Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-30
DEATH IN THE AIR.
A Score OF People Killed by Paper
Mill Explosion at Neenah,
Wisconsin.
The Ien-Ton Rotary Bleacher Bursts
and the Flying Fragments Make
Great Havoc.
Eighteen Killed Outright and Many
others So Horribly Injured that
Death is Inevitable.

NKENAH, Wis, Aug. 23.-Abont II .so
last night George Writings paper.mill. q
large three story building in the suburbs
OF this city, was discovered in flames.
The alarm brought several thousand peo-
pie to the scene, who were standing about
the blazing structure when the large
bleaching boiler exploded. Eighteen
persons were killed, seven fatally injured,
thirteen SO seriously hust that they may
die, and twenty others cut and bruised by
the falling debris.
At few moments after IL O'Clock the
alarm sounded. The fire burned slowly
but before the local fire department. could
respond the mill was enveloped ir flames
and all possibility of saving it had van
Ished. The fire caught III the boiler room,
II large quantity of fuel, shavinys, etc.
The fireman, Peter Nelson, had been out
during the evening, as he relates his
story, and friend of his had worked for
him. About II o'clock he went from his
post to get drink of water, and
looking back into the boiler-room found
flames among the piles Of shayings. Be-
fore he could get the hose or pull the
whistle to give the alarm, the flames
rushed through the room and drove him
out. When the department arrived and
began playing upon the FIRE the mill was
doomed.
The immense revolving bleach was in
the heating room adjoining the fire room
1t was filled with straw and rags. When
the roof over the heatlng-room fell in
the fremen turned the hose over the
bleach, and instantly an explosion oc-
CURED, and ten tons of boiler debris shot
out of the building and across side
track through throng of spectators,
moving them down like glass.
The explosion lifted the roof and sent
1t onto the heads of the spectators. The
walls were blown outward, masses of brick
and stone and broken timber, burying
scores of people.
Inc oleacher was thrown distance Of
300 feet, striking the ground three times
in its flight, and finally turning over.
The names of the killed men are:
Gilbert Merricle, John Moher, M. Nun
diner, F. Sandover, John Weaver, Louis
Roesh, VIM. Bublitz, Jr., JAKE Vedder, j.
Hoffman, III. Kuelke, +. Schaefer, Joseph
Eul, Joseph Brueggen, andS. Liebhauser.
Most of the killed were married men
and coopers by trade. A large number
were wounded. One, Thomas Jordan, an
old and well-known citizen, was fatally
cut In the side. Others are badly iniur-
ed, including the following:
Myron Fisher, right leg broken twice.
Will Kranse, leg broken, afterward am
putated.
aug. Heckner, struck in the head and
badly injured.
Cally Shelter, arm broken and head cut
A. Tauchscher, head and leg cut.
f. Helbaeh, hurt in the back.
Mayor z. V. Lawson, ankle badly injur-
ed.
Dr.. E. Burroughs, back and arm cut.
John Lull, arm cut.
Alice Laudick, badly injured.
Mrs. Arlf, badly injured.
Ed. Leiphauser, side and back injured.
n. Wager knocked from a car and
badly hurt.
Joe Dryer, badly bruised about the legs,
A. KrOzier, struck n the back by
plank.
A number of others were slightly injur.
ed.
Willie Bublitz was carrier for thu
Neenah Daily Times. His head was
crushed in and an arm broken. He, like
the others of the fourteen killed died in.
stantIy.
The bleecher in its flight through the
air looked like red meteor. Where it
struck the side-track the rails were cut as
though by saw. The body of one man
was found suspended in tree. Another
man was found with leg cut off, the
msmber being found fifty feet from the
body. A popularity of the sad affair is
that every man killed had his head crush
ed in.
The work of removing the bodies was
at once commenced. The dead was re-
moved to the city hall and prepared for
burial. The injured wene carried to
neighboring residences. The scene of
the horror is small island mid way be-
tween this city and Menasha. The mill
stood on the bank of the river in the
heart of the manufacturing confer.
A committee was appointed this morn
ing by the mayor to solicit aid for them.
The solicitations SO far have met with
ready response.
Business to-day is suspended and every
body is caring for the dead and injured,
and aiding the beraved friends and rela-
lives.
The loss on the property is placed by
Mr.. Whiting at $4,000, with an insur-
ance of $4,000. He will rebuild the
mill.