Evening star., 1907-08-25
PEOPLE CRAzED WITH FEAR
Believed That Another Earthquake
Was Upon Them.
STAMPEDE OF THE WORKERS
Women Crushed in Struggle to
Reach the Street, While Men
Fought With Knives.

SAN FRANCISCO. Cal, August "a
There were three explosions at the Dupont
De Nemoures powder works at Sobrante,
on the bay shore sixteen miles north of
Berkeley. today Two persons are known
to be dead and many are believed to have
been injured. The whole works are in
flames.
The dead are Richard Thompson and
William Doane.
These two men were working in the mix
ing house when three tons of nitro -glycerin
exploded. destroying the washhouse, the
nitro-glycerin mixing house and the acid
separating house and large acid tank.
The monetary loss is $4,000.
The shocks of the explosion were felt in
the cities all around the bay. When the
1000 employees of the California Fruit Can
ners' Association, who work in the big es-
Establishment of the company on Van Ness
avenue, in this city, felt the shocks, they
thought there was an earthquake, and
rushed into the streets.
During the stampede a number of per-
sons were thrown down and trampled upon.
So far known none was killed, but
many were badly bruised.
Cannery Panic.
At least thirteen persons were severely
hurt at the cannery panic. Seven italian
women were removed to the Central Emer-
gency Hospital: three other women were
taken home, and three more were treated
at the cannery. When the shock CT the ex-
plOsion was first felt several Italian en-
pioyes went into the street to investigate
the cause On re-entering the building
they said it was an earthquake, and this
started stampede. During the efforts to
get outside few men drew knives and
wounded several persons. Others jumped
into a chute used TO send boxed cans from
the second floor of the establishment, and
were landed in a heap at the bottom
OF the seven injured women taken to the
Central Emergency Hospital one whose
name has not been ascertained is suffering
from internal injuries and possibly a frac-
ture of the skull. The other injured wom
include:
Rosa Angelcni injured internally.
Josephine Marnella, skull fracture.
Mrs Balloni. deep cuts on head.
Teresa Quassa, ribs broken.
Maria Sabini, serious condition as result
of shock.
Mary Scardinia. may die.
Antonio ConniZia, seems to be the only
man severely injured.
Cause of the Crush.
The main cause of injury to so many per-
sons among the 1.0Oo employees was the
closing of the heavy doors opening from
the main stairway to the street vestibule.
1t is thought that employees on the lower
floor In rushing out through the vestibu!e
closed these doors. which are directly at
the bottom of the stairway, leading from
the main corridor on the second floor OF
the cannery.
Nearly JOO woman employees who worked
on the second floor, scarcely understand
ing the cause of the excitement crushed
int the upstairs corridor, and those be-
hind finding themselves blocked by others
already filling the staircase, threw them
selves headlong downstairs until the stair
way was jammed full OF excited women,
all held in the narrow inclosure by the
heavy doors at the bottom OF the stairs.
The doors could not be opened until sew
eral policemen arrived and broke the
hinges, allowing the women to'reach the
street.