San Leandro Record

September 21, 1889

Mr. Bing Makes Big Bang

On Monday evening about ten oclock a vivid flash of light was noticed in the direction of Lake Chabot and was immediately followed by a loud report. The flash of light and the report were the results of an explosion which caused the death of four Chinamen. The night force of Chinese was engaged in excavating a trench from tunnel to the creek. A Chinaman named Ah Bing was removing a blasting cartridge which had failed to go off, and was picking it out with a knife when it exploded kill Bing and another Chinaman outright and injured two more so severely that they died in almost an hour. An inquest was held by Coroner Evers, and the jury returned a verdict of death from the explosion of a giant powder cartridge.