This is the newspaper article when my grandfather was killed....some of you have had relatives here in Pensacola so I thought I would send the article in case some surnames are mentioned you were interested in.... BLAST KILLS TWELVE PERSONS Eight Others Injured as Explosion and Fire Raze Newport's Plant Seven in Dangerous Conditions as Result of Tragic Blast; Flames Were Still Raging Last Night; Damage Estimated At $200,000. Twelve men are deal and eight others are injured, seven dangerously, as the result of an explosion and fire which destroyed one unit of the plant of The Newport Company yesterday at an estimated property damage of $200,000. The dead: WALTER H. WATSON, Peterson station. WARREN ELDRIDGE, Bay Minette, Ala, 608 E. Marianna St. EDWARD ELDRIDGE, Bay Minette, Ala, 608 E. Marianna St. ROBERT H. WHITCOMB, 2014 West Gregory Street. D. M. BAGGETT, 505 North "O" Street. R.M. HAMMACK, 225 E. Wright Street. S. E. FAULK, 310 W. Gregory Street. R.L. CALHOUN, negro, Pensacola. FRANK MORAN, negro Pensacola, CHARLES HUNTER, negro G. CARTER, negro J. A. STOCKMAN, negro, W. Jackson Street Seven of the injured are not expected to live. They are M.B. Daniels, Tom Payne, W.J. Jones, Charles Hammack, C..D. Adcock, Charles Allison and Dillard Lowe. Peter Anderson, negro is slight hurt. The cause of the explosion has not been determined. Firemen were still at work Saturday night attempting to ascertain if there were more bodies in the burning plant. The body of an unidentified negro was removed late in the afternoon, burned beyond recognition. Every available ambulance in the city was pressed into service when the explosion occurred and all fire fighting facilities the city possessed were rushed to the scene to check the rapidly spreading flames. Tar from the retort was hurled in all directions by the explosion, contributing to the rapid spread of the fire. The explosion is said to have catapulted one man through the roof of the building, his body being found 150 feet away. Another man, M.B. Daniels, who was standing near the retort building when the explosion occurred was seriously injured when a molten mass of burning resin struck the back of his neck. J.H. McCormack, vice president and general manager of the company, in a statement tonight, said that he was sitting in his offices at the time of the tragedy, and heard two explosions; the first was loud and the second muffled. Immediately following the explosions, the entire retort building was wrapped in flames. "It is difficult to estimate the amount of damage," said Mr. McCormick, "but roughly speaking I would say that the damage amounts to $200,000. I am unable to say at this time whether or not we will reconstruct the building. "The explosion occurred in the retort building and, our retort, is 20 feet in diameter and six feet deep. I am not in a position to give out the cause of the accident as it may have been caused by two or three things." So hot were the flames that the re-inforsed glass in the windows of the structure melted and hung like icicles from the steel window sashes. Steel girders as large as a man's waist were twisted and bent by the intense heat. Automobiles belonging to employees of the company which were parked 150 yards from the retort building were completely demolished. The tires were blown off and in some instances the glass in the windshields melted. The building which housed the retort unit of the plant was demolished, only the steel frames and supports of the retort being left standing. The fire last night had been confined to the retort which contains a highly inflammable navy stores by-product. The Newport Tar and Turpentine Company has operated in Pensacola for the past ten years. There have been small fires at the plant several times but they were quickly extinguished. The company has its own fire-fighting apparatus and had streams of water playing on the flames within a short time after the explosion. It was estimated that there were 140 men in the building at the time of the explosion, and according to eye witnesses, it was a miracle that the majority escaped with their lives. Officials stated that they were grateful to members of the fire department and police force for the prompt service and hearty cooperation in the matter. Funeral Plans Announcement was made last night of plans for the disposition of eight bodies of persons who were killed in the Newport Tar and Turpentine Company fire. ROBERT H. WHITCOMB Robert H. Whitcomb, 2014 West Gregory Street will be buried in St. John's Cemetery. The funeral will be held from the home at 3 o'clock this after with Rev. Harrison officiating at the ceremony. Mr. Whitcomb was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge of Pensacola and also the W.O.W. He served 12 years in the United States Navy and has been in the employ of the Newport Tar and turpentine Company for several years. Pallbearers will be F.G. Willig, A. Hombrock, Arthur L. Kerle, Olof Jackson, G.C. Allen, and William B. Hansen. Honorary pallbearers are Walter H. White. L. Marshall, Dr. V.R. Nobles, James Reed, S.P. Rosear and L.M. Davis. ATTENTION ODD FELLOWS All Odd Fellows requested to meet at the Odd Fellows Hall this afternoon at 2 p.m., to attend the funeral of our later brother, R.H. Whitcomb, in a body. J.H. Delmar, Nobel Grand T.T. Wentworth, Jr., Secretary ROBERT M. HAMMACK Robert M. Hammack, 31, son of John and Caroline Hammack, 225 East Wright Street, will be buried in St. John's Cemetery. The funeral will be held from the home at 4:30 this afternoon with Rev. R.R. Deal officiating at the cemetery. He is survived by his mother, a brother, Charles H. Hammack, three sisters, Mrs. J.J. Rose, Mrs. B.A. Jones and Miss Bama Hammack. All are of Pensacola. DENNIS M. BAGGETT Dennis M. Baggett had been at work in the company but one day when the tragedy occurred. He was 20 years of age and was employed as steel driver at the company. The funeral will be held from the home of his brother, who lives at 505 North O Street. The body will be taken from Pensacola to Cold Springs, where interment will take place at 11 o'clock this morning. He is survived by his father, Jas. D. Baggett; two brothers, Tom S. and Gordon of Pensacola. S. E. FAULK S. E. Faulk died at the hospital at 3 o'clock yesterday. He came here from canoe, Ala., two months ago and had been residing at 310 West Gregory. The body will be shipped to Wabeek, Ala., this morning at 9:15 o'clock. Interment will take place there. He is survived by his wife, Lena; his mother, Mrs. John Faulk; a daughter, Mrs. William Vaughn, of Atmore; two sons, Walter J. and Aubry; one brother and eight sisters. JAMES STOCKMAN James Stockman, 70 died in the hospital at 6 o'clock last night. He was unmarried and lived on West Jackson Street and was employed as a laborer. His niece, Mrs. Janis Smith, will accompany the body to Myrtle Grove, from which place the funeral will be held at 1 o'clock this afternoon. (Continued on Page Twelve) Pensacola, Florida, Sunday Morning, January 3, 1926 Page Twelve FUNERAL PLANS (Continued from Page One) ELDRIDGE BROTHERS Warren and Edward Eldridge, 608 East Mariana Street, were instantly killed in the explosion. Their uncle E.J. Lemerise will accompany the bodies to Bay Minette, Ala., Monday morning. The youths were employed as electricians. They came here from Chicago and had been in Pensacola four years. WALTER WATSON The body of Walter Watson, Patterson Station, was taken to the T.M. Lloyd undertaking parlors. Funeral arrangements will be announced later. He is survived by a wife and several children. He was 39 years of age. All funerals, are under the direction of the T.M. Lloyd undertaking service. Buried: Oak Grove Cem, Oak Grove, Escambia Co., FL