The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-05-09
THE EXPLOSION AND FIRE
AT MINNEAPOLIS.
THE GREAT WASHRTJRN Mill
LITERALLY BLOWN
TO PIECES,
And Five Others Also a Mass
of Ruins.
EIGHTEEN LIVES BELIEVED
HAVE BEEN SACRIFICED.

About O'Clock last Thursday evenin5
Minneapolis was startled by double ex-
plosion, which shook the city as if quick
succession of earthquake waves had passed
under it and which WIS accompanied or
very quickly followed by tremendous
air conclusion which was felt in the re-
hottest parts of the city. A column of
vapor, like steam IN appearance, was seen
to shoot up from the milling section of the
city and then there rose to great height a
dense black cloud which was almost in
stantly illuminated by the reflection of a
great fire. Showers of broken fragments
of windows and roofs fell in all the imme
date neighborhood and the crash of
breaking glass was heard on every side for
half nllle away.
The first explosion certainly occurred in
the great Washturn mill, the largest
Touring establishment in the United
States and probfoly as perfect mill in all
it appointments as was ever erected.
Where the other explosion Tor explosions,
fer many claim there were three distinct
explosions, ! occurred is matter of con-
lecture only The persons in the vicinity
at the time who were aot stunned
by the great shock, while they
differ as to the number OF explosions, are
substantially agreed as to their effect
One gentleman, visitor TO the city, was
at the moment looking X: the big mill,
when he saw whitish volumes of vapor
shooting upwards out of the third and
fourth story windows, followed by bright
volumes of fame from the same windows
which shot up fifty or sixty feet. Then
came three distinct explosions, the second
comparatively light apd the third heaviest
of ill. The roof roseupwards in the aic, the
walls fell outward with rush of flames
from the interior IN every direction, and
as the gentleman struggled to remain up
right he saw tkc buildings across the
Minneapolis q st. Louis track failing,
also but rather away from the Washburn
mill than like it in every direction. AL!
this had happe1ed in momeat. The
next moment, es it seemed, though the
terrors of the situation may have confused
him for littlespacc, the whole mass of
ruins was enveioped in flames.
From the opposite side of the river aad
other parts of the city the same succession
of occurrences Was Observed-first the
white vapor, than the heavy. black cioed,
the glare of fire and then the roof and
upper limbers of the great mill, ascending
hundreds Of feet in the air
One man living or the
high ground few squares down therriver
from the scene of the explosion saw the
appearance M above mentioned, partially
hidden from aim by the tall elevator Then
he saw the elevator part as if spli. with enc
blow from the top and as it parted .ihe
lurid flames ehone through or burnt .oui
giving the elevator an appearance rs if
burst open by fire. On the same hia h
ground, another, . laboring man, noted
the same appearance, and as the ,upward
thrown wreck was descending saw hall
of fire descend upon his own little dwell
ing which was instantly wrapped in
flames and 4nickly consumed
A block Of three stone mills acros. the
canal from the Wash5urn mill were filled
with flames which consumed their whole
interiors. One frame mill and a stone
mill on the opposite side IF the
square on which the Wsshburn
mill was situate, with stone
occupied by planning mill, aud
sash and door factory, and another stone
Building occupied MS q blacksmith shop,
all # which we're thrown down by the ex-
plosion, were burned The millers' e.cva-
ter. one mikin1 feet Of lumber, cnoper's
warehouse. and three story boarGing
house building, the latter of which Wa,
coz umed, as also about thirty cars, -snne
Of which were,loaded with wheat, which
were standing on The Minneapolis s. 8,
Louis trck, at and above and Leiow the
were al consumed. TIE MI
waukee q st. Paul railroad coupany,s
roune house Was half demolished by The
shuck Of the explosion; numernss fires
were started by .parks and emherx, but
were eM,inguisheS without much dMnsge:
all the buildings in the neighl.ofhosd OF
The WaShburn mililose chimn. vs.. windows
and dSOrs aud Temporary frame
wall At The rear of the addition 10 The old
W ashburn mill WAS crushed in; numerous
glass fronts were shafts cred on Washington
avenue fs three squares opposite lte ac-nc
Of tie explosion tut two hundred ards
away: and considerable breaking If glass
In more remote paris OF the Cit,
l he tsial loss vas e.tishsted at midniu ht
IN he not less than ore So halt million
dollars.
But ~s3dest OF all was the loss of human
life. Fortunately this t.rri' le disasr.r
came after the day 20, ke1s had retired ard
The night soskers, less in number, h.,
come on, elc the iuas OF life would doubt
e>s hive been as heavy - vas first report
ID. In the Washburu mill there acre
thirteen men on the night force.
,ne Of whom was twenty minutes
ale and % escaped the tale Of his CON-