In The News: Powder Works on an Island

As far back as 1896, there had been enough explosions at the Powder Works that people were considering alternate locations, even further away from potentially endangered populations.

There was a great deal of excitement in summer of 1896.  Survey crews were scurrying around Captain Scott’s Island, not far from Alvarado.  The locals had no idea what they were up to.  The San Francisco Call finally let the cat out of the bag on September 12, reprinted here in its entirety with original grammar and spelling intact.

POWDER WORKS ON AN ISLAND

The Pinole Establishment to Be Moved Near Alvarado.

SURVEYORS AT WORK.

Their Presence on Captain Scott's Island Is no Longer a Mystery.

THE SITE WELL PROTECTED.

In Case of an Explosion the Effect Would Not Be Felt, Except on One Side of the Island.

Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
908 Broadway, Sept. 1

For several days there has been some quiet excitement at Scott's Island, near Alvarado. Surveyors have been laying out stakes and making plans and taking bearings and running lines and doing other simple things which appear mysterious till understood. It was learned today that they are preparing plans for building powder works, and when completed the works at Pinole, which recently went up in an explosion, will be transferred to the island.

Scott's Island is an ideal place for powder works that are periodically wrecked by explosions. It is an island surrounded by marsh. The best location for the works is on the hillside, facing the bay. There would be the whole island between the scene of an explosion and the nearest inhabitants, who dwell on the mainland across the creek that runs all around the island.

The new location is near Patterson's landing, but the latter is at the back of the hill. Everything would be protected by the island and the concussion would not be felt beyond its borders, owing to the soft nature of the ground. The farmers in the neighborhood do not anticipate any disastrous effects from the proximity of the works, as they are all on the mainland.

The operations on the island have been a source of interest to the people on the mainland for several days, and it was rumored that the railroad company was going to establish shops on the island. To-day a party went over in a boat and made Inquiry. They were informed that they were laying out the locations of the various departments of the powder works, which it is the intention to remove from Pinole.

There is plenty of water on the bay shore of the inlet for a first-class wharf and landing, and it is likely that all the employes, excepting perhaps, the Chinamen will live on the mainland.

A few years ago the island was first proposed as a powder-work location, but the project was then dropped. It is not known when the works will be removed, but as the company will have to secure such new plant before full operations are resumed, it is likely that Scott's Island will be ready for its initial explosion before the end of the year.

Article courtesy of the California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside.  All newspapers published before January 1, 1923 are in the public domain and therefore have no restrictions on use.