The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-22
FOURTEEN MEN SLAIN.
The California Powder Works.
at Pinole, CAL, Blown Up.
woRKmEN TORN IN FRAGMENTS.
Fits of Flesh strewn for Mile Around
The Pieces Being Collected
fn sacks.

San Francisco. May "A terrific report
sUd conclusion, which vas distinctly felr
Ali through the city and a. towns around
the bay for distance Of forty miles. was
q. arsr believed 70 have been caused by
an earthquake, bat proved 20 be an explo-
sior IL tbe ul;ro-giycerine and mixing
bogsez storehoGse and guu* cotton de-
,artrnents Of the California Powder Works
- P!nole. across fhe bay, this morning.
TIE crew % the glycerine house. four ia
number and the foreman of the mixing
house we're ali killed. as were also nine
Cinnamon working IN the latter depart
meat.
The explosion occurred in the nitro
glycerine house az 1910 a. m. and was
probs bly, caused ~ a Chinaman dropping
a can Of the explosive. The cause cannot
be definitely ascertained. however. az all
connected with the building are dead
There we're - Chinese IN the adjacent
mixing room. and al the sound OF the ex-
rloglon ali ran. and the ma jority escap ped.
The force Of the explosion was tremen-
doug Huge trees were thrown into the
bay. a distance Of half mile. and nitro
glveerine tanks weighing a ton each. are
now lying 500 yards distant from the scene.
Toes. hands legs and other parts OF the
rnu,tlsted remains OF the dead are scat
tered along the road for mile.
The nItro-giycerine house first went up.
and the mixing house and storehouse and
gin cotton departments followed. The
nitro-elycrine house, OF which not a yes
,sge now remains. was three-story frame
structure. go feet BY So IL contained
500 pounds OF nitro-glyeerine and 1000
nounds OF Hercules powder. A re-
rnarkable feature Of the explosion is the
,act that although the storehouse, con-
tanning 1000 pounds of Hercules powder.
Is completely wrecked, its contents are
,ntact In all 10000 pounds of explosives
went 10 with a roar and a sheet OF flame.
The fatalities are as follows
KilIeA-CIare Johnson. foreman OF the
olvcerlne house, and u. 4. Dean, both OF
pipole. Fl. Minugh of Oakland c. Nene.
Gas Of Martinez; W. u. Taylor. foreman
on the mixing house; nine Mongolians.
All the men in the ntiro-glycerine house
were experts at their business. and Harry
NiBgeh was az one time assistant super
iu,endent OF the whole plant. From the
positlon OF the bodies found IL would
ssam that the cause or the explosion was
IN the washing department OF the nitro
sIycerlne house since the bodies OF john
son and Mlnugh were intact. while those
In the lower part OF the building. or the
place where nitrO-glycerine Is washed.
were blown all TO pieces: I'm fact. but
small portions OF their bodies have yet
been recovered.
Twenty men are securing the fields for
a mile around endeavoring 10 gather
some remains that would secure the lden-
tacation OF the victims. The tremen-
dous force Of the explosion can be ohserv-
cd on all sides. The nitro-glycerine house
was built ir the sidehiH. which ia about
so yards north OF the railroad station.
Great trees near by were twisted and
torn as If rent by a stroke of lightning
In all directions the terrible violence Of
the explosion Is manifested. All over the
surrounding fields are scattered in ghast-
" confusion bits of human remains, tell
ing the horrible story Of the disaster
Men In all directions are searching, only
20 find particles OF the bodies too small
for any purpose. Large sacks have been
used 10 gather and hold the remains
which are being slowly collected. II seems
impossible TO secure more than enough to
identify two bodies
Acting Superintendent Pollock said 10
an Associated Press reporter who was al
the scene OF the disaster: This is the
worst explosion we have had at this
place. I am utterly at loss 10 account
Tor II and cannot advance any theory as
10 It's cause. The explosion has shaken
up all the buildings I'm the vicinity. II
Is impossible TO tell how much damage
has been done. But I am not looking for
damage yet. I am trying TO get together
me remains OF these poor victims We
are very careful regarding the manage
ment Of the nitro-glycerine house. and
have laid down strict rules for that rur-
pofe The Chinese are not allowed 10
enter IT,"