The San Francisco call., 1898-12-07
CLEARING AWAY
 WRECK OF THE
 POWDER MILL Judson Company to
 Rebuild. MYSTERY OF THE EXPLOSION SUPERINTENDENT c. D. KENNE- DY'S DEATH LAMENTED. Tribute to the Noble Character of the Man-The Inquest Will Be
 Held at San
 Pablo.
MYSTERY OF THE EXPLOSION
SUPERINTENDENT c. D. KENNE
 DY'S DEATH LAMENTED.

The gelatine plant of the Judson Powder Works, which was completely destroyed in the explosion that wiped out the hVes of Superintendent Charles D. Kennedy and five Chinese laborers Monday after noon, is to be rebuilt at once. A gang of men was at work bright and early yesterday morning clearing away the debris of the wrecked building, prepara- tory to the erection of a new mixing house, and in the course of ten days or two weeks the plant will be again in full operation.
 The fragments of flesh and shreds of clothing, which furnished mute and meager evidence of the sacrifice of human life which the explosion entailed, and which were gathered up after the dis aster by Deputy Coroner Quellin of Ala meda County, will be taken to San Pablo in Contra Costa County Thursday, where an inquest will be held by Coroner Curry at 1 o'clock p. m The lnquest will be mere formalIty, however, as far as ascertaining the cause of the deplor- able tragedy is concerned, for the req son that, as in all explosions Of this character, the only persons Who coulu have passed beyond the jurisdiction or earthly authorities.
 As an official of the Judson Powder Works said yesterday, the cause or the explosion will never be known: If It could be, future disasters of the kind might be guarded against, but as 1t is, explosions in powder mills will continue to occur and human lives will continue to be sacrificed. Those who engage in the actual work of manufacturing lives in their hands, and explosions are not of sufficient rarity in California 10 cause a great amount of surprise after the first shock of horror has passed. But seldom has a community experienced such a sensation of mingled awe and grief at the death of one of its members as was caused by the untimely tahns or of Charles D. Kennedy: There Is mourn. ing in the Athenian Club in Oakland, of which he was member and at which he resided, and there is genuine sorrow among scores of friends and acquaint- ances who knew and appreciated the noble character of the man.
 Michael A. Kennedy, clerk in To. briner's drug store, at the corner of Seventh and Market streets in Oakland, is the only relative of the deceased on the coast. Charles Kennedy had been brother and father to him and the blow Is doubly severe on the young man.
 II have heard many explosions, said MT. Kennedy last evening, his eyes filling with tears as he spoke, and never paid when l heard that noise yesterday after noon l collapsed completely, for l knew instinctively that Charley was gone
 President LukenS of the JudSon Com pany sent message East announcing MT. Kennedys death immediately after the accident and yesterday he received dis patch to the effect that the family of the deceased had been notified. Michael Kennedy also sent message, but has as yet received no reply, and until he does no definite arrangements for the funeral will be made.
 MT. Kennedy leaves a mother, Mrs. M. F. Kennedy of New Bedford, Mass; four brothers and sister. The latter are: pr. Frank M. Kennedy and Joseph F. nedy, Boston; M. A. Kennedy, Oakland, and Mrs. M. T. Hudner, Fall River, Mass.