The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-20

easiest way to effect the arrest Charfey
did not approve of this and said that he
did not believe it would be long before
the fellow would surrender. We hung
around all night, and just at daybreak
Charley White sent Chinese to tell the
fellow to come out. He would not do
so, but shortly after o'clock he told
us he would walk out and give us no
more trouble.
"'Come out, Charley, and we will not
hurt you said White to the Chinese,
and the fellow said he would do so.
LAS soon as the fellow made his ap-
pearance at the door of the place Char
ley White and Gus Koch walked to-
ward him TO make the arrest. Ed White
and I followed them about eighty feet
behind. They were almost at the door
when Chung closed it with bang.
Less than a second later / was being
carried with a cloud of debris and earth
swiftly over the ground. My face was
cut and my clothes torn and / cannot
understand how it happened that 1 and
Ed White were not killed, as some Of
those killed were farther away than We
were.
door closed Chang fired his pistol into
the powder. This fact, however, must
forever remain in doubt, as I did not
hear pistol shot prior to the explo-
sion. This is not surprising. however.
for there would not be much of an in
terval after the shot was fired. When
I picked myself up and looked around
everything was on fire. 1 at once
started to search for the remains of
those who l knew must have been sac
rifced, and the first thing L found was
an arm of poor Charlie. This was
fully 200 feet from where he was stand
ing when the explosion occurred.
Little by little we found other frag-
ments. but undoubtedly much Of the re-
mains were consumed by fire.
Five minutes after the explosion
everything was on fire, including a
train Of box cars. 1t will be weeks
before I shall recover from the fright
ful shock I received"
A few minutes after the explosion
all the buildings connected with the
fuse company's works were on fire. A
train of box cars that was on the track
north Of the fuse works was set on fire
and three of the cars entirely con-
sumed, as there was no water to fight
the flames. Two engines were sent out
from Oakland, but there was no water
available, and they could do nothing.
AS soon as the explosion occurred two
companies OF soldiers were sent to the
scene from Camp Barrett, which is less
than a block away, and a guard was
established around the burning wreck
age Some of the soldiers pushed sew
en- box cars to a place of safety; others
assisted in combining the largest sec
ton that was on fire by rearing around
II a wall of the sheet iron that had pre-
viously formed the roof. Other sol-
diers sought among the ruins and as
sisted in recovering the remains.
Much dissatisfaction is expressed by
those who have suffered from the ex-
plosion, as they believe that the COM
pany had far more powder on the
premises than the law allows.
An investigation will be demanded
by the residents living in the vicinity
of the works, for it is now reported on
all sides, and seemingly with much re-
liability. that the quantity of powder
stored in the magazine was very great.
1t is stated tonight that four carloads
have been unloaded at the works this
week
The Melrose schoolhouse is less than
a block from the site of the works and
is attended by 100 children. 1t is bad
ly damaged, but the trustees say they
will have it ready to open by next Mon
day.