San Francisco, California
Nitroglycerin Factory Explosion
May 21, 1895
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION
Nitro-Glycerine [sic] Factory Goes up and a
Number of Lives Lost.
SHOCK FELT FOR 40 MILES.
Mixing Houses of the California Powder Works the
Scene of the Disaster--Portions of the Houses
Thrown a Half Mile--Particles of Human Bodies
Scattered in Every Direction.
San Francisco, May 22.--A terrific report
and concussion which was distinctly felt all
through the city and towns around the bay for a
distance of 40 miles yesterday, was at first
believed to have been caused by an earthquake,
but proved to be an explosion in the nitro-glycerine
[sic] and mixing houses of the California
powderworks across the bay. The crew in the
glycerine [sic] house, four in number, and the
foreman of the mixing room were killed, as were
also nine Chinese working in the latter
department. The explosion occurred in the nitro-glycerine
[sic] house and was probably caused by a Chinese
dropping a can of the explosive. The cause
cannot be definitely ascertained, however, as
all connected with the building are dead.
Exploded With Terrible Force.
There were 200 Chinese in that adjacent mixing
room, and at the sound of the explosion all ran.
The force of the explosion was tremendous. Huge
pieces of wood were thrown into the bay, a
distance of half a mile, and nitro-glycerin
tanks were hurled a distance of 500 yards.
Hands, legs and other parts of the mutilated
remains of the dead were scattered along the
road or a mile. The nitro-glycerin house first
went up, and the mixing storehouse and gun
cotton in the premises followed.
The nitro-glycerine [sic] house of which not a
vestige now remains, was a 8-story frame
structure, 1200 feet by 50 feet. It contained
8,000 pounds of nitro-glycerin [sic] and 2,000
pounds of hercules powder. A remarkable feature
of the explosion is that although the storehouse
containing 1,000 pounds of hercules powder is
completely wrecked its contents are intact. In
all 100,000 pounds of explosives went up with a
roar and with a sheet of flame. The facilities
are as follows:
Killed:
CLARENCE JOHNSON,
foreman glycerine [sic] house.
D. A. DOANE
of Pinole.
M. Minahah of Oakland.
C. VLIGAS of Martinez.
W. D. TAYLOR, foreman of mixing
house.
NINE CHINESE.
Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, In 23 May
1895
Transcribed by Audrey. Thank you,
Audrey!
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