The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-01-11
SAVED REST OF PLANT


usual amount of nitroglycerin was
stored in the washhouse today is re-
garded as responsible for the salvation
Of the remainder Of the nitroglycerin
department. Ordinarily about 5000
pounds Of the explosive were stored in
the washhouse The explosion of the
full quota Of supplies would have RACED
every building TO the ground, accord
ing TO the powder experts at the plant
The explosion was Of such force as to
shake Berkeley, and among those who
felt the shock was Edward Smith S
young bride. She became Smiths wife
at Monterey last Thanksgiving day A
pretty romance was connected with
their wedding They had fallen in
love at first sight during the summer
and the marriage followed a brief
courtship. Smith had been a soldier
in Cuba during the Spanish-Anerican
war, and also had served in the Amer
lean army in the Philippines He was
a sturdy young fellow. 80 years old. He
was familiar with the work Of manu-
featuring explosives, and received q
large salary.
Smiths young bride had entreated
him TO cease the dangerous work. and
he had just made her promise that he
would soon. quit the powder plant and
secure less hazardous work. They had
secured a pretty home at 1921 Hearst
avenue, and il was from this cottage
that Mrs. Smith telephoned to the
/ powder company's Offices this morning
/ Immediately after noting the explosion
to gain news Of what had occurred al
the works. She was informed that her
( husband. alone Of the hundreds en-
ployed at the powder works, had suf-
! fered death Her grief was pitiabie.
WAS WASHING EXPLOSIVE
Smith had been employed at the Wig
! crit Powder Works for two years. Most
4 of that time he had served in the nitro
! glycerin department. His work con-
sisted in mixing the chemicals that are
used in the manufacture. of the explo-
sive named. He was employed this
morning In separating the acid from
the nitroglycerin, a process known
as washing" He left the washhoust
a few minutes before 10 O'Clock to con-
/ fer with Superintendent r. Nelson. and
! then returned. few minutes later
the explosion occurred.
William Hanson, in charge of the
packing house close by, had a narrow
escape from death. He stepped into the
washhouse a few moments before the
explosion to find out how much nitro
] glycerin Smith expected to turn out
today. Everything then was in fine
shape about the building, he declared
this afternoon. Smith left him to &c
upstairs and look at the separators
4 Hanson left the building, the explosion
following in a few minutes.
The girls employed in the dynamite
4 packing room. under. the direction Of
Mrs. r. Newell, became panic stricken
after the disaster and, fed from tn,
grounds. as did also a number of Ital.
ians and Chinese employed. Some of tbs
Italians waded into the bay to escap,
further trouble
Superintendent Nelson estimates the
damage at between $4,000 and $4,000
The storage room for dynamite wa.
damaged, but none OF its. contents ex.
ploded. The roof Of the dynamite
packing-house was knocked in. The
washhouse destroyed was a Investor,
building 25x30 feet. The roof sof tn.
principal nitroglycerin building wal
blown in. The wrecked buildings viii
be restored at once. The explosion wal
the first affair Of the sort in the histor,
OF the plant.