The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-05-30
Verdict; Of the Coroner's Jury upon the
Minneapolis Explosion.

State of Minnesota, County of Hennepin-ss.j
An inquisition taken at Minneapolis, in the
began on the 9th day Of May, 1873, and con-
tinued from day to day, by regular adjourn
ment till this 22d day of May, 1878, before p.
Nelson, coroner of said county of Hennepin.
Upon view Of the bodies of certain persons
then lying dead, and the probable death of
covered, br, il recovered, not recognized; all of
whose names, with the established facts as.to
| their death, are herein below set forth by the
oath of the jurors, whose names: are hereunto
subscribed, who being sworn to inquire on be-
half of the State of Minnesota, when, how, and
death, upon their oaths do say:
First-That on the second day of May, 1878,
i ia believed that Ernest H. Grundman,-
William Leslie, August Smith, Ole p. Shei,
Patrick Judd: Walter Savage. Charles Henning,
Frederick Merrill, Edward Merrill, Clark Wilber,
Henry Hicks, Charles Kimball, Cyrus, living
and Gforge A. Burbank, at about seven q clock
in the evening Of that day were: engaged
at work in the FIGURING mill at said
Minneapolis, known Washburn mill "a"
and we've pl killed by the: fire and explosion
which took place in said mill at said time that
at the same time John Boyer was killed in the
Diamond mill, Peter Hogberg in the Humboldt
mill, and Peter Rossenius in the Zenith mill,
by the fire or explosions in the said several mills,
the same being located adjacent. to the
said Washburn big mill; also that Jacob V.
Rhodes was at the same time and near the same
place killed either by the flames or the falling
walls from said mills; that up to the present
time the bodies or fragments Of the bodies of
Judd, Grundman, Leslie, Shei, Kimball Ew:
ing, Hogberg, Boyer and Rossenius, and no
tifed.
Second In the light of the very full and
minute evidence submitted to the Jury, includ-
ing the testimony of eye witnesses to the dis
aster, testimony, also, as to the structure, his
tory aud management of all the mills destroyed,
and evidence, moreover, furnished by the APP
pearance of the ruins after the fire, visited by
the jurors in person, aided, too by the opinion
of very competent experts who were first
put into possession Of all discoyerable facts
bearing upon the case, the jurors unanimously
believe: That the fire had its origin in some
one OF the twenty run of stone situated on the
easterly side of the Washbnrn 'A' mill, by
sparks of fire generated between the stones,
caused either by the stones running empty or
by some foreign substance like iron:
that after smouldering for several
minutes about the stones, the fire burnt into
a blaze which ignited the flour dust in the con-
veyors and dust room, causing both to explode,
this explosion jarring the dust of the whole
and then followed the ' first ta, ex-
plosion of the Washburn "a" mill;
that the flames from this explosion, and by the
wind, We're in fash carried into the open win
dows and dust spouts of the Diamond mill
which stood cornerlng only twenty-five feet dis
tant, and then set fire first to the -four dust
which already filled the air from the
shock of the. Washburn mill explosion.
Then followed the explosion Of the Diamond
mill. Immediately after from the same cause
and by the same method, the explosion of the
Diamond set fire and exploded the Humboldt
which stood broadside twenty-five feet dis
tant. The three mills upon the river side of
the canal, though set on fire and burned by the
flames from the Washburn mill seem to have
themselves escaped explosion on account
OF the fifty feet of open space between them
and the Washburn mill, aided by strong wind,
and no doubt further, the two larger mills not
being run for several days, and being especially
clean.
Third-That at the time of the fire and ex-
plosion at the Washburn mill there is no
evidence showing that the mill was being run
IN an unusual manner in any respect
no greater speed than usual, no greater propor-
ton of middlings being ground than usual, and
no more dust in the mill than usual, and the
same men in charge and at their respective
posts as usual, so that it is not possibls to fix
upon any one blame for special neglect or care
lcssness on that occasion. Whether such
degree of watchfulness is possible, or should
be required on the part of millers, SO that the
running stones should never emit sparks of
lire. the jurors do not attempt to decide. It is
plain, however, that the open purifiers in gen.
eral use in the Washburn mill, as we'll as the
Diamond and Humboldt mills caused need
less amount of -four dust to settle throughout
the mills, stored ready for an explosion when
the necessary shock should send it floating in
the air. We therefore advise the disuse of
the open purifiers.
Fourth-In conclusion, earnest attention of
all persons interested in fionr milling is invited
to the observations and suggestions of Pro-
fessors L. ". Peck and s. F. Peckham, of the
State University of Minnesota. made in their
testimony, experts, in their investiga-
tion as to the principles and better
methods involved in the safe construction and
management of mills.
lSigned, j.. WHITNEY, Foreman,
s. G. GALE,
Or1s A. PRAY,
F. L. BALcH.
NJ. L. HIGGINS,
o. j. EVANS.