Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-10
MARE ISLAND NAVY
YARD IS SCENE Of
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION
Eight Persons Are Believed
Killed and Thirty Known In
iured When Powder House
Magazine Blows Up

VALLEJO, Cal, July Slight per-
sons are missing and are feared to have
persisted as the result of the explosion
which DESTROYED the black powder store
house of the ma gazine at the Mare Island
navy yard early today. Thirty injured
persons have been taken TO the navy
yard hospital, but 1t is not believed
any of them will die
This is the latest information avail
able following the terrific explosion
which shook the navy yard, Vallejo,
South Vallejo and surrounding cities.
No official statement of any kind has
been issued and this statement is based
on reports by workmen and rescuers
who returned to Vallejo after battling
the fire at the navy yard, or telephoned
the reports TO their families.
The missing are: Gunner A. S. Mac
kenzie his wife and two children;
George Stanton. OF South Vallejo; gar
dener and his wife. names unknown,
who were living at the Mackenzie dwell
ing, and Neal Damsted, of Vallejo.
First reports were the entire maya
zine of the navy was destroyed. Later,
vorkmen explained that what is known
as the black powder magazine consists
of several buildings. One Of these is
the black powder storehouse" and it
was there the explosion occurred.
STATEMENT WITHHELD.
Nearly three hours after the explo-
sion il was impossible to get any def
mite statement from navy officials at
the yard. Newspaper men and other
outsiders were still barred from en-
trance.
No opinion as to the cause of the
explosion has been ventured by return
ing workmen.
TIRE following the explosion has been
brought under control.
Oficials have started a search of the
wrecked buildings, and il was ANNOUNCED
that nothing official would be given out
until the extent of the casualties and
damage had been determined.
workmen returning to Vallejo, across
the straits from the yard, declare that
by workmen and officers in the immedi-
ate vicinity of the magazine were de-
stroyed or badly shattered. 1t is in
these that il is feared casualties oc-
CURED.
1t is impossible to get details because
Of the strict censorship established by
the navy department at the beginning of
hostilities with Germany and which are
still in effect.
One of the worlmen returning to Val
Iejo reclared his belief that all the
houses AT the scene ndu pSen DlO"H 10
pieces"
EXPLOSION TERRIFIC.
So terrific was the blast that most
of the houses in South Vallejo, across
the straits, facing the part of the yard
in which the magazine was located,
were badly damaged. Most of them had
their fronts blown in and several were
unroofed. The roof of the roundhouse
at that point was blown in.
Chimneys in both Vallejo and South
Vallejo toppled and fell under the blast.
In Vallejo proper thousands of dol
lars of plate glass windows on Georgia
street, the main thoroughfare, were shat
tered and much other damage was done.
The port side of the Southern aPcific
steamer FL Captain, which was in mid
stream when the explosion occurred, was
blown out. and two doors of the vessel
were shattered. Six men on the steam
er were injured. none of them danger
ously They included Lieutenant c.
Baird.
All the windows in the office of the
Southern Pacific railroad station agent
and roadmasters Office were destroyed,
he baggage roorl doors Of the station
were blown off and other damage was
cone to the station.
The steamer IroGucis. which was in
the strait at the time. was also badly
damaged