Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 May 1898 — BIG POWDER MILLS BLOWN UP. [ARTICLE]

BIG POWDER MILLS BLOWN UP.

Twenty Persons Relieved to Have Been Killed in California. At 5:15 Tuesday afternoon Santa Cruz (Cal.) wna startled by u tremendous explosion. Buildings were shaken as though by a violent earthquake and the first thought was that one had occurred. Hardly had the rumblings died away when the second shock occurred, not so violent as the first, nnd soon small boughs from redwood trees, shingles, bits of powder cans, nnd other debris began falling in the streets of the city. They cleared up all doubts as to the cause of the shock. The California powder works had been blown up. The second shock was followed by a third and then a fourth, more violent thau the others. Between fifteen and twenty people, mostly young boys, employed at the works, were killed, aud as many more were injured. The first explosion occurred in the guncotton works. This was followed by the destruction of the nitroglycerin house, and then -a numlier of buildings used in the manufacture of smokeless powder for the Government. Then the inside powder magazine blew up with a terrific roar. Although considerable powder was stored there, the amount was small in comparison with last week, as over 100 tons were shipped to Chicago Sunday last to fill the order of thQ. Government. Nothing is known ns to what caused the explosion, but it was probably due to spontaneous combustion. There were many wild rumors afloat to the effect that Spanish sympathizers did the work, but the stories are probably based on the fact that a number of persons of Spanish descent live in the wicinity of the works.