The Detroit times., 1911-10-27

NO person, hrm or corporation
shall bring within the limits OF
the city. or have in their or its
possession. therein. any dyna-
mite, nitro-glycerin. giant powder
or any other high grade explosive
OF similar kind.-Section Z, Chap
ter las. page 229. OF the Com
piled City Ordinances.
In violation OF the above ordinance
provision. lhe Concrete Operating Co.,
OF No. col Penobscot building. set on
u blast that nearly killed Louis
SawartZopoulos, Greek saloonkeeper
at No 1856 Monroe-aye.. shattered
windows along Monroeaye, in the
block between Beaubien and ST. An
toine-sts. and made pretty mess
OF things tor Traugott Schmidt, or
Traugott Schmidt 4 Sons. tanners, at
Monroeave and Beaubien-st. for
whom the dynamiting was done.
Three big blasts were set OF, We'd
nesday afternoon. and as the Schmidt
factory is on the border OF the most
thickly populated Italian section OF
the city. the frightened Italians
poured by scores 10 the scene OF the
explosions, thinking that the Black
Hand was at work in sudden burst
OF daylight fury,
The air was filled with gravel and
fine dust, which settled over a dis
trict a block square. Stones, and
chunks of concrete were hurled
through window panes in buildings
facing the Schmidt factory. Big tim
bers were tossed over the high brick
wall surrounding the courtyard OF the
factory, and toppled on the sidewalk,
and even into the roadway OF Ma
comb-st.
rraugott Schmidt is indignant at
the action OF the contractors. He
was out Of the city when the dyna-
hitting occurred, bat was notified by
long distance telephone, and hurried
back 10 put stop TO il.
Mr.. Schmidt had contracted with
the Automatic Sprinkler Co, or Amer
lea. with headquarters in New York
city, for a 40.000-gallon water tank.
in connection with an automatic
sprinkler system for the big factory.
The contract was sublet 10 a Chi
cago firm. and by IT. the contract for
cement piers TO hold the big tank.
was sublet to the Concrete Operating
Co.
The company had built the piers,
but Mr.. Schmidt was not satisfied
with them. as he regarded them as
unsafe. and was backed in his de-
cision BY the building department.
The contractors were ordered 10 re-
move the piers.
II didn't want the safety OF my
employees endangered by unsafe sup
ports for that big tank" says Mr..
Sehmit. Ii was on their own initia.
tive. Mr.. Schmidt says. that they
used the dynamite to facilitate the
work OF removing the concrete
piers,
Mr.. Schmidt was wrathy when told
OF the shattered windows along the
street. and was still more warthy
when shown the city ordinance for
bidding the use. of dynamite in the
city. or even its presence within the
city limits.
They had no business TO do it,
he said. but on account OF all the
sub-letting of the contract, had no
control over their method"
Sawortzopoulos, the Greek saloon
keeper. was standing behind his bar.
close to the big front window OF his
place, when three large pieces or
rock. each as big as an ordinary
mans two frsts. came hurting
through the window. One piece
missed his head by only about a half
inch. He has the stones on his bar
as souvenirs The window was shat
tered. and the bottles along the back
bar were knocked on the floor, and
some were broken.
In the printing plant OF Der Hsr-
old" at No. lag Monroe-ave., a smali
piece Of stone came through the front
window. The windows OF the Oiym
pia Baking Co, at No. 15l. were
wrecked. A restaurant at No lb5
Monroe-ave., also had several panes
OF glass broken. and a lodging house
at No. l57 also showed the effects OF
the blasts.
Gravel and dust settled down on
Macomb-st.. in front OF a harness
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