Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-17
HOW IT HAPPENED.
PEGG1NG AWAY At THE CAUSE OF
THE GREAT EXPLOSION.

PEGGING AWAY 1T THE CAUSE or
THE GREAT EXPLOSION.
What the Chief Engineer OF the Fire De.
partment Knows of the Matter--Evidence
of Practical Millers--The Combustible Ma
ture of Flour Dust--Previous Small Ex-
plosions.
Last evening the coroner's jury re-as
sembled at Minneapolis for the purpose of
continuing their investigation of the cause
of the recent disaster to the Touring interests
or Minneapolis. The investigation was
about as follows:
W. NJ. BRACKET,
of the FIRE department, was the first witness
called, and testified as to the action of the fire
department about as follows: There was no
alarm given previous to the fire; at the time of
the explosion of the big mill, the falling of
the walls opened the circuit of the fire alarm
telegraph, striking one blow in all the engine
houses the explosions at that time, and
reaching those further from the break in the
circuit before the explosion was heard;
after the fall the wires came
together and completed the circuit;
have no evidence that any one in any of the
destroyed mills gave any alarm Of the fire. l
'Washburn mill that the wires leading into that
mill were crossed; if that was the case it would
cut out the box in the Washburn mill and no
alarm could have been given; | have no per-
sonal knowledge of there having been any fire
in any of the mills that were destroyed since I
have been chief engineer of the department;
did not see anyone in the fire that could have
been saved; heard that there was man seen
in the ruins of Guilders machine shop, but
we could not get any water to him in time to do
him any good: have never examined the mills
in relation to the means of escape afforded by
the mills; the fire department have long lad
ders intended for the purpose of helping per-
sons escaping from upper stories; the mills
were all down fiat and on fire; the elevator also;
did not get list of the persons that were
killed.
JOHN W. DONALD
was next sworn, and testified that he was the
head miller in the Humboldt mill left the
mill about o'clock; the MILL was running as
usual the day Of the explosion, and intended
to run that night; were running as usual that
day, grinding two grades of -four; use three
kinds of purifiers, some of Guilders, and two
of the French machines; the French machines
were all on the same floor, the one next to the
grinding floor; there was man employed to
keep charge of the purifiers and sweep
up and clean around the purifiers we used
signal oil in the lanterns that were carried
about the mill; use the railroad lantern same
as they use on all railroads; millers are prohib-
tied from using open lights; if light was to
go out the miller would have to light match
where he was; no regulation against that; there
was a small explosion occurred some time ago
in our MILL caused by -four dust falling ON
lantern from the floor above; did not amount
to anything; the dust from the
purifiers is generally recognized by
or burrs run dry but think never saw a spark
come from them; have been miller for eigh-
teen years; have used The purifiers ever since
they came out, about six years ago; we were
wetting, or steaming the wheat, as we always
do when the weather is dry; when wheat is dry
more dust comes from it; the wheat was very
dry about that time but we always dampen it
more when it is dry, SO as to keep it the same
all the time; have seen an explosion of
the1 dust as it comes from the
purifiers in the Zenith mill; it was in the dust
room; it exploded very quick just like gun
powder; grind the wheat when it is hot; that
is, very warm never applied a thermometer to
the wheat to see how hot it was; don't think
this dust would explode in body; it has to be
mixed with the air; there is more dust comes
from the machines that ground the middlings;
we use exhausts on two Of the machines that
ground the middlings; the windows were all
through; if match were lighted and placed in
one of the exhaust boxes, l think it
would be apt sto go out as to ignite; have
known the dust to put out match and also q
lantern; sometimes carry a lantern into the dust
house but don't stay long; do not think the
new process of grinding is any more dangerous
than the old; do not think this dust would
explode except it were tight enough to mix
with the air; there was good deal of dust
floating in the air in the immediate vicinity of
the purifiers; think more around the French
machine; have heard Of explosions in mills
grinding by the old method; never saw any.
J. c. sCALLoN
was the next witness called, and testified that
he was engineer of the fire steamer No. 6 min
neapolis) knew nothing of the explosion until
1 heard the alarm; when the explosion occurred
the doors ratified and the lights fell out Of the
transom over the door; heard the gong strike
once before the regular alarm; the engine was
all ready when the regular alarm came, and
went to the fire as quick as possible.
Witness was excused, the testimony was
the same that Of Chief Engineer Bracket.
G. B. WATERMAN
was called next and testified as follows: Live
at Third street and Thirteenth avenue south;
have no knowledge Of the explosion only as
saw it after got on the grounds and the build
ings were all on fire.
CHARLES JANNEY.
Am head miller in the Washburn CA mill
have been for four years; had fire in one of
the draft spouts in the west side of the
mill time ago; the supposition
was that it eau ght from the stones running
dry, or nail or something getting between them
and causing spark to ignite the dust in the
spout; there was both smoke aud flames seen
coming from the spout; know that it came
from one of the stones because we could trace
the fire back to the stones; there were
conveyors used all over the mill in gath
ering the flour and meal to a certain
point; in this particular case the conveyor
was used in conducting the fine -four from
the stones; was located between two stones;
the dust in the conveyor did not explode, but
took fire and blackened everything around;
this conveyor was not connected with any
other; there was but one dust house in the
mill which is partitioned for the use of wheat
and -four dust, (here Mr.. Janney explained to
the Jury the plan of the dust houses on the
blackboard) the black smoke that was seen
coming out of the spout on the east side Of the
mill before the explosion, might have come
from a fire in one Of the spouts similar
to the case have named /:
have seen the dust take fire good many times;
not any great quantity; it explodes just like
powder; have considered this dust as danger
Gus, and have always taken precaution against
having fire of any kind about the mill; we did
burn in the big mill gas, lard oil, and kero-
sene high test; used glass covers over the gas
jets; used matches in lighting the lights;
lighted the lights on the night Of the explo-
sion, about seven o'clock; do not think this
dust will explode unless it is thoroughly mixed
with the air; if it fell in a
small fire; it would put out lamp; my in
struction in regard to fire was at the first
alarm to shut down the mill instantly and then
use all the fire apparatus that was necessary to