The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-08-30
AN AWFUL CALAMITY.
The Boiler Of , Paper-Miil Near Menasha
Wis, Expiodes, Killing Fourteen Men,
and Badly Wounding Number Of

The Boiler OF Paper-MilI Near Menashs
wis, Expiodes. Killing Fourteen Men.
aud BADLY Wounding u Number Of
Others.
MILWAUKEE, Aug. PA special from
Eeenah, Wis, to the Erening Wisconsin
says: At II 80 O'Clock Wednesday even
ing the large paper mill owned by George
Whitney, situated on tho island between
this city ard Menasha, was destroyed by
fire. While the burning structure was sur
rounded by crowd or spectators the
battery Of boilers exploded. The roof
and the walls were thrown outward,
sending shower of brick AMI timbers
among the spectators. Fourteen persons
were killed, seven fatally injured, and a
number less seriously hurt, several OF
whom may die. The mill was three story
structure. built four years ago at a cost Of
SlDO, geo, and was operated day and night.
When the flames broke out about fifty men
were in the building. The fire alarm
brought several hundred people TO
the spot. who crowded. as close to
the burning building as the intense
heat would permit. About 1 30 O'Clock,
wrile the building was a mass of flame,
the explosion occurred without warning.
The roof OF the building was thrown up
NdId buL"dI&s liC vans VI VI I'm
crumbled and crashed into the street. and
in an instant scores Of men were buried
by the heavy debris. There was a mo-
mcnt OF silence and then a cry
Of horror went up from the null
titude. The first strong impulse to
fly from possible further danger was soon
overcome and hundreds began tho work
of recovering the bodies OF the dead and
rcscuing and caring for the injured. Body
after body was found, crushed and
mangled by the great timbers and masonry
almost beyond recognition, and then re-
moved to the City Hall. The injured were
carried 10 neighboring residences or TO
their homes rs soon as their identity could
be established Following is Il list of the
dead:
Joseph Brnegg.n, Willie Bublitz. Ir.. Joseph
Eu', John Holman. Hcary Kue!kc. Sebastian
L;ebhause, Michael Mendtner. Gilbert Iurrich,
John Mohr, Louis Rcesch, Frank Sanborf,
JACOB yedder and John Weaver.
The severely injured are:
Thomas Jordan, side hurt. 1t Is thought IA
tally: Myron c. Fisher. OF Bachelor a. Fischer,
right leg broken twice VIII krauz leg broken
and afierward amrutated. Angus. Heckner.
laborer, head badly cut: coily Scheen'er, arm
broken and head hurt. d. Teuchscher, head
and leg cut Fred Helbach. back hurt; p. y.
Lawson. ankle injured: DR. +. Burroughs,
back and arm hart; John Lull, arm hur.: J..
koclsch. leg cut: Alice Landick and Mrs. Arft,
| sl lghtly injured Edward Leiphauser. side and
| back injured; y. Wagner, Knocked down from
| car and badly hurt: Joseph Dryer. leg badly
| bru sed A. Frazier. back struck by plank.
| The loss on the building is SloJ,OOo, in
| surancc, s5a.OoO.
| The cause Of the calamity Is traced
| directly to the iron bleach. 1t is said that
| tins was full Of steam and rags and had
| become superheated When the cold water
from the fire engine struck it the explosion
/ followed instantly.
/ All of the killed will be buried at the
city's expense, as they were all in poor
| circumstances, and some Of the families OF
/ the killed are almost destitute. Mayor
Lawson has appointed a committee to
solicit aid for the families Of the killed,
| and already a good deal of money has
| been subscribed. There is nobody who
| can describe the explosion, as those
who were nearest and could sec were
either killed or injured badly.
4 Q