The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-30
THREE BUILDINGS LOST.
Complete Destruction of the
Plant Is Narrowly
AVerted.
CAUSED BY CARELEssNEss.
A Spark From a Timers Stove
Starts the Disastrous Con-
flagration.

PINOLE, CAL, June 29-The California
Powder Works plant at Hercules, which
was blown up on May 81 last when four
teen lives were lost, narrowly escaped
destruction by fire this afternoon and was
damaged to the extent of SIS 900 by the
devouring element.
Ever since the dreadful explosion which
sent so many employees to eternity force
of between 800 and 400 men has been
steadily at work repairing the damaged
buildings and erecting new ones in place
of those that were blown from the face of
the earth. The plant was to have started
with full working force on Monday morn
ing, and the carpenters and other artisans
were working like Trojans to finish their
jobs by nightfall.
The confagration started at o'clock in
the niter-house, and seems to have been
the direct result of carelessness on the part
of some employee. The timers, who were
on the roof putting on tin sheathing. car
ried their stoves to the place where they
were working, and spark from one of
these started the fire among the rafters
1t had gained considerable Roadway before
it was discovered, and aided by the high
wind which was blowing off the bay,
spread with great rapidity.
The superintendent called the men
from all parts of the works to aid in sup
pressin the blaze, but in spite of their eff
forts the fire soon spread to the drying
house and big concrete warehouse, where
500 tons of nitre was stored. At this time,
an hour after the fire started, 1t seemed as
though the works were doomed, as the
x,,s, l-,x a
buildings, and rush was made for the
acid house to save the three platinum s
which cost $4,000 each. Soon after they
had been removed, however, the breeze
suddenly shifted and the fire-fighters went
to work with renewed zeal, with the re-
suit that the fire was soon under control.
The inter and drying houses were tota lily
destroyed, while the warehouse was dam
aged to the extent of several thousand
dollars.
When the warehouse began to burn the
dense clouds of smoke that arose and the
loud explosions which followed each other
in rapid succession as the water fell on the
inter frightened those within sight of the
works into the belief that another terrible
explosion was about to occur and within
q few minutes the scene was almost beyond
description. Distracted women who
feared for their husbands and sons rushed
about bewailing their lots, and one woman
tainted from Joy as she saw her husband
fighting the fire, but safe and unframed.
The Chinese, about 200 of whom are en-
pl Dyed at the works. did not wait for de-
velopments after the fire started, but
mindful of the fate which overlook nine
Of their countrymen in the recent e1-
plosion. gathered their few belongings and
fairly flew for places of safety. Many did
not stop short of mile or two from the
burning buildings and were with much
difficulty coaxed back after the flames had
been subdued.
The fire caused much excitement at San
Pablo and Pinole and in the surrounding
country and before 1t was e1tinguished
hundreds of curious people drawn by the
smoke and smothered explosions had
gathered at safe distance to watch opera
tons.
The burning of the three houses and the
other damage caused by the fire will put
back the opening of the works from three
weeks to a month. This delay, with the
Sic, 900 or more loss on the buildings. will
make the fire quite an expensive affair to
the California Powder Company.
1t is said that the timers were warned
not to take their stoves on top of the build
ings, as fire was likely TO be started, but
they disobeyed instructions. The work of
reconstructing the buildings, which were
fully insured, will be begun at once and
pushed to speedy conclusion.