Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-22
WHO IS TO BLAME
Last Nights Fear
full Accident.
Many Wounded and Five
Dead.
Sad Ending of Columbus Day
Gayeties.
w. H. Wilson, the Pyrotechnist,
Placed Under Arrest.
A List of the Dead and OF the
Wounded.
w. H. Wilson, the Pyrotechnist,
Placed Under Arrest.
A List of the Dead and OF the
Wounded.
No Reliable Explanation of the Hor-
rible Affair Yet Given.
Some One CrImina11y Responsible for
tho Terrible Loss of fLife-Heartrend-
ing Scenes at the Police Station.
Bravery OF the Injured.

The most horrible and saddest calam-
ity that ever beiell Los Angeles since its
foundation, occurred last evening about
7:SO O'Clock, at the celebration grounds
near the Arcade depot. in the southern
portion Of the city. Is
w. H. Wilson. manager of the Los
Angeles Fire Works factory, had been
employed by the Italian colony, who
had charge OF the celebration, to super
intend the fire works and the discharge
of the salutes on the grounds. A large
space OF ground had been reserved for
Wilson and his assistants, around which
a ropeihad been encircled. In this cir
Gle were the mortars, frerockets, boxes
of shells, powder, etc., and it was ex-
pected that no one would invade this
reserved space. There we're about 40
mortars in this space, together with the
necessary shells, powder, etc.
THE CROWD GETS IN A DANGEROUS PLACE.
At about 80, when the display was
about finished. according to the state
ment of Wilson, the immense crowd
began surging through the lines, crowd.
ing under the wire rope, and paid not
the slightest attention to his repeated
warnings. The ropes were literally torn
away, and the crowd virtually took pos
session of the dangerous ground, where
laid in close proximity loaded shells,
with fuse attached, bombs and powder.
Wilson estimates that more than 1000
people rushed in, in the most reckless
and daring confusion, and despite his
efforts, took possession of the grounds,
mortars, shells, etc.
THE FATAL SALUTE.
As the celebration was virtually
ended, and only one salute of
the 81 remained to be fred,
he, in company with one Of
his assistants. He rman Kammert, went
about 100 yards to the left of the main
saluting point to fire the final salute,
leaving near the mortars and shells
three or four pounds of powder in a
cigar box.
At this point Wilson said to his as
sistant, Kammert, "Let US fire good
salute" They had reserved several ex-
ira large shells for the final salute.
These were the largest shells, some be-
ing 10 inches in diameter. After they
fred this final salute, they claim to
have heard an explosion of shells and
the bursting of bombs at the spot where
they had left the main bulk of the am
munition. @s
Wilson and his assistant ran to the
spot, they say, to prevent any possible
danger and drive the crowd away, but
it was too late. They had bursted
all Of the bombs, set off all Of the sky
rockets, and taken seven shells out of a
box in which there had been ten. These
shells had been placed in mortars and
fred by some OF the crowd. Whether
the shells had been properly loaded, or
overloaded, by some one in the crowd is
not known, and it is not positively
known whether or not any of these
shells bursted the mortars in which
they had been placed. But, judging
from the number OF killed and wounded,
it is evident that more than one mortar
was bursted.
THE EXPLOSION.
Seeing that the crowd had destroyed
the remaining fireworks and shells,
leaving only three shells in box in
which he had left ten, Wilson decided
to fire them. These remaining shells
were ten-inch shell and two four-inch
shells.
Wilson says he took the 10-inch she'll,
put it into mortar, and fred it off. He
then fred one of the four-inch shells.
His assistant, Kammert, fred the re-
manning four-inch shell. 1t exploded
with terrific vibration, bursting the
mortar, killing five persons and wound
ing 10 others, as far as heard from at
midnight last evening.
THE SHE LIS CONSTRUCTION.
A charge for mortar carrying four
inch she'll is three or four ounces, never
exceeding four ounces. A shell has