Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-01
Completely Destroyed.

Los Angeles, Cal, Oct. 1.-The build
ing and plant Of the Times, of which
General Harrison Gray Otis is editor
and principal owner, was completely
destroyed by an explosion and fire
early today, resulting in the death Of
upwards of 90 employees and financial
loss Of nearly half million dollars.
Some of the Dead.
Among the dead are:
HARVEY c. ELDER, assistant
city editor.
CHARLES E. LovELACE. coun-
try editor.
J. WESLEY REAvEs, secretary
TO Manager Chandler.
r., L, SAWYER, telegraph oper-
ator.
HARRY L. CRANE, assistant tel
egraph editor.
The city council today voted a
$4,000 fund for use in running
down the dynamiters.
Foreman Crabill of the composing
room estimates there were 115 men in
the building, IS of them in his depart
ment- He believes 18 of his men
were killed end the. fatalities in the
other departments were about the
same number.
Another Attempt Made.
Manager Chandler is authority for
the statement an attempt to blow up
the Times auxiliary plant in another
part Of the city was made a few min
utes before the explosion destroyed
the main office.
BIanes Labor Unions.
The management Of the paper lays
blame for the explosion to labor unions
with which organizations the paper has
long been engaged in bitter warfare.
It Is charged unknown parties set off
charge of dynamite in a blind alley
which ran into the center Of the build
ing, completely wrecking the interior
and setting it on fire from the roof to
the basement.
Many In the Building.
Between so and rs employees were in
the building at the time, and until the
whole list of employees can be checked
over 1t will not be known how many
lives we're lost. The responsible heads
of the paper, including Assistant Cen
eral Manager Chandler, had narrow es-
capes from death, many of them having
left the building short time before
the explosion.
Gas Caused the Fire.
The force of the explosion broke gas
pipes and released gas which was in
simultaneously ignited in every part of
the building. No other cause but that
of dynamite explosion was advanced
by witnesses, excepting in the case of
a Western Union telegraph operator,
William Firman, who stated he detect
ed the odor of gas throughout the build
ing earlier in the night and had called
attention to it.
Two Suspects Arrested.
After the explosion the police arrest
ed Harry Plake and William Irwin as
suspects. Police are without clews as
to the probable perpetrators. Wesley
Reeves, secretary to Manager Chand-
Ter, has not been found since the fire,
and it is thought he is among the dead.
Had Been Threatened.
Speaking of the explosion, Chandler
declared there is no doubt this terrible
outrage can be laid at the doors of the
labor unions; that it was caused by the
use of dynamite, and that an explosion
OF gas could not have caused such
complete wreck. He says that for
years the owners of the paper have
been receiving threatening letters
Bomb Under Home.
F. ]. Zeehandelaar, secretary of |
the Merchants and Manufacturers |
association, notified the police today |
that charge of dynamite had been /,
found under his house. The bomb |
found was Of clock work design and |
consisted of 15 sticks Of dynamite |