Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-12
.MINNEAPOLISN
Specially Reported for the Daily Globe
SEARCHING FOR FACTS.
TO DErERM1NE HOW IT HAPPENED.
Continuing the Coroner's Inquest--All the
Witnesses Swear There Was Fire in the
Mill Previous to the Explosion journ-
nent Until Wednesday.

Mill Previous to the Observation-Disclosures
ment Until Wednesday.
The Inqttest-Third Day.
The coroner's jury met yesterday as per adj
journment to continue its investigation into
the cause of the mill explosion and IRE, and
MISS poMERoY
was called and testified as follows:
Was gong across the lower bridge from the
West Side to the East; was about half way
across; the first thing that attracted my atten-
tion was vivid fash Of light; thought it was
lightning and that it going to rain; turned
to look to see where the light was from and
just then heard the explosion and the
roof Of the big mill go up; and saw that the
most of it Immediately came down again, and
as it came down the walls fell down; saw
flames in the two mills above the
big mill, and soon after they fell down; heard
three explosions; saw good many Others on
the bridge where was, but did not know any
one; there was gentleman and lady with
baby in carriage; the horse was much fright
ened and they attracted my attention from the
mills, and when | looked again all the mills in
that vicinity seemed to be fire; it could not
| have been more than minute between the
time when I the light and turned and
saw the explosion; am not much ac-
but am sure it was what they called the
"big mill,' that exploded first; I saw the
flames in the windows of the two upper
only moment before the explosions took
place; the last two explosions were in the two
upper mills; they were very close together al
| most instantaneous, but could distinguish that
| there were two.
E. E. DuNwooDY.
| was up, Twelfth street at the time Of the
| II emit nv tharS' ipta in
the Union mill; knew no more about the fire
than any other person that happened to hear
| the explosion. Excused for the present.
| j. j. THOMAS.
| Was the track near the big mill about
twenty minutes before the explosion; filled the
! Christian track with cars; am locomotive en-
gineer ON the Minneapolis G. St. Louis railroad;
came up to the big mill once after that and
then put up engine and started home and
got as far McnZels & Co.'S. foundry, about
| four blocks from the big MILL when the ex-
plosion occurred; thought when l first saw
the light and smoke, that it was heavy train
coming out of the c. NJ. & st. p. yard, and the
| engine was working hard, but Just after saw
the smoke heard the reports and looked in
the direction of the big mill and saw that the
air around the mill was full of debris and fire;
! the cars on the tracks around the sniN /
/ think all contained wheat; my engine does not
!! drop Goals from the CRATE; have patent
aeh-pit; am sure saw the light and smoke in
/ the direction of the big mill before l heard the
explosion; it could not have been the paper
mill
I Ron. RzsANK MORSE.
| At the time of tie explosion I was at my
house, which is about 81 miles from the mills;
Jsaw through the trees down the river, a very
bright light i'll the direction of the mills;
thought it was Mr. Eastman's private
pr9c oh mo h1fcr off
iconcussion occurred, which caused large col
ann OF flame to rise into the air, think about
500 feet high and about one third as wide; the
first light attracted my attention By It's in
tense brightness; it reminded me of the refec-
! ton of the sunset in large window only
much larger; when l saw the large column Of
issre go up as if: in an explosion, heard no
}1oise, but the windows ratified two different
times very close together, at the same
time OF the large column of fame.
| esoHN MELANG.
Was at home at the time of theexplosion
Garner of Sixth street and Sixteenth avenue
south; am foreman of the crew that does the
switching around the mills on the NJ & St. L.
railroad; had flied the Christian tack with
cags of wheat, aheut one-half hour before: had
Z, had a hard days work; had taken out and put
in on that track large number of loaded cars
there was nothing explosive in any Of the cars
l see all the way-bills OF the contents Of the
! cars that into our ward
am familiar with the tracks in the vicinity of
thes-nllls; there Is nothing combustible on OF
near the tracks that am aware of; we have
particular instructions in regard to being care
full about fire in that vicinity, both hom the
superintendent and Mr.. Washburn.
No other witnesses being present, the iury
took a recess while Mr.. Gale went after the
ground plans of the big mill, which had been
made tor the insurance companies.
MR.. L., Christian
l am general manager of the mill; had entire
chargeof the mill at the time of the explosion
we have printed instructions in regard to car.
rvlng lights, that NO stationary lamp should be
! moved; use lanterns for carrying around the
mill have printed instructions in regard to the
water in case of fire; we have Babcocks extiu-
!. guishers each floor; the men are all thor.
/ oughly trained in the use Of all the fire appa,
ratus; the men have instructions to shut down
the mill at the first sign of tire.
4 Mr.. Christian at this time occupied about
fifteen minutes in enlghtening the jury in re-
4 gard to the Running and the machinery of the
big mill with the aid of plans.
WILLIAM CASEY.
About one-half hour before the explosion We
set some cars in on the Christian track, afte,
which we put the engine up and then started
for home, and got as far the lower bridge
had just got on to the bridge when 1 saw a
boy pointing cut fire to man in
the direction Of the big mill:
passed them and had got about twenty feet
when ] heard an explosion, and the debris
came toward me and I ran. and By the time I
got half way across the bridge it was all over,
when came back to the round house of the
M. and st. L. railroad; the man and boy were
standing near the west end Of the bridge when
the boy pointed out the fire; saw light like
! it was in the sky in the direction of the big
mill; did not know what it was; did not thin <
anything about it until heard the explosion
two or three minutes after; heard two different
reports; the FIRST was the heaviest.
s. K. WATERMAN
was at home on Nicollet island, in Eastman g
new tenement; was sitting in the back window
in the third story facing the mills; could see
the top stories of the big MILL I saw bright
light reflected on the wall; my wife asked what
it was? and got up and looked out and could
see flames in the top story of the big mill; the
| walls were all standing perfect in a very few
moments after saw the flames heard the ex-
! plosion; It raised the top off the mill and the
air was filled with debris and fire. shortly after
ward heard another explosion which appeared
to be from the same place or perhaps little to
the right; only heard two explosions.
! s. A.. WOOD.
cfapGiuo m tho coruor of