The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-05-09
The Anti-Monopo1ist.

panions. Another, August smith by
name, was rum0red to have been blown
out of window and to have escaped with
slight injuries. Later inquiries failed to
confirm this and it does not seem possible
that any one could have survived the ex.
plOsion which destroyed the massive walls
of the mill to their lowest foundation In
the Diamond mill there was but one man
at the time of the explosion. One man
escaped from the Galaxy mill with severe
but not dangerous burns and bruises. Two
men were in the Zenith mill, one of whom
is said to have escaped alive No loss of
life occurred as far as is now known. in
the other two mills. In all thirteen. prob
ably fourteen lives we're lost A list of
.ne dead at the present writing awaits cor,
rectiOn and confirmation.
THE EXPLOSION.
What caused il is the Question asked
on every hand and which tut few will
answer positively. The most positive as
as to the cause are the mi!lers. Their
theory is that the fine wheat and flour
dust which is thrown out in the various
processes of Touring is highly inflamina-
bic and at the touch of flame develops a
PO"NA'OA NAPiOSASS EuS-uOlO lOfCcIu
Than the explosive gases of mines o. than
steam. In one notable instance-in the
destruction of the Tradestone mill at
Glasgow, Scotland, few years ego, their
theory seemed 10 be confirmed by all the
circumstances That some sort of ex.
plosive vapor or impalpable powder is
created in Touring, especially by the high
grinding of the patent process, is an IN
doubted fact which has had numerous IL
lustraions in small explosions;
but that an explosive strong
enough Tor in quantity sefficient) to rend
and level massive walls and throw stones
and timbers as if they had been propelled
BY NITRO GLSCERINE,
is only to be proved BY the Glasgow mills
destruction and by tie circumstances O
this Minneapolis disaster. In this case a
tremendous force was excrted, and it's Op-
Grafton was, for anything like al explosive
gas, eccentric to SLY the least The wallis
of the Washburn mill all fell outwatdly,
but on three sides they merely fell, while
on tleother they seem to have been pro
PEELED across the Minneapolis s. st. Louis
railroad track and against the buildings
above. which were also thrown down by
the explosion, while their walls were
lAfC II AIOf11 VIC w dSlllluI IIlI1l. DIAOnu
these and at some distance across the
tracks Of the Milwaukee s. st. Paul COM
pany, the full force of the conclusion
struck aud shattered the railroad round
house. In the opposite direction that is
towards the river side, mills across the
canal from the Washburn mill the cpncus-
sion drove in windows and doorwxys and
the sweep of flames set the interior of
these mills on fire. But their walls are
) ct standing and there does not appear to
have been any explosion in either OF these
three mills. although one of them Itut the
Was in operation the same as
those the walls of which were blown
down. There were
TWO OR THREE EXPLOSIONS
Which one of the most intelligent and
cool of the practical millers. who was early
at the scene, thought occurred in sue
cession on the different floors Of the
Washburn mill. That all the explosions
occurred in the Washburn mill appeared
to be the opinion of those who were out
doors and near by at the tune. Others
sus gested that the successive explosions
were in the different mills and that the
second one, which was noticed as much
lighter than the others occurred in the
'iouIS shili ONt tAOiC 10 LIZ fIOOUl III
doubt that the first explosion occurred in
the Washburn mill and as the third tx
plosion WAS by far the heaviest.of all lac
cording To all who Loted any difference,
it would not agree with the Miliers' Theory
that ii occurre IN the small mill There
fore it is most probable all the explosions
occurred in the big mill But why none
in the other mills! Why should the force
OF the explo-i ion have been SO strongly
manifested in one direction? Questions
like these led many to beiieve there was
some other c. u>e, and nitro glvcerine WIS
suggested. Ready rum0r Was quick To
convert the suggestion into assertion and
to conjure up II show OF evidence. 1t was
reported that quantity OF dangerous ex-
ploslve had been oroug ht in one of the Cars
standing behind the Wa>hburn mill. A
lanorer was reported TO have sale that he
assisted in unloading packages Of nitro
gIy cerine for use in sinking shaft in the
vicinity. But the shaft is near TO The old
Washburn mill which is Mt shatie cred; the
walls Of the new Washburn mill f II out
wmrdly as if forced from The inside and the
wall next To the railroad track on which
the nitro glycerine was said 20 be standing
came outward the farihess cad with great
est impelling force Besides, the railway
officials assert positively that there was no
nitro 4 ycerine on the car, add their de-
nris. s,sLding where they burned, prove
the fact. In the vicinity Of the explosion
they were leased with wheat We nust
Then conclude that the milIess' theory is
and that the explosion
RKsULTED FROM FLoCR oUsr
bang somehow brought into contact with
6K: or flame At less. il is reasonable 10
assume THE, on the I, siimooy OF fionring
experts, in tAe absence of any other plus-
ible ext lsnsGon. But this conclusion
eugges the question whether . Touring
mill, tspeclaih where The high grinding,
patent processes followed, il Do4 shout as
Jange, Gus 10 Reighborhood - would be
y s,oreroom for nitTo- 81, cerine. II Will
not pass 10 say Gs.t some caseieoaDess or
defect of Construction Caused the dsG.-sitr-
fhe nesw Wsshtsrn mill vas euarlled
against Garelessness or accident by every
.<ecsut;sD, long experience and akislful
Bdl~rigkss could suggest and in mAn-
segment VAS Particularly careful.
TIE PRoPEkxE DESTROYED
The Waskburn MiR A A. ruUs of barss
[nsuranct On building. Apparatus and stock
s2l7 tOO
The Humboldt Mil; Bull, Newton d
Co; s nuns. Probable insursDce ~, so
The Galaxy Mil; ". r nk,nA; III