The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-20
MANUFACTURE OF POWDER
Ex-Mayor Pond Says the In.
dustry Has Sustained a
Body Blow.
The Judgment of the Judson Com
pany Satisfied in Full at Con-
siderable Loss.

The Judgment for damages, amounting
to about $45, 900, obtained by the Judson
Company against the Giant Powder Com
pany has been settled. The damages re-
shifted from the explosion two years ago.
Houses were wrecked, steel rails were
twisted into how-knots and yawning
chasm was opened in the earth beneath
the buildings of the powder works.
This settlement involved the recent
transfer of the original Giant Powder
Works site to the Judson Chemical Com
pany. The property was formerly sold to
the Giant Powder Company by Mr.. judi
son, who was also a stakeholder in that
gained possession of this property, accord
ing to ex-Mayor Pond, who is president of
the Giant Powder Company, for 20,000.
In connection with the loss incident to the
satisfaction of the judgment the Giant
Powder Company suffered a sacrifice of
$4,000 on its property and was compelled to
so to the expense of moving its works
eighteen miles away on the upper shores
of San Pablo Bay.
This is not all. Ex-Mayor Pond said last
evening:
severe blow has been aimed at the powder
manufacturing industry of California by the
decision of the Supreme Court. 1t virtually
makes every powder or nitro-glycerine manu-
featuring company insurers against all acct
dents which might occur and result disas-
trOusly to adjacent property. In other words,
the decision of the Supreme Court amounts
almost to embargo on the industry. 1t pre-
Supposes that any and all accidents are re-
sultant from carelessness, and, that being the
case, no powder or explosive manufacturing
concern can do business without virtually be-
coming an insurer against accident and loss.
Mr.. Judson, who sold us the land and OBJ
tanned a judgment in connection with Mr..
Sheppard, was large stakeholder in the Giant
Powder Company, ana the Judson Chemical
Company sold us more than half of the sui
phur1c and nitric acids used in the manufac-
lure of our explosives. He knew for what
purpose the land ON Flemmings Point
was TO be used when he sold it
to the company in which he was largely inter-
ested. But that is neither here nor there; if
the decision stands the effect will be greatly 10
the disadvantage of the powder manufacture
ing industry or California. Why did we not
carry it to the higher court? Because of our
foreign stockholders. Had we the time we
rate, it is blow below the belt to the industry.
At present eighteen miles from our
former site. The California Powder Works,
however is near the railway line, and should
an explosion ever occur while train is pass
ing the havoc would no doubt be appalling.
The industry should be fostered. and it
should also be surrounded by as many protec-
tons possible; but in equity, it hardly
seems fair to make those engaged therein the
insurers against accident resulting from
causes other than those of carelessness. How
ever, we have paid the damage, losing about
$4,000 on the land and moving eighteen miles
away. Under the present decision, few more
explosions will kill the industry. The same
decision, IL would seem, holds good with re-
gard to all kinds OF accidental disasters.