Morris tribune., 1881-12-08
Minneapolis Mills Burned.
A Faint Echo of the Terrible Disaster
H533 ITO the Willing Interest: of
Three Years Ago.
The Three Pillsbury, the Croker u
Fisk Flour Mills. and, the Morri-
b ~ son Cotton Mill.
The Entire Loss will Reach $500, 900,
Made More Terrible by Sac
.a3 Esg rifiee Of Life.
4 SUNDAY MORNING SENSATION.

DETAILS, LOSS AND INSURANCE
At about 4 o'clock this forenoon fire was
discovered in the Gil room Of the Pillsbury B
mill, the fourth in the row of mills between
the canal and the river, below Sixth avenue
south. The mill was in operation at the
dime and one Of the millers who
had been, in the upper part
of the building to look after some part of the
machinery, smelt smoke and instituted an in
vestigation only to discover that the fire had
made rapid progress among the combustible
turned in for the whole fire
department and prompt response
followed. Meantime the fire spread rapidly
and marked for its victims the three mills oper-
atedby Chas. A Pillsbury & Co. on the west
side Of the river, and the intervening mill Of
Croker. Fisk & Co. The tiremen were battling
vigorously with the fire in the Pillsbury B
and Excelsior mills with ~ q fair
prospect Of ~ staying its progrs
there. The fire had communicated
to the mill Of Crocker, Fisk l. Co., next ad-
Joining however, when CONSERVATION was cre-
sted by fearful explosion which Ieveled the
walls Of the structure, crushing the elevated
railroad track in front Of the mill and
.- KILLING THREE PERSONS,
injuring another fatally. and several others in
q less degree. 1t is possible that more than
three fatalities have occurred as
the result of the explosion, but
how many cannot now be definitely
stated. Among the number killed were
Assistant Chief Engineer Neil Fredercks and
member Of Hook & Ladder Company No. 4,
named Huey, who with other firemen occu-
medlately in front of mill Several other Of the
firemen similarly engaged were injured and
the force at the flames somewhat disorganized
in consequence. A third person who has not
yet been identified, and who occupied place
in front of the Office of Pillsbury l. Co.. was
killed by a flying missile. and one other person
who was standing under the elevated railroad,
and who was crushed to death by the walls
and timbers Of the railroad track, is known to
have been killed.
HOW MANY MORE
will be disclosed with the removal of the de-
bris which is now in progress The flames
from the mill in which the explosion occurred
communicated to the Empire mill ON the cor
ner : next adjoining and to the
cotton mill, a small frame structure
Immediately in the rear and facing upon the
platform. The fireman. sick and sad with the
loss Of their fellows, made magnificent effort
andstayed the fire at the corner in the Empire
mill, saving with the utmost difficulty
the Cataract mill of D. r Barber l.
Co.. just across the street Before
seven o'clock the fire which menaced the
whole milling District, was under control and
further danger removed The loss
aggregated round 100000, and
involved the destruction of four -four
ing mills and the cotton mill
The paper mill building next to the Pillsbury
B, in which the fire, originated was savedun in
] iured. Three of the four FIGURING
mills were operated by Chas. A. Pills.
bury & Co.. who, however only owned the
one in which the Ere originated The Excelsior
was the property Of D. Morrison, as was
also the Cotton mill, and the Empire belonged
to L s. Watson of New York, and the fourth
was the property of Croker Co. The loss OF
pillsbury & Co. is pretty we'll covered bv in
surance, as is also the loss of Crocker, Fisk 4
Co. and Of T. L. Watson. The buildings of D
Morrison were not heavily insured, and he il
probably
THE HEAVIEST LOSER
by the fire. The explosion was one of sres
violence, shattering windows as far as tel
blocks away from the scene and starting PEG
pie from their early slumbers in al
parts OF the city The cause is all {.
matter Of speculation, thus far The mil
had been shut down for some time and the e1
plosion is as likely to have BEEF
from confined gas as from flour dust
to which the Washburn mill explosion wa
attributed. The explosion, violent as i
proved to be- did not topple the walls of tn
Empire mill but spent its force by blowing
the roof into the air and the front and rea
walls out, the debris leveling in its progress
the great timbers of the railroad track in from
and in the rear Of the mills.
sAReEANT VESTS STATEMENT.
Sergeant West Of the police force, gives tn
following sIccinct account of the discover,
and progress of the terrible casualty. Whel
!, he saw the light he was standing at til
Citizens bank, corner of Fifth an
Washington avenues. He looked at the clocl
in the hank which ;n,l;o,fa tad q. IN Tho aop,a
at the mill shot up for o moment and then sub
q sided, the flames at the mill shot up for mo
ment and then subsidized, the sergeant remark
ing to Officer Bates that tbs fire would nc
amount to much. He then turne
and walked short distance, whe
the flames shot up in heav
volumes endsthe officers ran down to the mills
only to find the great mills burning brisk
and in such way as to endanger the entir
district The alram had been turne,
on from the Wsshburn A mill
and the firemen we're renderin,
heroic service in the face Of great odds. Whe,
Sergeant West reached the scene the fire mad
Jf.slow a. Roadway until about an hou
after it was discovered, when hor
rifying surprise occurred for all i
the vicinity. Assistant Engineer Frederick
and few Of his fellow-fremen were standin
on the Minneapolis & St Louis elevator track
unning evenly with the second floor of tn
Crocker, Fisk & Co. mills Two firemen wer
on top Of the latter building, little anticipatin,
the terrible experience and marvellous es
cape but q moment ahead of them.
TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION
occurred in the Croker Fisk mill, tearing tn
building into fragments, hurting the two mer
on the roof 70 the roof Of the adjoining mill
from which point they were recovered
ca feWT minutes afterwards without
AgreatorN1 injury than mere scratches.
The trent 9ef the exploded mill wa,
thrown outward in macs of avin,
debris, travelling with the force Of a cannon
ball, inficting few bodily injuries anon,
spectators owing to- the limited numbe,
co9gregated on the ground where the frightened
,f,<xHf 1,nsa Ill