Show powder plant wrecked by an unknown cause oakland cal july 13 the giant powder mining plant of the giant powder company at giant Cont was destroyed ay an explosion at this morning eight lives were lost man and seven chinese the dead wm H foreman of the plant 50 ears ot age and seven chinese one chinese was injured lie was working on the outside of the plant and the force 0 the explosion sent him about twenty feet into the bay of san francisco after dropping into the water he walked to shore over the murt flats having sustained a few scratches on the face a burned right hand and fractured left arm the plant was a frame structure covered with lime the loss will be about the powder works are located about five miles north of richmond tho mixing building the explosion took place was located a quarter of a mile from the foider works proper and the latter escaped damage foreman dwyer and his seven chinese helpers had just begun work for the day and since no one in the building escaped with his life there li no reliable information as to what caused the explosion there was an immense quantity of chemicals tn the mixing building and the slightest carelessness would easily result in destruction two small warehouses twenty by twenty feet and only a short distance from the main mixing building were also shattered the buildings are a total wreck |