Sharp County record., 1878-05-31
Especial to the Chicago Tribune.I

Especial to the Chicago Tribune.l
ST. PAUL, Mimi, May 3.-The Wash
burn ga" Mill stood on the inside of the
water-power canal at Minneapolis, about
a hundred yards below street leading
into "the saw-mill platform" over st.
Anthony Falls. In front of it, across
the canal, on the bank of the river,
stood stone block of three Touring
mills, viz. Petit, Robinson G. Co.'s, the
Zenith Mill, and the Galaxy Mil. Be-
low it stood Miller's Elevator. At their
rear, across the track of the Mime
apolis & st. Louis Road, on which stood
% cars loaded with wheat flour, were
the Humboldt and Diamond Mills and
other buildings fronting on the freight
yard of the Milwaukee e. st. Paul Rail
way. To the right of these last build
ings stood the Washburn "B'' Mill. All
the above-named mills were run to their
full capacity yesterday, except the Petit
and Galaxy. The Washburn ga" Mill,
run by water, was
THE LARGEST FLOURING-MILL IN AMER
ICA,
having Al run of stone, and all the ap-
pliances for manufacturing the finest
grades of -four. 1t was owned and
operated by j. A. Christian q Co.,
Christian being manager, and G. q.
Washburn the principal owner. Ihe
building was 100x138 feet on the ground,
seven and half stories high, with stone
walls 6 feet thick at the base to Is inch
es at the caves, and was supplied with
ample apparatus for extinguiShing fires,
including hydrant and hose on each
floor. The management had insisted
upon every precaution, including pro-
hibition of the use of open lights. Ex-
ira caution was recently enjoined be-
cause of fire having been narrowly es-
capped through flour dust from the mill
stones coming in contact with the flame
inside of an open lantern.
At Z o'clock last evening the day
hands went off and the night force came
on, being "A at the Washburn 81" "
Mill. 10 each at the Diamond, ZeRith,
and Humboldt Mills, and one watchman
each at the Petit and Galaxy Mills. At
20 minutes after7
THREE EXPLOSIONS
were heard in parts of Minneapolis, the
first and third of which were plainly
heard ten miles away, and sensibly Jared
buildings at that distance in every direc-
ton. All accounts of those nearest tie
scene agree that the first explosion oc-
CURED in Washburn ga" Mill, and
most that all three occurred in the same
mill The force of the explosion was
enough to move every Stone
to the lowest foundations. All
the walls of the Washburn
Mill fell outwardly, the western walls
against the Humboldt and the Diamond
Mills and adjoining buildings, all Of
which were instantly prostrated, falling
from the Washburn Mill in the direction
of the round-house across the Milwau-
kee yard. The round-house was split
by the conclusion and partly wrecked.
THE FLAMES
Immediately enveloped the ruins of the
mills and the adjoining wrecks. Par
ties standing on high ground on the ell
evated side, several blocks away, saw
from behind the tall elevator spring up
columns of whitish vapor, like steam in
appearance, Immediately followed by a
dense black cloud, which was quickly
illuminated by the reflection of great
fire. Simultaneously the elevator build
ing appeared to part in the middle from
top to bottom, and flashed out in mass
of bright flames. At the same time the
flames rolled across the canal through
the crushed doors and windows of the
Petit, Zenith and Galaxy Mills, setting
the interiors all on fire. The same ap-
pearances were observed froNn other di-
rections, and those who notice ! the lift
ing of the roof of the Washburn' MN by
the explosion say it went not less nan
SEVEN HUNDRED FEET HIGE
That this is not an exaggeratic .smay
be judged by the fact that small p .es of
roof-timbers and pieces of tarEr I roof
covering fell few minutes all rWa'ds
in different parts of st. Paul, 4 e STICK
falling on Wabasha Street, in MPnter
of St. Paul, fully seven miles ym The
mill in an airline. The windy sb,ow
ing down the river awJb from he other
mills and closely jhsaooE haoE5h E5h il Mime
t5s tpoS Palisades RS Ml t s;SS sc;SSSpors ~s's
warehouse bey&Ais inmped ] a small
building used for u luInber-yard oilIce'
and set in blaGe 900, 900 feet OF lum,
ber. Several frame buildings, three and
four squares away, were set on fire by
flying embers and consumed, while many
other buildings which caught were saved.
The fire meantime ragged with uncon-
trollable fury where it had first started,
until it had consumed every thing which
would burn, leaving besides the empty
walls of the three river side mills moth
ing but heaps of stone and masses of
wrecked machinery Under or in these