The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-07-14
SIX WERE KILLED.
Half Dozen Lives Lost by the Explo-
sion of Giant Powder Works Near San
FranciscO.

A Half Dozen Lives Lost by the Explo-
sion of Giant Powder Works Near San
Francisco.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 11.-By series
Of explosions Saturday morning at the
works of the Giant Powder Company
and the San Francisco Chemical works
1T Highland, IL miles from this city,
property worth about $3.50, 600 was de-
stroyed and an unknown number of
persons we're killed. There were over
100 persons mostly Cinnamon, e mployed
At the powder mills. Six persons
three whites and three Chincse-were
killed. A great many others were
wounded. The pecuniary loss is over
5000, OO0
The explosion occurred at 9:3o a. m.
1t shattered windows all over town and
blew in slylights, broke platc-glass
windows on Montgomery avenue. Cali
! fornia street, Montgomery street, Kear-
ney street and other thoroughfares, and
caused the people to rush into
The streets lis though convulsion
was about to tumble all the buildings
about their ears. At the Palace hotel
there was great fear among the guests,
and all over the city there was created
feeling of alarm. The intensity of
the shock can be appreciated when it
is known that it was distinctively felt
at Sacramento, so miles distant. and
that windows were cracked at Napa
and other points along the bay shore,
. miles from the scene of the explo-
! sion.
Along the east side of San Francisco
bay are a number of large powder
manufactures which have been the
scene of periodical explosions in which
number of lives have been lost.
At Highland, about half mile
from West Berkeley, and north
If Berkeley and Oakland, are To-
Gated the works of the Giant Pow
Ter Company, consisting of chemical
works, mixing and packing houses, five
.arge buildings in all, together with
three large powder magazines and a
that the explosion occurred. 1t began
n the nitro-glycerinc works, and
:OncussiOn soon caused the explosion
n one of the magazines. Flames
also broke out to add to the danger,
md though wrccking train had
promptly been sent from Oakland the
efforts of the crew were confined to a
large extent in keeping off the great
crowds of people that pressed forward
20 the scene, for within 200
Yards of the flames, unknown to
nany, was magazine containing
800 tons Of black powder, the
explosion of which would have caused
terrible fatality. The cause Of the
explosion is said to have been the up
setting of a bottle of acid in the office,
which set fire to the building.
Three white men, who were working
n the nitrc-glycerinc house were
killed. They were John Bowe, Wal
ace Dickerson and Charles Guberlige.
Their bodies were found. The head en-
yineer of the glycerine house was
clown 20 feet and knocked insensible.
The first explosion gave the men in the
other departments warning and they
IAN in time to escape.
Mrs. Painter, of West Berkeley, who
vas sick, was so affected that she is be-
ieved to he dying. A boy named Bor-
,hero was blown through the roof of
he buildings He is suffering from
:oncussion Of the brain and NAV die
The body Of d Chjcaman was found on
The railroad track half mile from the
works. The remains of Chinese boy,
'rightfully manylcd, were found near
The scene.