Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-10-01
SIXTEEN LIVES LOST
Explosion in Office of Los Angeles Times
Causes Fire which Quilted the Plant
and Caused sixteen Fatalities.

Causes Fire Wnicn tsutttu tne Fiaht
and Caused sixteen Fatalities.
Los Angeles, Oct. 1.-More than a
score are believed to have persisted in
a fire which swept the building occupied
by the Los Angeles Times at an early
hour today. The fire followed an ex-
plosion in the mechanical department
of the Times and rapidly spread
throughout the entire building.
The building was soon mass OF
flames and fremen say they believe
many who attempted to reach the WIN
dows fell back into the blaze.
Immediately after the first explosion
sheet OF flames seemed to envelop
the entire building, sweeping upward
through the four-story structure. Be
fore an alarm could be rung for the
fire apparatus a series of sharp detona-
tons shook the neighborhood for
blocks.
Employees who had just left the
building when the explosion occurred
say that gas had been leaking some
where in the building all evening, and
that the smell OF gas pervaded the
whole structure This has led the
police to believe that gas caused the
explosion.
The Times building is located at First
street and Broadway, in the heart of the
busieess section of the city, and is own
ed bv Gen. Harrison Gray Otis. 1t is
one of the largest nonunion newspapers
in the country and for years has been
the scene OF bitter warfare between
Gen. Otis and friends of union labor.
Owing to the fact that the explosion
did not occur until after the paper had
been gotten out today, the death toll
was much less than would have been
had it happened a few hours earlier:
At an early hour today it was stated
that only dog watch Of two men was
in the editorial department at the time
of the explosion and that all OF the
dead we're thought TO have been among
the mailing and mechanical force.
The Times has for years been run as
open shop. Recently union labor
forces have been engaged in life and
death struggle in Los Angeles with the
merchants inclined to favor open shop.
A rolI-call of the employees shows
sixteen are dead, sixteen missing and
twenty injured.
The property loss will reach half a
million dollars.
A large part Of the editorial force had
knocked off work at the time the ex
plosion occurred. Most OF the dead
we're employed in the composing, ster-
eotyping and mailing rooms.
The paper will be published as usual
at an auxiliary plant.
Labor leaders are incensed at the
suggestion that any one connected with
unions dynamited the building.
Los Angeles, CAL, Oct Chief Of
Police Galloway announced today that
the explosion which wrecked the plant
of the Los Angeles Times early today
was due to dynamite He declared the
police had obtained positive evidence.
Los Angeles, Oct. 1.-The manage
ment OF the Los Angeles Times admit
ted today that anticipating an attack
bv some one unnamed on the plant,
the newspaper recently purchased fifty
Springfield rifles and stored them on
the fourth floor of the building. The
management also admitted that case
of sawed off shot guns were purchased
last week and moved into the editorial
rooms. Many wild rumors are IN cir
culation, one being that General Har-
rison Gray Otis, owner of the paper,
hurrying to Los Angeles, died of shock
on the train. This rumor was later
shown to be incorrect.
The labor leaders assert that while
it may be true that the fire resulted
from a deliberate attempt TO wreck the
plant. it does not follow that unionlsts
are responsible, and they assert that
agencies entirely divorced from union
labor caused the explosion.
Officials Of the Times points out that
the suggestion that the explosion OF n
steam pipe may have caused the fire IS
impossible, as there was no steam IN
the building. Only gas is used in run
ming the linotype machines, and OIL
Gals assert that this could scarcely have
caused so disastrous blast. 1t is
pointed out further that the first ex-
plosion occurred outside OF the building
and that the explosions inside followed
a few seconds later. This indicates,
according to Managing Editor Andrews
that a plot existed, first to wreck the
exterior and then the interior OF the
building.
Los Angeles, CAL, Oct. THAT
the dynamiting and burning OF the
Los Angeles Times early today was
only part of a plot to destroy not
only the Times but persons who have
aided the Times in its warfare was
alleged by friends OF General Har-
rison Gray Otis and by some OF
The police, as the result OF the find
ing Just before noon Of an exploded
dynamite bomb under the porch of the
suburban residence Of f. j. Zeehande-
aer, president of the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association. He is a
close friend and supporter OF General
Otis.
AUTOMOBILE RACE.
Grant Declared VictOr-Three Fatal
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