Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-02-21

a force that shook the entire bay re-
gion as an earthquake and a detona-
tion heard for miles, the Judson
Packing house of the Hercules Pow
der works at Pinole, IA miles north
of here, blew up at 4 o'clock yester-
day afternoon and in the explosion
four white men and "a Cinnamon
were killed.
Ten tons of dynamite went up in
the terrific blast, SCATTERING the
sheds to dust and splinters.
w. w. Stillwell, foreman of the
packing house, was blown to atoms
at his post of duty. Not a particle
of his remains was collected. Man
uel Enos, Joseph Grace and w. A.
Rodriguez were the other white men
killed. The % dead include every
man at work in the packing house.
None escaped.
Girls in a Panic.
Flames burst forth in the ruins
following the explosion and threat
ened the gelatine house, where two
score girls were at work A panic
ensued and many were cut by flying
glass and crushed and trampled in
the mad rush for the doors.
The panic and confusion following
the explosion were pitiful Families
of the men who daily risk their lives
at tho powder plant came running
from the little hamlet of Pinole,
seeking news of loved ones.
Danger of additional explosives
prevented those who escaped injury
from approaching too near the wreck
and it was not until late in the even
ing that the number of dead and in
jured was known.
A Gallant Fellow.
Charles Birmingham Jr., superin-
tendent of the plant, took charge of
the men Immediately following the
explosion. Birmingham led the army
of dynamiters who fought the great
San Francisco fire and today was
equal to the emergency. An armed
guard was thrown around the pow
der works and no one was allowed |
to get within the danger line. A fire |
fighting brigade was organized and
in the face of hazards that might |
have meant death for Birmingham
or any of his brave men, the flames |
were fought down and most of the |
plant not torn to tatters by the ter
rife explosion was saved. Four
white men were injured by flying
timbers and later taken to the Lane
hospital in San Francisco by special
train.
Mrs. Birmingham, wife of the SUI
perintendent, cared for the injured
and was the heroine of the wreck.
The injured girls were cared for at
the company hospital on the grounds.
Jars Bay Region.
As far away as Berkeley and Oak
land the shock of the explosion
caused intense excitement. People
rushed from their houses and places
OF business thinking another earth
quake had come. 1t was not long.
however, until the real cause of the
concussion was known.
A great pillar of smoke, rising
hundreds of feet in the air and plain
ly visible from the tops OF tall build
ings. told that another of the powder
plant Of San Pablo bay had gone up.
claiming its toll of death.
The Hercules plant is owned by
the DupOnt-De Nemours powder
trust. and is used exclusively for the
manufacture of black powder of high
explosive power. The loss to the
company due to today's accident is
placed at about 100000. AS is
usual in such cases no definite cause
for the accident can be given. Those
who could tell the tale were blown
to atoms. Birmingham says the ex-
plOsion is the most serious in Is /
years.
Miss Mary Brazel. employed in !
packing house No. ?, half a nile
from the scene of the explosion. is
the most seriously injured Of the I
IL women and girls in the house. J
She was taken to the California I
Women's hospital in San Francisco. I
and Is In a serious condition.
John Lucid, a section foreman: I
Vincent Robbie. an assistant. and i
Albert Duringer. foreman OF packing 4
house No ?. were all seriously in q