The San Francisco call., 1908-08-25
ROCKS HURLED BY
BLAST FELL TOTS
Three School Children Hurt and
NeighbOrhoOd Panic Stricken
by Quarry Explosion
Missiles Fly Through Air and
Fall in Rain on ThrOng
of Pupils Hs

An unusually heavy blast in Cray
Brothers quarry at Day and Noe
streets yesterday morning sent mass
OF rock and debris over the entire sur
rounding community. striking into a.
crowd of $50 school children and
causing a panic in the neighborhood.
Three of the children were injured.
John Collins. boy of years. living at
1143 Sanchez street, received an ugly
cash over the eye; Chris Beatty, aged
10, was struck. on the hip, and Coleman
Bone, aged O. was hit on the shoulder.
None Of the wounds was serious
The explosion occurred at S-45 o'clock
in the morning, when the children were
playing in the yard OF the Clement
primary school preparatory to COM
mencing their studies for the day. No
thought was there Of danger or alarm
Suddenly from the quarry there came
laundering crash and simultaneously
the air was filed with masses OF rock
The shouts of childish delight and
merriment died on the lip and with af-
frighted shrieks the tots fed in mad
confusion in all directions The rocks
fell around them with great force Mrs.
F. Quinlan, the principal OF the school.
running to the door, saw her little
charges in wild fight, and. fearing that
a second blast would follow the firsts
tapped the school bell. giving the sig
nal for assembly. The instinct or dis
cipline held good The little one&
hearing the familiar sound, turned IN
their tracks and made for the building
to crowd around the teachers, there to
sob out their fears and nestle for pro-
lection. The three who were hit lay
on the ground, but picked themselves
up and Joined their schoolmates-
The air was simply black with
rocks said Mrs Quinlan when dis
cussing the episode. My understand
ing was when 1 took charge OF the
school that there would be no blasting
in the quarry. and, after the experience
of today I shall protest against any
further attempts in that line IL Is a
miracle to me that some Of the chill
dren were not killed. Many Of the
rocks weighed two to three pounds,
and, being flung from distance OF
about 800 yards, struck the ground
with considerable force 1T was by the
merest luck that we escaped with such
slight injury"
The rocks were flung in all direc-
tions. One was driven through win
dow in the residence of Fred B. Smith.
$40 Thirtieth street, and struck bed
on which slept the Smith baby. Others
fell on the roofs of the houses One
rock. weighing more than four pounds,
struck the side OF the Smith residence,
and another. a trif1e heavier, crashed
into the porch OF the home of H Q.
I.akin, Day and Noe streets The re-
sounding crash OF rocks against their
houses drove the neighborhood into the
streets. and as soon as the cause OF
the disturbance was learned an I'M
promptu indignation meeting was held
denouncing the owners OF the quarry.
Plans for damage suits were laid on
the spur OF the moment and Tor the
next half hour the citizens were busy
collecting the rocks to use as evidence
in court.
When things had quieted down the
matter was reported to the board OF
education and Immediately turned over
to the police. Chief Biggy ordered an
instant investigation and prohibited
further blasting in the quarry The
probabilities are that arrests viii fol-
/ low.
A resolution was passed last night
/ by the Mission promotion association,
asking the board Of supervisors not TO
grant Gray brothers further permission
to blast at their quarry. The action
OF the association was ordered COM
municated to the board today.