Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-04
Tho Dag litter.

two tenders.
Tho Dag litter.
The day after the calamity is always horri
BILE. In the heat and excitement of the frs
rush, while question and answer are passing
rapidly from lip to lip, those who have no in
dividual grief can scarce take time to sorrou
with those that are afflicted. But of all The
thousands who visited the ruins of the mil
disaster yesterday, the one who could have
witnessed the many scenes of agony unaffected,
must indeed have been strong-hearted. A
woman weeping makes her way through the
crowd down to the little stone building used as
morgue. The crowd respectfully make way fol
her, and her over-charged heart breaks out with,
my husband +! my husband He has not come
home to me Was he in the mill? Have you
found his body?" The poor woman cannot
realize that the cruel flames had so destroyed
what had once been the body of htf husband
that recognition would be impossible.
'He was my only BROTHER" said large,
strong man with an English accent, land God
knows would rather have died with him.
| Such incidents were occurring constantly
yesterday, while an army of workmen were en-
gagged in clearing away the debris and making
| the various railway tracks passable.
CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION.
The theories of the cause of the explosion
are innumerable. There seems now to be little
doubt that the "a mill took fire few moments
before the explosion occurred. s. B. Lovejoy was
crossing suspension bridge, and at the moment
of the explosion was looking in the direction of
the mills. He says he distinctly saw flames and
smoke issuing from the windows of the big
will hofo %bo ;,I,1: Al.
and this agrees perfectly with the statement
of an engineer and fireman on the st.
Louis railroad who were in the
street directly in front of the mill at the mo-
ment: Said one to the other, II smell burning
wheat"-"Look!' replied the other, ''the big
mill is on ire''-and at the moment the flames
and smoke were seen coming out of the win
dows in the upper story. Then followed the
first explosion, which leveled the gigantic
structure to the ground followed a moment
later by. the two other explosions, which de-
nolished the smaller mills.
REBUILDING.
Already, while the hose Of the fremen are
still playing upon the smouldering embers,
there is talk of reconstructing the mills ION the
Minneapolis plan" General w. D. Washburn,
(who was not financially interested in the mill
ing business) was on his way East and was in
the vicinity of Buffalo, N. Y. He has turned
about, and is now on his way
home. Gen. G. G. Washburn, the heaviest
owner of the destroyed property, was in Madi-
! son, Wis. He could not be reached by tele-
graph, for some unknown cause, in time for
the train, and hence will not reach this CITY
until tomorrow morning. That he will at
once proceed to rebuild no one that knows
him will doubt for moment
Whether he will reconstruct the
~ mill on its former gigantic model,
however, is problematical.
Cahill says: "Yes, of course, the mills will
all be rebuilt-and more with them, in time
for the coming CROP
Mort. Rollins, of Day l. Rollins, saws: eve
cannot promise anything now, but, probably,
shall rebuild at once"
THE FRENCH MACHINES,
| The insurance men, or quite a
number of them, attribute the ex.
plosion to the use of the French built
machines for purifying, which was one peculi-
arity of the "a" mill. Mr.. Christian, partner
of Mr.. Washburn in the "A' mill, and a gen.
tleman who has been largely instrumental in
introducing the ''patent process which has
given such worldwide celebrity to Minnesota
| -four, some years ago while in Europe purchased
the French machines and introduced them into
this mill. 1t is claimed by some that
| while these machines make great saving in
| the manufacture of -four, that their use is un.
| safe, as through their the air becomes
thoroughly charged with the fine particles, and
| there being little or ventilation, that the ex.
plosion is liable to occur at any moment.
1t is easy to theorize. however, though the
exact facts can only be ascertained by most
careful and painstaking investigation.
The Dead and Their Families.
| The GLOBE reporters were busily engaged
yesterday in looking up further particulars con.
corning those who met their death in the disas
| ter of the I'd inst, ahd the condition of thei,
bereaved families,
| The greater portion of the families are
middling well provided for, as the millers have
been employed, at good wages, for some time
| past, and were saving class of men
| few of them, however, are in rather desti
| tute condition. Several of the millers wer.
members of one or more secret organization.
of benevolent character, and their widow.
will receive aid from that source.
IN THE BIG MILL.
Charles Henry was married man. about
forty years of age, and leaves wife and on,
child. He resided at No. 613 Third stree
South, and leaves his family in rather reduced
circumstances. He was member of Hermo,
Lodge No. IS, X. of p. Yesterday afternoo,
the lodge gave his family $50.
Fred Merrill, single man. aged twenty
eight years, persisted. The Merrill boys cam
to Minneapolis some time since and wished t.
locate here permanently. Therefore his parent
were sent for and arrived in the city and com
menced housekeeping about two weeks ago.
Ed. Merrill, brother of Fred, also persisted
he was single man twenty years old.
Clark WILDER was married man, aged forty
i've years, and has a wife and two girls Twin
in Vermont.
August Smith, aged forty-6ve years, leaves
wife and one child to mourn his loss He re
sided at 313 Eighth avenue south. Family s
moderate circumstances.
=. h. Grundman, a millright, about fit
wears OF age. persisted. He resided at l.2l
Harmon place, and leaves wife and eleye
children to mourn his loss. His family wer
quite we'll provided for.
[ William Leslie, twenty-eight years old, leave
wife and one child. He resided on Sevent
!; street and Cedar avenue. He was membt
of the Ancient Order of United Workmen an
. the Knights of Pythias. Thus b
family will be provided for by the order.
Cyrus E. Wing was single man thirty-for
: years old.
Ole shei was married man, residing at sout
end Of Washington avenue. His family are
moderate circumstances, but depended upo
him for support.
. years old, leaves wife and ono child. He +