Hot Embers

Photographer George Shelton of William Randolph Hearst's San Francisco Examiner had just made one "shot" of The Chief ("WR") being handshaken at city hall by Mayor James ("Sunny Jim'') Rolph Jr. He reached for his bottle of flashlight powder, to prepare another. As he removed the stopper there was a searing flash, a dull detonation, a blast of choking smoke and flying glass. The crowd of 3,000 milled and trampled at the cry of "bomb!" Photographer Shelton lost a thumb, nearly lost an eye from what every photographer fears--hot embers falling into the powder bottle.

Publisher Hearst, unscathed by the explosion, recalled reports of General Electric's new safe flashlamp, self-contained in a glass bulb (TIME, Aug. 13). A few minutes after returning to his hotel he issued telegraphic orders to all Hearst editors to "throw away all flashlight powder that is on hand to remove the temptation of using it." He ordered the new flashlamps and "candid cameras" (TIME, Feb. 17) for all Hearstpapers.

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