Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20
ANOTHER CHICAGO sLow-up.


Terrible Explosives OF Dust In an Oatmeal
Mnl-Thres Mon Killed and Others Ia-
jured-Heavy Loss.
CHICAGO, Dec. 1L-Three men were
killed, one fatally injured and q 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 a.
an oatmeal mill. Several adjoining build
ings were also badly shattered.
The explosion which occurred shortly
after two O'Clock was q terrific one, the
shock being felt 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
. radius Of six blocks was smashed.
Almost before tho rumble of the explo.
sion died away flames sp rang up from tho
wrecked mill and the whole place was
ablaze in q few minutes. The fire spread
with incredible rapidity and when the
first fire companies reached the scene they
found a 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
ffremen had all they could do to prevent
half a dozen serious confagrations. The
on every side OF the burned patch, and
this seriously INSTRUCTED the fremen 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 tho
mill, terribly burned and lacerated. He
was working in the second story of tho
mill whom the explosion occurred. and
| W hnr adj oho irA nd
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, consist
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 house
was enveloped in flames and the cries Of
the occupants reached the people on the
street. Charles Bleu rushed into the build
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 scorched.
The losses will aggregate a out $3.50, COO
The loss on the mill is about 5 u, 900. Jacob
Press, owner of the planin mill, loses
about S. 1000 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 may have been blown
some distance by the force of the explo.
sion.
Charles Miller, the engineer, is also
buried under the mass of debris, and it is
thought that his body will be found near
the boiler.
About 1896 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.