Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-21
BAY REGION
FEELS SHOCK
OF 7EMBLOR
EVERY MAN IN PACKING HOUSE
BLOWN TO ATOMS
FLAMES QUICKLY FOLLOW WORK
OF DYNAMITE
Fire Threatens Geiatne House, and in
Panic Resulting Among Working
Girls Several Are Seri-
ousIy Injured
Ry Associat / Press.

Hy Associot Press
BERKELEY, Cal, Feb. 2O.--with
force that shook the entire bay region
as an earthquake and a detonation
heard for miles, the Judson packing
house of the Hercules Powder works at
Pinole, fourteen miles north of here.
blew up at o'clock this afternoon. and
in the explosion four white men and
twenty-four Chinese were killed.
Ten tons of dynamite went up in the
terrific blast, shattering the sheds to
dust and splinters.
w. w. Stillwell, foreman of the pack
ing plant, was blown to atoms at his
post of duty. Not particle of his re-
mains were recovered.
Manuel Enos, Joseph Grace and W.
A. Rodrigues were the other white men
killed. The twenty-eight dead include
every man at work in the packing
house. None escaped.
Fire Follows Explosion
Flames burst forth in the ruins fol-
lowing the explosion and threatened
the gelatine house, where two score
girls were at work A panic ensued
and many wrre 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 risked their lives
at the powderlplant cam running from
the little hamlet of Pinole seeking
news of loved ones.
/ Danger of additional explosions pre-
vented those who escaped injury from
/! annrnachina. too near the wreck and
it was not until late in the evening that
the number of dead and injured was
! known.
| Charles Birmingham 1r.. superinten-
dent of the plant, took charge of the
men Immediately following the explo-
sion. Birmingham led the army of
dynamiters who fought the great San
francisco fire and today was equal TO
the emergency.
Guard Powder Works
An armed guard was thrown around
the powder works and no one was al
! lowed 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 terrific explo-
sion was saved.
-Four white men were injured by fly
ing timbers and later taken to the Lane
hospital in San Francisco by special
train.
| Mrs. Birmingham, wife of the super
intendent, cared for tho injured and
was the heroine of the wreck The in
1ured girls were cared for at the COM
pany hospital or the grounds
AS far away as Berkeley and Oak
| land the shock of the explosion caused
intense excitement. People rushed from
the houses and places of business
thinking another earthquake had come
| 1t was not long, however. before the
real cause of the concussion was
known.
| great pillar of smoke rising hun
dreds of feet In the air and plainly visi-
BILE from the tops OF tall buildings. told
that another of the powder plants or
San Pablo bay had gone up. claiming
its toll of death.
Damage Is 100000
The Hercules plant is owned by the
DePont-de Nemours Powder trust and
is used 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 explosion Is the
most serious in eighteen years
Miss Mary Brazel employed n pack
ing house No. 2, half a mile from the
scene of the explosion, was the most
seriously injured of the twelve women
and girls in the honse. She was taken
to the California Woman's hospital IN
San Francisco and is in a serious
condition.
John Lucid. section foreman; Vim
cent Robillo, assistant fireman. and
Albert Duringer, foreman OF packing
house No. 2. were all seriously injured.
John Grant. assistant foreman. was
painfully bruised
This house caught fire and was
burned down.
OF the Chinese killed only two are
known by name. They are Wing Kee
and Wong Wo.