The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-06
Disasfrous Fire.
DESTRUCTION OF SEVERAL NOTED MILLS IN
Observation-Disclosures OF LIFE AND VALUABLE
PROPERTY.

DESTRUCTION OF SEVERAL NOTED MILLS IN
Observation-Disclosures or LIFE AND VALUABLE
PROPERTY.
ST. PAUL, MINI, December AT about
4 O'Clock this morning fire broke out in
the milling district of Minneapolis, destroy
ing, before it was Subducd, four large flour
ing mills and one cotton mill and causing
the death Of 1T least four men. The fire
broke out in the PillsbuTy b Touring MIL,
owned and operated by {. \. PillSbury X
Co. IL communicated TO the Excelsior mill.
owned by DOrilus Morrison and operated
by &. A. Pilsbury Il Co., aud to the Min
neapolis mill, owned and operated by
Crocker, Fisk 4 Co., which exploded,
killing Neil FrederickS, first assistant engi-
necr OF the fire department. The fire then
communicated to the Empire Mill, owned
by l.. +. Watson, OF Massachusetts,, and
operated 10y C. 4. Pilsbury & Co. Burn
ing brands then fell upon the roof of Il cot
ton-mil near by, owned by DorilluS Morri-
son, and it was also consumed, together
with Il trestle-wOrk in the rear OF the mills
and several freight-cars filled with wheat.
The fire had communicated TO the mill Of
Croker, Fisk d Co. when the explosion
occurred, and leyelled the walls OF
the structure, crushing the eleyated-rail-
road track in front OF the mill, killing three
persons and iniuring one fatally, and
several others in less degree. a member
OF hOok-and-ladder company named
Huey is among the killed. Several other
iiremen were injured, and the force ut the
flames were somewhat demoralized in con-
sequence. A third person, vino has not
vet been identified, and who occupied a
position in front OF the office OF Pillsbury
IL Co., was killed By n flying missile, and
one other person, who was standing under
the elevated railroad, was crushed to death.
The explosion was one Of great violence,
SCATTERING windows rs far as ten blocks
away from the scene. and arousing people
from their early sumbers in all parts Of the
city. The cause is a matter OF speculation
thus far. The mill had been shut down for
some time, and the explosion is MS likely to
haze been from confined gas a. from flour
dust.
TIE WOUNDED ARE As FOLLOWS:
Daniel Horbach. fireman, badly bruised
and cut about the head and face; +. L.
! Coulter, a fireman. left arm broken and
right ear severed, and sustained other Sc
we're injuries; Fred. Kelkcy, fireman,
/ struck on the leg by flying stone and
badly injured; III. Snyder, foreman OF
Pillsbury b Mill, received a wound on the
scalp, and was hurled into the canal, but
escaped with his life; Thomas u. Mullen,
assistant miller. was standing near Mr..
! Snyder, and was also thrown into the
canal, receiving no other injury than Il cut
across the hand. The loss may be sum-
married. as follows: Pillsbury b Mill,
$4,000; Empire Mill, Sl25,000; Croker,
Fisk & Co.'s mill, 1926, 900; Excelsior Mill,
/ 800, 200; cotton-mill, 100000; Pillsbury
Il Co., on stocks, $4,000; Croker, Fisk
d Co., on stock, $1,000; II. Humpkiert,
on stock, $4,000. Total loss, s5GS, 900; in
surance, S207,175.
Later estimates reduce the aggregate loss
to about S3i5,000.