https://www.herculeshistory.org/files/original/1b0a8885b30ea6b3af2848058a2d1640.pdf ef6d457dfaa8b7d5daac6170e6a918e5 PDF Text Text Final Report: Hercules Powder company_ oral History Project (Phase 1) Introduction In February, 1992 I contracted with the:Hercules Historic Area Restoration and Preservation Commi~tee (HARP) to conduct primary and secondary research ~eading to four oral history interviews with former employees (and/or family members of employees) of the Hercules Powder Company. At an initial meeting with HARP and City of Hercules staff two concerns were articulated: 1) that the history booklet Remembering Days Past: Hercules. 1879-1987 left some gaps to be filled; and 2) that the Chinese contribution to Hercules' early development should be reconsidered and reiterated. Chinese at Hercules. It was a hope that the local Chinese Association of Hercules might be an active participant in the project. As discussed in oue meeting of January 1992, the problem in researching Chinese history, particularly through oral history, is the time lag---most Chinese employees "left" (were forced out) of Hercules c. 1913 and as undoubtedly most or all of them were bachelors (as at Giant Powder Co.) it is difficult if not impossible to trace descendents. Thus the overall focus of this project has been the industrial and social history of the company and company town. All four interviewees were questioned, however, about Chinese workers; Mr. Thatcher was the only one with anecdotal information (see this ms.) I am also attaching a brief report on the Chinese at Point Pinole as comparative data from my previous work for the East Bay Regional Park District. Research design. Other than Chinese involvement HARP did not specify any research questions. In contacting and interviewing the four individuals I thus used a research design based on my previous two-year project documenting the history of the Giant/Atlas Powder Company at Point Pinole. Archival research was sparse due to the overaliproject budget: I read through Remembering Days Past ... ,·consulted my own notes from Point Pinole, and spent one afternoon in the Bancroft Library. Of particular interest is the publication Hercules Products (c. 1918) and of course Arthur Pine Van Gelder's History of the Explosives Industry in America. Attached are xerox pages of particular interest from both publications. I do recommend that HARP duplicate the entirety of Hercules Products. (Perhaps someone in and around Hercules has a copy which they will donate?). I tried to contact Kate Campbell at The West County Times. �Final report, page 2 The Times apparently has an extensive file on Hercules in their "morgue" but they will not allow private access to their library files. oral history interviews. I ultimately chose four interviewees from a list of former company employees which was supplied by HARP. Jackie Rochefort ahd I both agreed that at least one of the four subjects should be a woman, to reflect that perspective. Thankfully one local woman who worked in the Hercules office from 1929-1973 (!) agreed to speak with me. The other interviewees included a mix of rank-and-file and management (see attached profile list). ~ As in all professional oral history interviewing an "elite" non-standardized approach was used: thus although I developed a five page interview outline I attempted to follow, to the extent reasonable, the lead of the in¢tividual being interviewed. Two interviews were transcribed completely (verbatim) and include both face sheets and indexing; for the other two tape indexes and face sheets only were prepared. .,.,.---· It would be premature, based on four interviews, to draw any hard and fast conclusions. However several points can be made. Layout of plant: There is currently no overall description of the layout and thus the changing functions (over time) of the various lines and facilities at Hercules. This information very well may be "in the heads" of many people but the company should be mapped and the processes for making dynamite, black powder, nitric acid described in relation to the site. At Point Pinole, as an example, we had access to several company maps and thus interviewees could help describe the steps in making dynamite in relationship to a visual aid. Railroads: As at Giant the Hercules Powder Company had an extensive in-plant rail service, narrow gauge, which used both electric and gas "jitneys." According to Wilbur Thatcher (and as at Giant) some of the track was sold to Disneyland upon the plant's closure. Safety: It would seem indeed that Hercules earned its reputation for its casual approach to safefy .-(a reputation gleaned from company workers at Giant/Atlas Powder Company). Twelve men died in the 1953 explosion of the dope dryer, about eight more than worked in the facility. The others died valiantly trying to fight the fire, something they were expected to do and yet for which they had never been trained. It would appear that this accident "shook up" management as a new superintendent was soon after assigned to Hercules who developed a comprehensive safety plan including a professionally-trained fire departmel}t. �Final report, page 3 Although the hospital is mentioned in the history booklet (and is cited in Van Gelder, as attached) it was apparently only a glamorized first aid station and was not in service by 1929. Fencing: The perimeter fence was allowed to fall apart between Wars. Thus I believe in contrast to Point Pinole there was no fence or restricted access other than during the twowars (and following World War II?).· Black powder line: Two of the men interviewed (Wilbur Thatcher and Manuel Pavon) worked for several years out at the black powder line in Refugio Valley. The black powder was connected to the main plant by the narrow gauge railroad. curiously both the sulphur grinder and the coal rumbler were at the main plant site. As flash fires in the~ pulverizer are a particular problem it is noteworthy that Hercules did not isolate these buildings out at the other site. Hercules apparently continued to make both black powder and sporting powders up through the early 60's: something of an anachronism. Hospital: Recommendations ~-------- The following recommendations are made for further work: 1) - The written questionnaire, as prepared, should be disseminated by mail and at local events, to establish a data base for future oral history work. The questionnaire is patterned after one which I developed for Point Pinole Regional Shoreline. The questionnaire does not of course take the place of formal taped interviews. It is merely a mechanism to better understand the diversity of jobs, experiences, etc. of former company employees and their families. 2) The Hercules site needs to be thoroughly mapped. An aerial map of the site needs to be located ang the various (and changing) functions of the lines and facilities drawn in and described. Hercules is obviously a complex place, both historically and archaeologically, due to its diversification over the years. Some buildings still stand. Former employees should be solicited for "walk-throughs" on site to record this information while it is still available. �Final report, page 4 3) HARP and/or the city of Hercules should establish an archives or central place to collect, maintain and index photographs and documents which pertain to Hercules history. Apparently there is a room which is filled with old papers (and perhaps some maps?) in the former Office building. Former company employees (e.g. Edwin Grayr also own materials which should be duplicated and preserved. Archiving is a big task and a long-term commitment. Corporate or private funding might be available for this work. 4) The oral history project should continue. There are at least twenty-five surviving members of the "25 Year Club" in the area. There are also countless family members who might be available for interviews. There is no need to interview everyone: the written questionnaire helps to establish priorities. A project encompassing ten additional transcribed interviews would be a great contribution. Also, where are the notes or tapes made by the authors of Remembering the Past ... ? S) HARP or the City of Hercules should design and implement one or more "wayside" exhibits to interpret the industrial history of the town. These exhibits could be placed in the new park adjacent to the historic districr., in front of the office building and at the restored c~ubhouse. Karana Hattersley-Drayton North Bay Folklife services 231 Palmer Street Petaluma, CA 94952 (707) 763-5447 consultant for HARP � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Published Histories Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral History Project Report Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1998 Accounts