Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-12
A FATAL SHOCK.
an EXPLOSION OF hgAL-DUsT CAUSES
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.
Three Hen Killed and Block Of Houses
Set Ahrs and Burned
Loss $3.50, 900.
NV teIerraph . the pIspatch.l

IBy telegraph 70 the Dlspatch.l
CHICAGO. December 1f.-Three men ere
known to have been killed, one fatally In
iured. and a number Of people badly bruised
and shaken 10 early this morning BY an sx-
ploslOn OF meal-dust, which completely
wrecked the three-story brick building on
north IIalstead street occupied by Dayid
Oliver a. An oatmeal min. Several adjoining
buildings were also badly shattered. The
explosion, which occurred shortly after
O'Clock, was a terrific one, the shock being
felt mile away. The buildings 10 the i'm.
mediate vicinity were bombarded With flying
bricks and timbers, aud nearly every pane OF
Wind0w-glass within q radius Of i've blocks
was smashed. Almost before the rumble OF
the explosion had died away the flames
sprang no from the wrecked mill and the
whole place was ablsze In few minutes.
The Ere spread with incredible rSpidity,
and when the first fire companies reached
the scene they bad block OF roaring fames
10 contend with. A general alarm was At
osce turned In. Engines were stationed at
every available point around the blazing
psich. and the buildings that did not take
fire At the outside were saved after the bard
est kind OF WORK. The sparks were carried
through the air by the wind aud ignlted
buildings two blocks away, and for haf an
hour the fremen had oil they could do TO
prevent bali dozen serious CONTRIBUTIONS.
The streets were filed with d<bris Tor
block on every side OF the burned patch,
aud this seriously Obstructed the liremen In
their work. They stumbled over the board.
ing and timbers and d<briS until their
clothes were torn, their hands and faces
cut, and their limhs 20 badly sti1ened that
they could hardly walk.
Ii was nearly two hours before the flames
were under control. When the fire was at
its height the widest rumors were advanced
regarding the loss OF life. II was known
that four men had been at work In the meal
mill and about twenty in the planing-mill
next door. Besides these neighboring
houses contained many men, women, sud
children. At one time II was asserted that
twenty people had persisted, but later this
estimate was found 10 he greatly exagge'
rated. The men at work In the piantng-
mill all made their escape. 4 few OF them
were badly hurt, but the majority were only
slightly injured. Hundreds Of men search
ed anxiOuslV for the missing millers, and
after some time one Of them, John Holmes,
was fouad lying Ia an slsy across
the street from the mill terribly burned and
laceraied. lie was working in the second
story OF the mill when the explosion occur
red, and was hurled through the window
aud across the street. He cannot live. No
trace can be found Of the other three men
Charles Cooper, Charles Miller, and John
Smith-and il u believed that their bodies
are burned in the debris. The fremen are
hopeful that no more lives were lost, but
peOple living N the vicinity of the explosion
are sure more bodies will he found when the
d66r,S ia explored. This cannot be
done thoroughly for several hours
vet. Persons who were asleep In the
buildings adjacent 10 the wrecked mill
were thrown clear out OF their beds by
the force OF the explosion, and most Of them
were more or less injured during the terrific
bombardment OF bricks and other DEBRIS.
Charles Murphy occupied rooms over sa-
loon AZ the corner Of Fulton and Ialstead
streets. with him were his family, consist
ing Of bis wife, two children, and bis mo-
Their. They were all 10 bed when the explo-
sion occurred snd were all asleep. The force
OF the conclusion sWsyed the house from
side 10 side aad all the members OF Murphy's
family were thrown violently from their beds
upon the floor or against the walls. Within
an instant the house was enyeloped In flames
and the cries OF The daZed occupants reached
the people on the street.
Charles Blue was among the spectators,
aud upOn bearing the cries from Murphy's
rushed into the building at the risk OF his
life and carried ont women and children,
making three trips into the burning house.
Murphy, being 80 dazed, was almost unable
10 Get out OF tue house. All were rescued
without serious injury. Blue was badly
scOrched aud bruised The inmates OF
Kings clearinghouse, across the street, and
charles Mccormick and his wife, who re-
side next door, escaped from the shattered
building with great difficulty, several OF
them being badly bruised aud all losing
their personal effects. The losses viii aggre-
gale about s150OO0. The loss on the
mill Is about s75, 600. jacob Press, the
planiDg.min proprietor. loses about $4,000.
II is estimated that the other losses will be
$4,000.
A battalion Of twenty flremen and over one
hundred volunteers are at work clearing
awav the ruins. Ernest Casper, one Of the
three known 10 be dead, was working IN the
cupola at the time OF the explosion. The
cupola was lifted almost entire and
thrown a distance Of sixty feet upon the
south side Of the street. The muilsted form
Of Casper Is somewhere under the wreck.
John Christensen, kinmau, is the second
known victim. His body was not found,
aud he NAV have been blown some distance
by the force OF the explosion. Charles Mil
Ter, engineer, was also buried under mass
Of dt5ris, aud Il is thought his body will be
found near the boiler. Davis Oliver, the
proprietor, and Peler NJ. kmme, manager
Of the mill, were on the ground early this
mOrning, bat a. vet have been unable to
learn positively the cause OF the explosion.
Each thinks that Oatmeal dust may have
caused it, but the terrific force is uuprece-
dented il this theory be- accepted.
No other reasonable explanation Is offered,
however, aud the explosion ot dust is ac-
cepttd until a better reason can be found. A
vast crowd surrounded the ruins. For the
distance Of 4 nile in some directions plate
gas. windows were shsttered aud buildings
violently iostled by the terrific force OF the
eNnlnHnn.