Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-11-14
IN MEMORY or n,srosrUnx.
Dedio .tion as Alinnoapolis Of . Nor uMaent
Erected I'm HoDor a Non Killed IN =

Dedis .tien Ne Minneapolis Of . Mon snest
Great DDooster.
At MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, the other day,
- large assembly gathered in Lakewood
cemetery to witness the dedication Of 4
monument erected ia memory Of the
eighteen men who persisted in he great
mill d saster of 1878. Kew DR.. Z. 8. Van
Anda formerly OF st. Louis opened the
rcises with prayer, and, wAs followed
by Matt. WALSH, Esq, president Ut tie
Head MIterS association, whu spoke
briefly Of the disaster which this mont
ment was to commemorate. He then
il troducel Rev. DR.. Tuttle of the U.i-
veIsa.is. church who dslive red al elo-
luen Mt address in memo.y OF the men
who persisted in the ruins. A Qulrtette
cl.cir rem Iced SC 7er i tine selections of
music and the exercises Closed with the
beIediction ~ Rsv. A. E. Graves. The
desire to erect q monument TO tie men,
Oly of sI.eir dead comrades vas one of
he Causes that led to the organization
oi the q cad Miliers' association. A pre-
lininary organization was Effected Au-
g,lst %, 1881, and permanent one In
1888 The association now numbers
thirty membeIs The monument cos:
about Sc, 600. IL rests on atoundation of
500 cubic feet of stone and cement laid
below the enrface of the ground. The
Fl, st gran to base resting on masonry is
over eight feet square, and weighs about
twelve tons Above this is a smaller
base or pl!nth bearing an inscription,
which is also on the present Washturne
mill: Labor wide as the earth hath its
summit in Heaven" Resting on these
blocks is heavily moulded base sloping
up gracefully to large polished die in
scription block which contains the names
of the victims and brief history of the
explosion. On this rests projecting
moulded cap with emblems cut in has
relief on gables. Above this is q plinth,
beautifully polished, supporting the sur.
mounting o5elisk, which risesthirty- five
feet.
The mater ial is Vermont granite Of q
rich grey c,.lor The monument occu-
pies commanding posi- ion inthe celne-
terry. Following ia u brief review of the
disaster. AT 7 o'clock p. LII. of Thursday,
May 2, 1878, the city was startled by an
explosion that shook the earth and
buildings for many miles around. The
first explosion was almost instantly fol-
lowed by second and heavier one, that
levelled the great walls of the Wash
burne mill and raised great mass of
debris high in the air, heavy stones be-
ing carried as far as st. Anthony hill.
The powerful vibrations shattered psnes
of heavy plate glass at distance of ten
blocks, this damage extending.as far
Nicolet avenue and Third street. The
loss by the breakage of glass alone
amounted to several thousand dollars.
The walls of the big mil, fell outward,
involving in it's destruction that of I've
other mills in the vicinity.
The force of the explosion was so com.
plete in its destruction that scarcely any
two stones of the Washburne mill were
left in their former position. It is sup
posed that some slight fame first caused
q moderate explosion that thew -four
dust into the air and that this, filling the
mill, Immediately exploded with irresis.
tible power. The other mills destroyed
were as follows: Petit Robinson, Gal
axy, Zenith, Hennepin, Humboldt,
Washburne. Several others were dam
aged. The mill loss was nearly $1,000
600, and other damage made the total
loss of property about 81, 10000 The
mills have since been rebuilt larger and
better than before. In the Washburne
mill were fourteen men who persisted.
one man in each of three other mills and
one man outside of the mills.