The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-05-18
SEVERE DISASTER.

terrible Explosion and Fire--Five
Flour Mills at MINI polls, Mimi,
Destroyed--GreatL Loss of Life.
At seven o'clock on the evening of the
"a inst, the city of Minneapolis, Mimi.
was shaken. as by an earthquake, by a
terrific explosion, which was promptly
traced to the groups of great Touring
mills, N what is known as the "plat-
FORM" just above ST. Anthony's Falls,
where the entire Touring interest of the
city is concentrated. The explosion
came from the great Washburn mill,
from which column of fame was seen
to shoot up several hundred feet, fol-
lowed by crash which crushed the inn
mense structure like an egg-shell. Sec
ondary explosions instantly destroyed
the Thompson & Hoyt, and Humboldt
mills, and the flames which Immediately
burst out communicated to the Galaxy
mills and lesser structures down the bank
OF the river, nearly to the Minneapolis
and st. Louis railroad shops. Five mills
and planning mill were destroyed be-
sides the adjoining property, including
81 out of the 1877 runs of stone IN the
city.
The Touring mills which were in
vOlved in the disaster form a group
which comprises the heaviest concerns
in the state. Chief among them were the
two Washburn mills, the property of ex-
Gov. G. @. Washburn, of Wisconsin,
The one in which the explosion occur
red was the largest Touring mill in the
country, and the largest but one in the
world. 1t was built in 1870, included
fortyone run of stone, and was worth
100000. 1t is now a smoking mass OF
ruins, with its companion on "the plat
FORM" The destruction is complete as
far as the limits of the above named,
and serious within much wider bounds.
The immediate theory of the explosion
is that it took place in gas generated in
the "patent middlings purifier process"
The loss of life is undoubtedly great, the
first rumors numbering the dead at from
out by inquiry The explosion took
place at the hour of changing day for
night hands, and manv of both were I'M
doubtedly in the building. Twenty-Five
men went on in the Washburn mill, but
nine of whom have been heard FROM
Many others of the day force must have
been in the building. 1t is hoped that
the dead will be confined to the four
teen in the Washburn mill.
The loss to property is enormous.
Rough calculation placing it at 81 $780,
600, of which 81 100000 will fall upon
the milling interest. The loss through
out the city by the breaking of glass,
ETC., is $4,000.
THE LATEST.
Estimates of the number of dead,
based on the list of bodies recovered,
up to the Sd inst, place it at sixteen.
Seven bodies of the unfortunate victims
were taken from the Washburn mill.
The remains were horribly burned and in
most cases unacceptable. 1t thought
that some of the bodies will never be re-
covered.
The following is list of those known
to have persisted, together with some
missing ones who have, no doubt, shared
the same fate: Chas. Henning. August
Smith, Clark WILDER, Fred. Miller, VIM.
Leslie, Cyrus Ewing, Ole Shea, Walter
Savage, Patrick Judd, Ed. Merrill, Harry
Hicks, E. w. Burbank, Chas. Kimble,
John Bayer, John E. Roscennus, Peter
Holberg.
A reliable estimate places the total
loss at 81 100000.