The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-12-09

the vicinity. Assistant Engineer Frederick
and few Of his fellow-fremen were standing
on the Minneapolis St Louis elevator track.
running evenly with the second floor of the
Croker, Fisk & Co. mills. Two firemen were
on top Of the latter BUILDING, little anticipating
the terrible experience and marvellous es-
cape but moment ahead Of them
TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION
occurred in the Croker Fisk mill, tearing the
building into fragments. hurting the two men
on the roof to the roof of the adjoining mill,
from which point they were recovered
few minutes afterwards without
greater injury than mere scratches.
The front Of the exploded mill was
thrown outward in . mass Of flying
debris, travelling with the force Of cannon
ball, inflicting few bodily injuries among
spectators owing to the limited number
congregated on the ground where the frightened
incident of the casualty occurred. The Peas
timbers. rails and posts in the elevated
railway track were bent down or splintered
and in their fall tore through the planking of
The platform creating q wreck and manning
Of human bodies which words
cannot picture. Poor Neill Frederick
as good a man and faithful On official as ever
lived was struck on the side of the head by
some fragment, tearing the skull open
in shocking manner and causing in
slant death. The body, active and vigi-
liant moment before, was picked
upon the broken and splintered track, but all
trace Of life had disappeared He was carried
into the Pillsbury Office, and the search began
for his late associates, whose bodies were
covered by the debris or driven partially under
the platform and the splintered mills. Their
names so far as known have been given abo We
The flames were gradually brought under con-
troll, but the search continued. The number of
people outside Of the fire department who had
congregated OH the spot up to o'clock WAS
surprisingly small. 1t was known that two or
more bodies were lying under tho timbers.
which had been driven through the platform
planking At Sis tho body of an unknown
man, not fireman, was re-
moved from underneath the timbers.
q mass of broken bones but slightly lascarated
flesh and clothing nearly intact, and tenderly
conveyed the imprisoned Mergue in G. A.
Pillsbury Co.'S Office
THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL.
A force Of stalwart choppers Ia
bored with tremendous and unflagging
zeal in cutting through the
massive timbers which formed both prison
and charnel house for the unfortunate dead
remaining unreleased or pinioned by the
terrific explosion. which had borne them
down to death, literally in the
twinkling Of an eve. At $50 the fremen
still retained their sorrowful posts under the
direction of Chief Engineer Bracket, who gave
his orders with rare judgment. notwithstand-
ing a grief for his loved associates which
he could not conceal even IN the midst
of his direct and great responsibility. At that
hour three dead bodies were lying in the
Pillsbury & Co. office aud another injured
fireman taken to the Ames hospital,
had died of his injuries. He is believed
to be member of Hose Company, No. 4. Mr..
Fredericks, the dead assistant engineer, was
one of the oldest members of
tho department, and o man. generally
snd deservtdly esteemed, being known through
out the city. He was about thirty five years
Of age, a German by birth, but long resi-
dent here, and there is not q citizen Of
Minneapolis who will not mourn tho loss Of
Ger, at the time of his death,
was known to have held an accident insurance
policy for $3. 600, and is understood to have
owned considerable property. 1t is yet too
early to speak definitely of the remaining
dead, but the loss of life by the
unexpected casualty it is feared will reach one
third of the loss attending the great explo-
sion in the Washburn (Al, which at
tracted the attention of the civilized world
The man at the Washburn A mill who sounded
the ALAN states that the fire was first discov-
cred in the basement of the Pillsbury MILL,
and number Of spectators affirm
positively that the explosion occurred in the
Excelsior mill of Messrs. Pillsbury & Co.,
but the exact location will soon be
positively settled. The Crocker. Fisk Il Co
mill had been shut down for some time
aud if tho explosion occurred here
it must have been caused by
gas and not bv flour dust, but the latter would
furnish the explanation had the tremendous
upheavalere occurred in the Excelsior. The
force Of the explosion did pn'
SKATER THE WALLS
as much as might be expected, and
appears to have moved outwardly
through the front. playing indescribable
havoc with the front Of tho building, and the
portions of the elevated railway track lying
within range At $50 o'clock great
masses of citizens were hurrying
to the scene of . second disaster forming a
most painful and sickening chapter in the his
tory of milling enterprises in Minneapolis
THE LOSS
may be summed: The Pillsbury D mill, owned
by c. A Pillsbury 4 Co., was valued on the
books OF the firm at $4,000 which
included the site. The Empire, owned by L
S. Watson of Massachusetts was worth $685.,
900. and the Excelsior. owned by D.
Morrison. 500, 900 aud the Minneapolis mill
of Croker, Fisk & Co. was worth $685.
600 All the mills contained more or
loss stock. Pillsbury & Co. were
90 fnlly covered by insurance on this part Of
a.. lo.. THAR total loaa