Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-05-08

ASNhAkVL AOIUCAUOI.
Darnins u ~ Great Flssrlae nllh 4
WashbsrA 4 CO.
An Minneapolis dispatch of the eve-
ming Of May End, says that At sev-
en- o'clock this evening the city was
shaken ~ by an earthquake by . ter
rife explosion which was promptly
traced to the groups of great Touring
mills in what Is known q the "Piat.
form" just above St. Anthony's Falls,
where the entire Touring interest of the
city IL concentrated. The explosion came
from the great Washburn mill, from
which column of fame was seen to
shoot up several hundred feet, followed
by crash which crushed the immense
structure like an egg shell. A second
airy explosion INSTANTLY destroyed the
Thompson 4 Hoyt and Humboldt mills.
and the flames Immediately burst
out, communicating to the Gal
axy mills, those of Petit
Robinson & Co., Cahill, Ankeny & Co.,
Day 4 Sons, Day 4 Rollins, Buell., New.
ton 4 Co., Gerton, Hayward & Co., the
Washburn A and B mills, and lesser
structures down the bank Of the river
nearly to the Minneapolis and St. Louis
railroad shops. The destruction from
the shock of the explosion extended
much further, glass being wrecked for
several squares, and buildings shaken
throughout the city. AT $50 the fire
was raging within these limits, and the
firemen were working valiantly to sub
due the flames. The immediate
theory Of the explosion is that
it took place in the gas generated
in the patent middlings purifier pro-
cess. The loss Of life Is undoubtedly
great, but full details are lacking in the
confusion that surrounds the scene.
First rumors made the dead seventy to
eighty. but this is not borne out by in
auiry. The explosion took place ut the
hour Of changing day for night hands,
and many Of both were undoubtedly
in the building. Twenty-Five men went
on in the Washburn mill at $50. none
of whom have been heard from up to
$50. Many others, of the day force,
must have been in the buildings.
| w to 3 o'clock, the list OF killed and
injured, 30 far as ascertained, are as
follows: Big mill-grinders, Charles
Henning, Frederick Merrill and
Clark Wilbur; oilers, William Leslie,
Cyrus Ewing; machinists-Ol SHE,
Walter Savage, Patrick Judd, Ed. Mer-
rill; watchmen-Harry Hicks, +. w.
Burbank; one unknown. Aug. Smith
was blown out of the window, hurt but
not killed. At the Diamond mill John
Bayer was killed David Ward had
gone out after pail Of water and es.
capped unhurt. AT the Galaxy mill
Joe Mantle, in the third story,
after the wall was blown
out jumped down into the canal and
escaped unhurt. At the Zenith mill
two men were -Widstrum and
Fred George. In Petit, Robinson &
Co.'S mill, Dean Day was thrown out
ofthe window and injured.
Investigation confirms the opinion
tina. the first estimate OF loss Of life were
exaggerated. The number of dead is
now placed at seventeen. There
were many thrilling incidents
and narrow escapes. Daniel Day was
blown the whole length of the Pettel &
Robinson mill and through the rear
window and escaped. One poor fellow,
who could not be recognized, had es-
capped alive from the explosion, and
was observed crawling through the dart
ing, hungry flames towards the track Of
the Minneapolis and st. Louis railroad,
directly in the rear of the Washburn
mill. He managed to reach the rail
and there evidently became exhausted
and fell back into the raging hell be-
hind, where his agonies instantly ended
1t now appears that most Of the day
force had gone home and only the
smaller night force remained. The loss
to property is enormous, but the con-
fusion is too great for intelligent esti-
mates. At present rough calculation
pl ices it ut Sl,50O,0OO of
which $1,O00,OO0 will fall Oh the mil
ling interest. The loss throughout the
city. by the breaking of glass, etc, is
100000. Five Touring mills and n
planning mill were destroyed; besides ad-
joining property, including 81 out of
the 1877 runs Of stone in the city.
The insurance cannot be obtained to-
night.