The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1888-12-21
AN EXPLOSION OF MEAL DUST.
ITS Force Sufficient 10 Shake the Earth foi
Nearly a Eue-1Tree hfsn Instantly

AN ~GNFIVotOW VI mESL bUots
us Force Sufficient 10 Shake the Earth for
Nearly a Ele-1Trce Mem Instantly
KILLED.
Chicago dispatch: Three men aro
known to have been killed, one fatally
injured and q number OF persons badly
bruised and shaken up early this morn
ing by an explosion of meal dust which
completely wrecked the three-story
brick building on North Halstead street,
occupied by David Oliver as an oatmeal
mill. Several adjoining buildings were
also shattered. The explosion. which
occurred shortly after Q o'clock, was ter
rifle, one shock being felt a mile away.
Buildings in the immediate vicinity
were bombarded with flying bricks and
timbers, and nearly every pane of win
dow glass within a radius of six blocks
was smashed. Almost before the rum
BILE of the explosion had died away
flames sprang from the wrecked mill
and the whole place was ablaze in q few
minutes. The fire spread with incred-
ible rapidity, and when the first fire
companies reached the scene they found
n block of roaring flames to contend
with. Engines were stationed ut every
available point around the blazing
patch, and buildings that did not take
fire Mt the outset were saved after the
hardest kind of n fight. Sparks that
were carried by the wind ignited build
ings two blocks distant, and for half an
hour the firemen had all they could do
to prevent half O dozen serious con
flagrations. 1t was nearly two
hours before the flames were under con-
troll.
1t was known that four men had been
at work in the meal mill and about
twenty in the planning mill next door.
Besides these, the neighboring houses
contained many men, women and chill
,dren. The men ut work in the planning
mill made their escape q few of them
badly hurt, but the majority only
slightly injured. Hundreds Of men
searched anxiously for the missing mill
lers and after some time n of them
John Holmes-was found lying in the
ally across the street from the mill, ter
ribly 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 cannot live. No trace could
be found of the other three men
Charles Miller, Charles Cooper and John
Smith-and it is believed their bodies
are buried in the debris,
The firemen are hopeful that 10 more
lives were lost, but people living in the
vicinity of the explosion are sure
bodies will be found when the debris is
explored. This cannot be done for sew
eral hours.
Persons who were asleep in the build
ings adjacent to the wrecked mill were
thrown clear ont of their beds by the
force of the explosion, and most of them
were more or less seriously injured dur
ing the terrific bombardment of bricks
escaped from the shattered building with
great difficulty. The loss will aggregate
$3.50, 600.
A battalion of twenty firemen and yer
a hundred volunteers are at work clear
ing away the ruins. Ernest Casper, n
of the three known to be dead, was
working in the cupalo at the time of the
explosion. The cupalo was lifted almost
entire and thrown q distance of sixty
feet upon the south side of the street.
The mutilated form of Casper is some
where under the wreck.
John Christensen, a kiln man, is the
second known victim. His body has not
been found, and he may have been
blown some distance by the force of the
explosion.
Charles Miller, engineer, is also buried
under the mass of debris, and it is
thought his body will be found near the
boiler.
The proprietor and manager of the
mill were on the ground early this
morning, but have been unable to learn
positively the cause of the explosion.
Each thinks that oat meal dust may
haye caused it, but the terrific force is
unprecedented if this theory be &C.
rcepted. No other reasonable explana-
ton is offered, however, and an explo-
sion of dust is accepted until o better
reason can be found.
About 1890 this morning the ~excavat-
ing party discovered the body of a man
supposed 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
face was mangled SO it could mot be
recognized. The unfortunate man had
evidently been blown from the boiler
room clear to the driveway.
The boilers have been uncovered and
are intact, which disposes of the theory
that they had exploded. The police say
there is no evidence of the use of dyna-
mite and 1t is now considered certain
that mill dust was the material exploded.