Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-04
EXPLOSION SHAKES
HIGHLAND PARK
BOYS CAUSE A TERRIFIC
DET0NATI0N
Youthful AIchemist Mixes Sulphur and
ChIorate of Potassium for Fourth
and Blows UP His Mothers
Home

A terrific explosion which shattered
windows, and shook houses for blocks
around caused the residents OF the VI
einity of Avenue 55 and Monte Vista
street, Highland Park, to rush out OF
doors yesterday afternoon, fearing thal
an earthquake had visited Los Angeles
and that their homes were tumbling
about their heads.
A moment later the cry of fire was
heard, and flames were seen issuing
from the residence of Mrs. Anna Lind
say 5529 Monte Vista street. An alarm
was Immediately turned in. The nre
apparatus reported promptly.
The explosion which caused so much
excitement was premature Fourth OF
July celebration, and was one which
was not intended.
During the last two weeks thoughts
of the nations birthday have filled the
minds of the youths Of that section.
Plans for unique displays of fireworks,
fancy pyrotechnic celebration and MINI
ic warfare scenes have been talked of
to the exclusion of all other matters.
AIchemist Gets Busy
One of the leaders in these plans has
been Howard Lindsay, the 12-year-old
son of Mrs. Anna Lindsay. He was the
one to whom all plans were submitted
by the youthful patriots of the district,
and the one who gave birth to new
thoughts and ideas to be carried out by
his friends.
Yesterday while puzzling over the
pages of an encyclopedia Howard got a
news idea.
Sulphur and chlorate of potash mixed
together make high explosive" were
the words he read, and Howard waited
for nothing more.
9rxI1f tn 6r-tTcr .fn n IN. or
little fellow, but soon returned with two
packages hugged tightly under each
arm. Calling his inquisitive mates
around him he quietly unfolded his
scheme.
wen mix this and this together, and
then tomorrow I'll show you an ex-
plosive that will make your heads
SWIM" he said, and within a few min
utes the work was done.
Lets try it now," suggested one of
the boys, but his remark was indig-
nantly passed over by the others, who
failed to see why celebration on July
8 paid any respect to the country at
large.
At the request of Howard a huge
earthen Jar was procured and the
mixture packed into it. Carefully the
lar was carried carried into Howard S
home and there placed on the highest
shelf in the pantry to await the dawn
of new day.
Gayly the youngsters ran from the
house to their play, happy with the
thought that they had an explosive
which would prove all that heart could
desire.
In the meantime the jar stood peace
fully but perilously near the edge of
the shelf until gentle wind sprang up.
This wind was the cause of all the trou-
ble Had it not started the front door
would not have been blown shut Had
the front door not been blown shut the
lar would not have been knocked from
it's place on the shelf and the house
would not now be minus side porch,
the plastering from several rooms, while
the neighbors would not be mourning
the loss of valuable chinaware.
Explosives Detonated
But the wind did spring up, and all
these things did happen. When the jar
was knocked to the floor by the slam
ming of the door, the contents deton-
ated, with the result that the side porcn
was torn from the house by the eX-
plosion, while the ceilings were knocked
from several of the rooms, and houses
for blocks around shook as though an
earthquake were getting busy.
Excited neighbors rushed to their
doors and hurried to the scene of the
explosion. There Mrs Lindsay was
found overcome by fright and hyster-
ical. A physician was called, and then
a bucket brigade was formed while the
men went to work to extinguish the
flames which had started. They were
successful, and by the time the fire de-
partment had arrived the fire was out.