The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-12-21
ANOTHER CHICAGO BLow-UP.

Terrible Explosion of Dust i'm an Dat meal
Mili-Three Men Killed and Others In
Jured-Hcavy Loss.
CHICAGO, Dec. 1L-Three men were
killed, one fatally injured and a number
of people badly bruised and shaken up
early this morning by an explosion OF
meal dust which completely wrecked the
three story brick building on North Hall
stead street occupied by David Oliver as
an oatmeal mill Several adjoining build
ings were also badly shattered.
The explosion which occurred shortly
after two O'Clock was a terrific one, tho
shock being felt a mile away. The build
ings in the immediate vicinity were bonn
barded with flying bricks and timbers and
nearly every pane of window glass within
aradius OF six blocks was smashed.
Almost before the rumble of the explo.
sion died away flames SIP rang up from the
wrecked mill and the whole place was
ablaze in a few minutes. The fire spread
with incredible rapidity and when the
first fire companies reached the scene they
found block of roaring flames to contend
with. A general alarm was at once
turned in. Sparks were carried through
the air by the wind and ignited buildings
two blocks away and for half an hour the
firemen had all they could do to prevent
half dozen serious CONGREGATIONS. The
streets were filled with debris for a blocl.
on every side of the burned patch, and
this seriously INSTRUCTED the firemen in
their work.
Hundreds of men searched anxiously for
the missing millers, and after some time
one of them, John Holmes, was found
lying in an alley across the street from the
mill, terribly burned and lacerated. He
was working in the second story of the
mill when the explosion occurred. and
was hurled through a window and across
the street. He can not live.
Persons who were asleep in the build
ings adjacent to 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 the
saloon at the corner of Fulton and Halstead
streets. Within were his family, cons ST.
ing of his wife, two children and mother.
The force of the conclusion rocked the
house from side to side and all members OF
Murphy's family were thrown violently
from their beds upon the floor or against
the walls. Within an instant the hous :
was enveloped in flames and the cries Of
the occupants reached the people on the
street. Charles BIeu rushed into the Bald
ing at the risk of his life and carried out
the women and children, making three
trips into the burning house. Murphy was
so dazed that he was almost unable to get
out of the house. Bleu was badly scorche,!
The losses Will aggregate a out $4,000
The loss on the mill is about ) 4, eco Jacob
Press, owner of the planin mill, loses
about $4,000 and it is estimated that The
other losses will be $4,000
John Christian, the kiln man, is the Sec
ond known victim. His body has not
been found and he NAV have been blown
some distance by the force of the expio-
sion.
Charles Miller, the engineer, is also
buried under the mass of debris, and it /,
thought that his body will be found near
the boiler
About 1880 the excavating party dis
covered the body of a man which was sup
posed to be that of Engineer Miller The
corpse was found on the north driveway
of the mill and was covered with about
three feet of debris. The lower part of
the body was covered with bruises and
burns, and the face was mangled so that
it could not be recognized. The unfortunate
man had evidently been blown from the
engine room clear TO the driveway.
The boilers have been uncovered and
are intact, which di poses of the theory
that they had exploded. The police say
there is no evidence of the use of dyna-
mite, and it is now considered certain that
mill dust was the material exploded.