Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-12-19
WRECKED BY MEAL DUST.
Several Structures at Chicago Destroyed
and Number of Persons Killed-The
Shock Felt for Blocks ArOund-The
Debris Takes Fire and Ia Destroyed.

are known to have been killed, one
fatally injured and 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 Haisted
Street occupied by David Oliver as an
oatmeal mill. Several adjoining build
ings were also badly shattered. The
explosion, which occurred shortly after
2 o'clock, was terrific one, the shock
being felt mile away. The buildings
in the immediate vicinity were bonn
barded by flying bricks and timbers
and nearly every pane of window glass
within a radius of six blocks was
smashed.
Almost before the rumble of the ex-
plosion died away flames sprang up
from the wrecked mill and the whole
place was ablaze in few minutes. The
fire spread with incredible rapidity, and
when the first fire mpanies reached
the scene they found block of roaring
flames to contend with. A general
alarm was at once turned in. Engines
were stationed at every available point
around the blazing patch and buildings
that did not take fire at the outset were
saved after the hardest kind of work.
Sparks that were carried through the
air by the wind ignited buildings two
blocks away and for half an hour the
fremen had all they could do to pre-
vent half dozen serious CONGREGATIONS.
The streets were filled with debris for
block on every side of the burned
patch, and this seriously DISTRACTED the
fremen in their work. They stumbled
over boards and debris until their
clothes were torn, their hands and
faces cut and their limbs so badly stiff
fened that they could scarcely walk. 1t
was nearly two hours before the flames
were under control.
When the fire was at it's height the
widest rumors prevailed regarding the
loss of life. It 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 neigh
boring houses contained many men,
women and children. At one time it
was asserted that twenty people had
persisted. but later this estimate was
found to be greatly exaggerated. The
men at work in the planning mill all
made their escape, a few of them badly
hurt, but the majority only slightly In
jured.
A battalion of twenty fremen and
over one hundred volunteers are at
work clearing away the ruins. Ernest
Casper, one of the three known to be
dead, was working in the cupola at the
time of the explosion. The cupola was
lifted almost entire and thrown a dis
lance of sixty feet upon the south side
ut lot Of
Casper is somewhere under the wreck.
John Christensen, the kiln man, is the
second known victim. His body has
not been found and lie may have been
blown some distance by the force of the
explosion. Charles Miller, the en-
gineer, is also buried under the mass of
debris and it is thought that his body
will be found near the boiler.
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 LAGER
aIed. He was working. in the second
story of the mill when the explosion oc-
Cured and was hurled through win
dow and across the street. He cannot
live.
No trace could be found of the other
three men-Charies Miller, Charles
Cooper and John Smith-and it is be-
ieved that their bodies are buried in
the debris. The Eremen are hopeful
that no more lives as1e lost, but people
Living in the vicinity of the explosion
are sure that more bodies will be found
when the debris is explored. This
cannot be done thoroughly for several
hours yet.
About 1923 this morning the excavat-
49, ~
which gas supposed to be that of the
on the north driveway of the mill and
was covered with about three feet of de-
bris. The lower part of the body was
covered with bruises and burns, and the
face was mangied so that it could not be
recognized. The unfortunate man had
evidently been blown from the engine
room clear to the driveway.
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 Halsted Streets. With him
were his family, consisting of his wife,
two children and mother. They were
all in bed when the explosion occurred,
and were all asleep. The force of the
conclusion swayed the house from
side to side and all members of
Murphy's family were thrown vio-
lently from their beds upon the
floor or against the walls. Within an
instant the house was enveloped in
flames, and the cries of the dazed oc-
cupants reached the people on the
street. Charles Bleu was among the
spectators, and upon hearing the cries
from toe Murphys' rooms rushed into
the building 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. ALI were rescued without seri-
GUS injury. Bleu was badly scorched
and bruised.
The inmates of Heng's boarding
house, across the street, and Charles
Mccormick and his wife, who reside
next door, escaped from the shattered
hill L. i