, 1881-12-17
EXPLOSIVE FLOUR,
How TO prcvcnt tho bursting and Durn-
Ing Of Fiour-NIlilx-Lctter from W. MI.
Hraclkett, Chief Of tho Minneapolis Flre
nH1n

HOW TO Prevent tho fsllrAtfnE and Bufn.
Ing of Fiour-NIlllx-Lctter from W. nj.
Hrackett, Chief OF tho Minneapolis Flre
Department..
1o the Editor of The Chicago 7riasn..'
OFFICE or CHIEF ENo1NkER FIRE DEPART
MENT, NtSNEAPoL1s, Mimi, Dec 13.-Tho theory
which has bcen advanced with regard to Hour
mlll explosions or rather tho prcyenuou Of
them BY the thorough atrlnR Of mill two or
thrco times oach dny, would no doubt bo par
ttal preventive, but. would not hnvo prevented
cithor OF the explosions occurring In this city. I
quote from my report of tho tiro and expulsion
OF 1873: "Tho fro originated on tho SOUTH or
cast eide Of tho Washburn 4 Mill, on tho grind
iog l9or. by sparks Of fire generated by tho MILL
stones running together empty or by the passnge
OF some Foreign substance through them, lilo
iron. After Bmofdcring fow minutes smoke
1Yaa discovered issuing fron, the dust spnuts a
few minutes bcforo tia explosion by outslders,
About the stones tho lre burst Into b1azo
which tgtlitcd tho dust In tho conycyors and
duat-house, causing both to explode, jarrtuR the
dust throughout thu tnill into tho uir, which
tgutcd like 50 much powder, ca,sing tho
nrat 9rcat explosion in tho Washburn A.
Tho lnsnos from the Washburu 4 explosion,
aided by tho wind, wcro IN IL flash carried into
tho windows and dtlst-spouts Of tho Diamond
MILL which stood cornoring twonty- nvo foot dis
tant, and Rct flro to tho t!our-dust which Alrcny
FIRST explosion. Then followed tho explosion Of
TINT mill from tho Banc cause md tho saIno
method. Tho expl0st on Of tho Diamond sot tlro
and exploded the Humboldt, whiuh stood broa,l-
Bldo twonty- nro foet dtstnnt. Tho three mills on
on e' aes ro tS9Sh tSo WhssSurn s..
capped explosion account OF the iifty foot open
spaco botweon them and Tho 4 mil; aitiod Gy {.
UNUSUAL absence. ct dust. the two lnrgcr mills
tioi th9ying run for soTor7,l days and being cs-
sn pGSay Gle!In: H.. NnW allow no TO stato tho con-
-Four Aour mlts Ii ono block, Oniy divided by
ct Whc Tsr Sr, only Eng
on the canal, running south from Sixth tvenuo,
waa Y ~ ~ iqlo'ys: E,npiro. minneapolis. riabury
11.rn u and & Eacolstor. Thc walls OF .iese n,jls
hay!ng co'latractnd upon ia roof anu ubnyo tho
watls uf tho at'1oinlnF mil!sa wooden dUst-hnuse
pGye5ea oe tns "t G 9na
roof Of Tho mill. Tho l1re originated in te pliis.
bury y, aud was on iiro throu9hout III less than
nrrlyal Ut tho fro department. NO expected to
conhno toni the ire to that mill. a. VIC have dono tn
II f"e ho a' ,as so bt SS9f0 r. It @ Dr.;
with ohstrlutlons TINT wo did not have 10 con.
teMa ~ita r. shs others Ftrst tho elevated
~ r. carr sthnd!na thoreon IN front 1f and in
line With the second story VI TIM b!uok Of mills;
sGSsn1 ESsr h ?" ,sa 3SS9 y fsot
ocss to except through ths block OF lnIlls third,
g.. Mne o. one.story woot,' cosrrcd With iron,
~ ~ trss 1emm no foAr OF egeh ull
~ shsam ntt a'tn pEUasiy eonneotins thu Ecar
=. 4I,rsh thesg mil1s toRoiaaF as With fuBos
foot, f.". ~ fn9 9fc4Mtes .uGtth iaboAt twenty-five
tsIstSt,u. + 1as E3.o!sios tnan tue .nd1otnfng
a.. ",n, a,ry ~ m!.a c,,a tarso uhpFeteotod windows
1, ~ ,G;G s.usy aa no mcns u fKltlnK the tir0
~ tn,s lfeot!ou except by carrying linns ot husa
ason saS lfnnt 70 ne renr OF this NIL! on eauh
~ taiS noMat lEfceisiur aiilll, hAving extIi,
G.snea .s .ns on lnfeo t0ors before the uxplp.
nfcnss at.. 9no otaor TWO man polnts OF
y I,oa ol tne uorArtmcnt under boconl Assistant
Engincfr stesson was accomplishing gnod work
ns t. roteo. ~ obcot IN nv1ns va to.G asss
ta 10 show the condition of things it TIC tmn ~