The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-12-08
Minneapolis Mills Burned.
A@Faint Echo OF tho Terrible Disaster
~ TO- the Milling Interest OF
"aH''' ss<SD 10 Three Years Ago.
r. The Three Pillsbury, the Crocker 4
>s ~ Fssl Flour Mills and tie Morri-
son Cotton Mill. :
-

w. = tSek flouf A1ilS ana the Mofrl-
son Cotton Mill. :
6 <sfsE. r.. = .t3
The Entire Loss will Reach $500, 900,
7. Made More Terrible by Sac
rifce Of Life.
Il: i14j,.. ...,~ ~.
A SUNDAY MORNING SENSATION.
5 e - DETAILS, LOSS AND INSURANCE.
At about i o'clock this yforeuoous IRE was
discovered in the Gil room Of tho Pillsbury B
: mill, the fourth in the row Of mills between
tho canal and the river, below Sixth avenue
south. Tho mill Was in operation at the
limo and ono Of the millers who
had been In the upper pad
OF the building to look after some part Of the
machinery, smelt smoke aud instituted IN in
veshgaticn only to discover that the fire had
made rapid progress among the oombustia1e
material in the oil room. The alarm wa
turned In for tie whole dse
department and prompt response
followed Meantime the Ere spread rapidly
snd marked for it, victims the three mills opsr-
ated by Chss A Pillsbury i Co on the west
side Of the river, aud the intervening mill Of
Croker. Fisk Co. The dremen were battling
vigorously with the fire in the Pllsbury B
81 aud Excelsior mills with fair
+" prospect Of staying tia proszs
there. The FIRE had communicated
TO the mil! Of Croker. Fisk l. Co., ncxt ad-
joining however, when CONSERVATION Was ere.
= ;sted BY fearful explosion which leveled the
walls Of tho structure, crushing the elevated
railroad track in front Of tho mill and
KILLING rHHIs PERSONS.
= injuring another fatally: and several others in
= less degree. 1t is possible that moro than
tiroe fatalities have occurred Is
tAs result Of the explosion, hut
how 2, many canno: now be definitely
J stated Among the number killed we're
Assistant Chief Engineer Neil Frederioks and
member Of Hook i Ladder Company No i,
named Hrey, who with other dremen occu-
pied place on tho elevated railroad track, i'm
aned,ateay III front OF mill Several other Of the
afemeu similarly engaged were injured and
the force It the flames somewhat lisorganized
10 consequence. A third person who has not
get bscn identified, and who occupied place
sia 'front.' Of the Office Of Pllsbury l. Co, wa
killed BY flying missile. and one other person
who was standing under the elevated railroad,
and:who vas crushed to death by the walls
= and timbers Of the railroad track. il known TO
have been killed.
HON MANY MoEE
Sill be diaclosed with the removal Of tho de-
:, bris which il now in progress Tbs flames
from the mill in which the explosion occurred
communicated to the Empire mill on the cor
nsr next adjoining and to the
cotton mill, small frame structure
Immediately i'll the rear aud faciug upon the
platform. The fireman, sick and sad with the
loss OF their fellows, made magnificent effort
and stayed the fire At the corner in the Empire
mill, saving with the utmost difficulty
tho Cataract mill Of D. r. Barber l.
Go. just across the street. Before
seven O'Clock tho fire which monacel the
whole milling district, was under control and
further danger removed. Tho loss
aggregated round 100000, and
involved the destruction Of four lour-
ing mills and the cotton mill
The paper mill building noxt to the Pillsburv
=, IN which the fire originated was savedun in
3nred Three Of the four tlourina
mills were operated by Chas A. Pills.
bury Il Co., who, however only owned the
one in which tue fire originated. Tho Excelsio,
wac the property Of D. Morrison, As va.
also tho Cotton mill. and tho Empire BELONGED
i to I s Watson OF New York, and tho fourth
was the property OF Croker Il Co. The los, oi
Pills6ury / Co Is pretty we'll covered bv IN.
sozance. - 10 also the loss OF Croker. Fisk 4
20. and OF T. l. Watson. The buildings Of D
Morrison were not heavily insured, and h. /.
1t9bably =. "
TIE HEAVIEST LosxR
y by tho dra The explosion was ono Of era.
Z, Violence. shattsring windows - far - tes
: blocks away from the ecene aud starting peo
P1s from their carly slumbers in al
parts Of the city. Tho cause is al
matter OF speculation, thus far. The mill
hsd been shut down for some time and the sx
plosion is ~ likely to have bee,
Z from confined gas ~ from aonr dust
i - which the >Washburu mill explosion VA
attributed. The explosion. violent a. /
proved to be. did not topple the walls Of II,
I: Empire mill but spent its force by BLOWN,
Il she roof into the cir aud the front and rea
walls out, tho debris leveling in ito progress
{ tho great timbers Of the railroad track in from
and in the rear Of the mills.
| ~: y SA1oIAKr wEsT's sTArE.Hxt
Sargent West Of the police force, gives To-
following suecinct account Of the discover,
AMI progress Of the terrible casualty Whe1
to saw the light he was standing at tn
:eitizens' bank, corner Of Fifth IN,
s~ashtngton avenues. He looked 1T tho clocl
{; 70 the bank. which indicated $50 The aamsl
at tho mill shot up for moment and then sub
sided, the flames ct the mill shot up for mo
~" ment and then subsidized, the sergeant remark
at ing to Officer Bates that the fire would no
amount to much. He then turnet
81 aud walked short distance, whe1
tho flames shot up in heav!
80 volumes and the officers ran down to the mills
only to find the great mills burning briskl,
aud in such way ~ to endanger tho sat,r
district The alram had been turuet
on from tho Wsshburn mill
and the iremeu we're rendering
go heroic service in the face Of great odds. Whsr
Sergeant West reached the scene the fire mad
slow Roadway until about an hon
after 1t was discovered, when . hor
~ rfying surprise occurred for ali /,
the vicinity. Aaaistsnt Engineer Frederick,
anu : Jew Of hs fellow-fremen were st.ndin,
onshe Minneapolis L st. Louis elevator track
. running evenly with thu second door Of ID,
Croker, Fisk Co. mile. Two aremen wer,
on top OF the latter building. little .nticipatin,
the terrible experience and marvellous o.
cspc but a moment ahead of them
4 TaE,tExDuous EXPLOSION
occurred in the Crocker Fisk mill, tearing III,