track half
mile from tho works. The remains of a
Chinese boy frightfully maneled were
found near the scene. John Farley .
workman walking near the mixing house.
vas blown into the bay. but swan out.