The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-27
BIRMINGHAM MAN
 SAW EXPOSITION Clyde Winton Tells of Los An
 geles Horror WAS AN EYE WITNESS Was Standing on Corner Looking at the Times Building When Explosion Occurred and Building Burst
 Into Flames
WAS AN EYE WITNESS

That the explosion in the Los Angeles Times building in Los Angeles Cal, was the most awful accident he had ever wit messed, and that he was looking directly at the building when 1t went up in flames, was the statement of Clyde Winton of Birmingham, who is spending the holi- days with his mother on North High lands.
 Mir. Winton has been engaged in Los Angeles for several months. having gone to that city from here about two years ago. He will return to his home there after the holidays.
 "On the night of the explosion I was standing in the doorway of a nearby store waiting for my car" said MT. Win ton. Tt was nearly o'clock. looked down the street away from the Times building to see if the car was in sight then I turned and looked up the street in the dipection of the ill-fated building. In an instant the building was almost razed by an awful explosion, which was fol- lowed almost like lightning by tail tongues of flame. The building was wrapped in bazes before realized what was happening. I ran with all speed to- ward the building, about two blocks away. Prior to this time everything was quiet on the street, as becomes any city at that late hour.
 "The place, however, was crowded with flremen and late home-goers in a minute, and then it all dawned upon me what had seen.
 q could see the trapped newspaper men run to the windows and jump down in a seething cauldren of flames only to meet their horrible death while trying to save themselves. No one will ever know how many of those frenzied employees jumped down into the mouth of those flames while believing they were taking the best step to preserve their lives.
 "The entire building was all ablaze be- fore the fremen reached the scene, and those who escaped were in the news rooms on the second floor. The building was situated on a corner and it looked as though the entire block was in flames.
 "rhe screams of the men, the excite ment of those looking on, and the rapidly eating flames created a scene that no one will ever forget who saw 1t and remem- hers it's horrible results.
 'rhe dead and dying, sought by rela- tives who had reached the place, and the waiting of heartbroken kinspeople were inexpressibly sad and touching.
 "Tbere Is little doubt in the minds of persons in Los Angeles but that the ex- ploson was deliberate attempt to wreck the building. However, no one can just ly lay 1t at the door of any known per- sons. Although William Burns, the noted secret service man and a half hundred Pinkertons have searched the country no clue has been found worth while which would lead to the perpetrators of that awful crime.
 q remained around the building all night and witnessed the terrible scenes Life nets were used for some of the en- trapped men in the upper windows to jump into, but the plan was of little avail They only leaped to their death. The &C., tion of General Otis, owner of the Times, and the people of Los Angeles in pro- viding for the families of the men who met death was certainly timely. They will all be taken care of and not left de- pendent upon the city or their relatives General Otis personally is very popular In Los Angeles. and can command almost anything he wants in that city,