The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-02

Times building, at tlrst street anu
Between fifty and seventy-fve en-
ployes were In the structure at the
time Of the explosion. and until the
whole list can be checked over 1T VIII
not be known how IN many E.a lives ;. were ere
paper. including Assistant General
Manager Harry Chandler. had narrow
escapes from death. many of them hav-
ing left their offices short time be-
equipped with gas fittings, and the
force of the explosion, tearing these
pipes into bits. released gas. which
was nstantaneously ignited.
No other cause but that of dynamite
explosion was advanced by witnesses.
except one. Western Union telegraph
operator William Firman. who stated
that he detected the odor of gas
throughout the building earlier in the
night. and had called attention TO II.
a few minutes after the explosion
the police arrested man named Harry
Flake making his way through the
Broadway tunnel, few blocks dis
tant. He was locked UP on suspicion
! William Irwin was arrested later IN
| the morning.
Wesley Reeves. secretary to Man,
| ager Chandler, has not been found
since the fire. Mr.. Chandler believes
fis secretary lost his NE. Gnand,iers
Blnmcs the Unions.
Mr. Chandler said There is no
doubt that this outrage can be laid
at the doors Of the labor unions They
have destroyed the building and plant
and have killed numher OF our men,
| we do not know how many, but they
can't kill the Times.
| There is no doubt that the explo-
sion was caused by a charge Of dyna-
| mite placed apparently in the little
blind alley in the centre OF the build
Ing. No other agency could have
| caused it. There was no oil In the
building. We had no boilers to ex-
plode There was no gasolene In the
| place. except small can or two III
the conposing-room. 1t is true that
| the building was equipped with gas
but no explosion of gas could have
receiving threatening letters from PEG
! pie who said that the paper ought to
be blown up"
>.wo hours after the. are Mr.. chann'
Ter was busy writing kilograms to. New
York ordering printing. presses ane
flinotypes and stereotypiny OUTFIT fol
a new plant. An issue Of the paper
was gotten out to-day from the com
posing and pressrooms Of the Los An
geles Herald and from an auxiliary o
the Times office in another part of thu
city. Mr.. Chandler said that two year
ago theATimes had established an aux
illary plant at College and San Fran
cisco Streets eauipping It with 2 pres
4
II expectation that the present plan
would some day be destroyed.
4 The Times was established in 1881
!. and General Otis purchased the pape
}, six months after 1t started. For TWEEN
(ty years the paper and it's owner hav
!, been engaged In war with labo
unions, starting with strike by tn
M Of the ihs nn1
; 1850 20 ss'V'VVV' WIZ 'ASuiait''
i Many Narrow Escapes.
The dead and missing COME prime
was directly above the spot where II
i explosion occurred All the editor
and reporters had gone home, wit
4 the execution of two or three me
Harvey G. Elder, assistant city edito
4 came and the flames shot up throue
ali parts of the building, Elder WI
i stunned, but attempted to escap
i Finding exit by the stairway shut O.
he ran to the windows which opent
Z Henamed In by flames, he jumpe
4 Irremen below held a net, but
missed 1t and struck the pavemer
II He died soon afterWard.
II Foreman Craybill, of the conlposir
II room, estimates that there We're abo
IFS men In the building. eighty-h
In his room. He believes twelve we
killed in his department, and that t
II ia taHtleS IN Otn6r departments Loldl
/ about the same number. There we
u about fifteen men in the stereotypii
81 department., but all are believed
"A have ma--~heir escape. II, d. Fallad
II in charge of tile proofreading ROOF
II the third floor, had fifteen employees
his department, eight of them wome
* All escaped.
within few seconds from the TIL
! of the explosion the entire buildil
was fiery furnace. Crowds tn
gathered early say they saw ma
:: men fall back from the windows in
4 the flames: Others leaped and we
II injured.
T Thomas p Smith. an tad" cor
C positor. working on the second flo
II when the explosion occurred, gives t
.ollowing version: ''rhere We're fiji
mon at work on my floor. belle
a that half of this number may not ha
ESCAPED. I, with others. rushed 7
4 (the street Immediately. and we tn
!. saw the wholesbuilding was In fame
y The entire building was In ruins
=E1.a5. and but two walls We're standi1
#.,| FIn addition to tbs complete plant
Y the Times the building contained
large 1obbing and commercial pla
= Of the A,narican EnSraying SConlpa'
q Fire Work of Enemies. =
-, W.. 81, a no ware first on the see