The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-12-08
Minneapolis Mills Burned.
Faint Echo of the Terrible Disaster
to the Milling Interest OF
Three Years Ago.
Inc Three Pillsbury, the Croker &
Fisk Flour Mills and the Morri-
son Cotton Mill.
Ihe Entire Loss will Reach $500, 900,
Made More Terrible by Sac
ritice of Life.

Made More Terrible by Sac
ritice of Life.
"A SUNDAY MORNING SENSATION.
DETAILS, LOSS AND INSURANCE..
At about i 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
t1me and one Of the milers who
mad 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
material in the oil room. The alarm was
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-
ated by Chas. A Pillsbury & Co. on the west
side OF the river, and the intervening mill or
'Crocker, Fisk l. Co. The 6remen were battling
vigorously with the fire in the Pillsb,,ry B
and Excelsior mills with fair
prospect Of staying its progrs
there. The fire had communicated
to the mill Of Croker, Fisk Co., next ad-
joining however,, when CONSERVATION was cre-
ated by fearful explosion which leveled the
walls of the structure, crushing the elevated
raiiroad track in front of the mill and
KILLING THREE PERSONS,
a 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 Fredericks and
o member of Hook Ladder Company No. 4,
named Huey, who with other firemen occu-
pied place ON the elevated railroad track, i'm
medlately in front of mill. Several other of the
hremen similarly engaged were injured and
tie force at the flames somewhat lisorganized
IN consequence A third person who has not
yet been identified, and who occupied place
in front Of the Office of Pillsbury s. Co., was
killed by 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. Tho flames
no IN, ,;oi,+ iva
communicated to the Empire mill on the cor
ner next adjoining and to the
cotton mill, 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
and stayed the fire at the corner in the Empire
mill, saving with the utmost difficulty
the Cataract mill Of D. r. Barber T.
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
jured Three of the four Touring
mills we're operated by Chas. A. Pills
bury Co., who, however only owned tho
one in which the fire 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 e. Co. The loss OF
Pillsbury & Co. is pretty we'll covered by in
surance, as is also the loss Of Crocker, Fisk t.
CO. and of I. L. Watson The buildings Of D.
Morrison were not heavily insured, and he is
probably
THE HEAVIEST LOSER
by the fire. The explosion was one Of great
violence, SCATTERING windows as far as ten
blocks away from the scene and starting peo-
pie from their early slumbers in all
parts OF the city: The cause is all q
matter OF speculation, thus far. The mill
had been shut down for some time and the ex-
plosion is as likely to have been
from confined gas as from -four dust,
to which the Washburn mill explosion was
attributed. The explosion, violent as it
proved to be, did not topple the walls Of the
Empire mill but spent its force by blowing
tho roof into the air and the front and rear
walls out, the debris leveling in it's progress
the great timbers of the railroad track in front
and in the rear Of the mills
sARGEANT VESTS STATEMENT.
Sergeant West, Of the police force, gives the
following succinct account of the discovery
and progress of the terrible casualty. When
he saw the light he was standing at the
Citizens bank, corner Of Fifth and
Washington avenues. He looked at the clock
in the bank, which indicated $50. The flames
at the mill shot up for moment and then sub
sided, the flames at the mill shot up for mo-
ment and then subsidized, the sergeant remark
ing to Officer Bates that the fire would not
amount to much. He then turned
and walked short distance, when
the flames shot up in heavy
volumes and the officers ran down to the mills,
only to find the great mills burning briskly
and in such way as to endanger the entire
district The alram had been turned
on from the Wsshburn A mill,
and the firemen we're rendering
heroic service in the face of great odds. When
Sergeant West reached the scene the fire made
slow Roadway until about an hour
after it was discovered, when q hor-
rifying surprise occurred for ali in
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 Il 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 we're recovered
few minutes afterwards without
greater injury than moro scratches:
The front Of the exploded mill was