River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-07-14
SIX WE'RE KILLED.
Half Dozen Lives Lost by the Expio-
sion of Giant Powder Works Near San



Half Dozen Lives Lost by the Expio-
sion of Giant Powder Works Near san
Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, July 11.-By a series
of explosions Saturday morning at the
works of the Giant Powder Company
and the San Francisco Chemical works
ut Highland, 12 miles from this city,
property worth about $3.50, 600 was de-
stroyed and an unknown number of
persons were killed. There were over
100 persons, mostly Cinnamon, employed
at the powder mills. Six persons
three whites and three Chinese-were
killed. A great many others were
wounded. The pecuniary loss is over
FOO. 900.
The explosion occurred at $50 a. m.
II shattered windows all over town and
blew in skylights, broke plate-glass
windows on Montgomery avenue, Cali
iornia street, Montgomery street Kear-
aey street and other thoroughfares, and
caused the people to rush into
the streets as 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,
IS miles from the scene of the explo-
sion.
Along the east side of San Francisco
bay are 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 a mile
from West Berkeley, and north
Of Berkeley and Oakland, are To-
Gated the works of the Giant Pow
der Company, consisting of chemical
works, mixing and packing houses, five
large buildings in all, together with
three large powder magazines and a
number of small ones, and it was here
that the explosion occurred. II began
IN the nitro-glycerine works. and
,oncussiOn soon caused the explosion
m one of the magazines. Flames
also broke out to add to the danger,
and though a wrecking 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
many, was a 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 bottle of acid in the office,
which set fire to the building.
Three white men who were working
N the nitro-glycerine house were
killed. They were John Bowe, Wal
lace Dickerson and Charles Guber'ige.
Their bodies were found. The head en-
yineer of the glycerine house was
blown 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
was sick, was so affected that she is be-
ieved 10 be dying A boy named Bor-
,hero was blown through the roof of
he buildings. He is suffering FROM
,oncussion of the brain and may die.
The body of Chicaman was found on
The railroad track half mile from the
works. The remains of a Chinese boy,
,rightfully mangled, were found near
the scene.