The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-07-11
Special 70 the REcoEE.Uxrox.

SAcS Francisco, July I0.-A series Of
explosions, starting in the nitro-glycerinc
department OF the Giant Powder Works,
at Elcmina's Point, West Berkeley, re-
suhed, yesterday morning, in the utter
destruction OF those works, as well as
those Of the san Francisco Chemical
Company, located on tic same peninsula.
Three white men and three Chinese were
killed, and half a dozen Chinese were
more or less injured. The amount of
property destroyed at the immediate
scene of the explosion is estimated at
$4,000, but there is scarcely whole
pane of glass within mile of the works,
and considerable damage was done also
in Oakland and san Francisco.
The fact that such terrific explosion
should result in so small loss OF life
seems almost miraculous, but q still
stranger feature of the calamity is the eff
feet OF the shocks on localities so far re-
moved from the scene. 1t is fully ten
miles from tleming's Point to san FRAN
cisco, and yet five of the shocks were SO
distinctly Ielt III this city that hundreds
of paneS OF heavy plate glass were broken,
| chandeliers and other pendants swayed as
il shaken by an earthquake, horses be-
came frightened and the people rushed
out Of their homes and places of business
in terror.
One reason for the small loss of life was
the fact that the first explosion took place
i'll small building where only three men
were at work. These were all killed, but
the second explosion did not occur until
after an interval of about six minutes, so
that nearly every one had chance to
take steps toward safety.
The time of the first shock at San Fran
] AM = rs
bic shock, which produced the greatest
effect, occurred at 9:3l3, San Francisco
time. The fifth and last shock was not
timed. The clock at Baronita's Hotel,
West Berkeley, within mile of the
works, stopped at 9:l9 a. NJ. The first
shock, as felt in San Francisco, produced
exactly the sensation OF an earthquake
running from east TO west.
The most terrific of the series of eXplO-
sions We're those caused by the blowing
up of the powder magazines. These were
situated at a considerable distance from
the nitro-glycerine house, and were ex-
ploded by conclusion. There were three
of these repositories, and they went up
one after another in quick succession.
One contained $50 tons of giant powder,
another 80 tons of black powder, and the
third held large quantity of dynamite.
The side of the hill where these were To-
Gated now bears not n veStige of their
occupancy, and the place that knew them
is represented by great chasm which
extends down below the line of the water
in the bay.
The works of the company lie along
the bay shore on the northern slope Of
the hill that forms Fleming Point. Near
the outer edge, toward the Golden Gate,
is the glycerine-house, where the process
commences; then going inland comes
the Westinghouse, then the mixing
hnuSnG in thair nr1nr and 10 no
series of magazines for the storing of
giant powder, black powder and dyna-
mite. When the glycerine- house disap-
peared in fragments the fire and con-
cussion sent the Westinghouse into
splinters, and so the explosions ran along
the line just as ii the buildings and
magazines were so many mines con-
nected by fuse.
The first intimation of danger the sur
vivors had was the explosion of the
glycerine-house. Every emplove at once
made rush for point of safety, for they
knew this was only preliminary.
Through the windows and doors of the
Westinghouse, mixing house and out
buildings they poured, every one strug-
Cling to gain the top Of the hill and
beach, the shelter on the south side. That
was furthest from the deadly MAGAZINES
1t seemed as if they had hardly started
when the Westinghouse blew into frap-
ments. The shock flung men down and
sent number of men flying through the
sashes of windows. Then came the five
miXing-houses in rapid succession. Most
of the injured Chinese We're hurt here
One OF them was blown into fragments
Broken carboys OF sulphuric and nitric
acids We're flowing in all directions. The
air was heavy with tunes. Burning
chemicals ignited the topping frame
structures and heavy clouds Of sitting
smoke enveloped the works. The men
became blinded in it and almost over
come by the noXious gases. Then came
the giant powder explosion, spreading
devastation on every side. Men scram-
bling up the hill were thrown over it.
Others were pitched fifty and sixty yards
away.
All the buildings of the company along
the bay front came down with crash:
not q vestige Of one within 100 yards OF
the magazine can be found. The long
acid building over the embank menJ
came down as if hit by gigantic pile
driver. Flying embers were sent in all
directions and the confagration spread.
There were several hundred tons Of sui
phur on the wharf. 1t caught fire, and
great yellow clouds of smoke rolled I'D,
enveloping everything. Every chemical
on the point that had q particle OF eX-
plosive property in it went off with a
bang and spread its little mite of havoc,
vastation among the buildings of the
Judson-Shepard Chemical Company on
the southern side Of the hill Infiamma-
bic acids rained on every side and almost
instantaneously almost every wooden
building was a sheet of roaring fire. A
high wind prevailed at the time and
famed the flames up fiercely. The ex-
plosion OF the black powder was some
thing terrific, but there was hardly
stick left standing on the point for it to
throw down. 1t was almost as terrific as
the explosion of giant powder. and tore
hole in the ground fully fifty feet in
diameter and twenty feet deep.
When the explosion of the dynamite
occurred there wasn't a man on his feet
on the island. Many of them were
knocked unconscious. others were help
less on the ground, stifed in the noxious
fumes of the burning chemicals.
The explosion obliterated every build
ing on the north side of the point; the
conclusions wrecked and the fire con-
sumed the building on the south side. be-
longing to the hudson Chemical Com
pany. A portion OF the brick walls of
one building remains there-the one used
for storing INTERRUPT the few bricks that
still stand will have to be pulled down.
Ii the explosion of the giant powder
left silver of the buildings that had
stood on the north slope of the point the
dynamite completely cbliterated it. Not
only did 1t rae everything to the ground,
but 1t shoWered tons of earth and debris
over foot thick all about the place.
There are great yawning holes where the