Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-08-30
Death IN THE AIR.
N People Killed by IA Paper
Mill Explosion at Neenah,
Wisconsin.
ron.r Ton Rotary Bleacher Bursts
the Fixing Fragments Make
Great Havoc.
-.,,osu Killed Outright and Many
o,bers SO Horribly Injured that
Death is Inevitable.

,,,p Wis, Aug. 23.- About l1:30
a",,bt George Writings paper mill, a
~ nee story building in the suburbs
- c,tv. was discovered in flames.
s,.,m brought several thousand PEG
,be scene, who were standing about
hsg.Dg structure when the large
g'.,5ipg boiler exploded. Eighteen
N'9, we're killed, seven fatally injured,
....or 40 seriously hurt that they may
= and twenty others cut and bruised by
4, falling debris.
ro few moments after IL O'Clock the
law .oopded. The fire burned slowly
=. hsfore the local fire department could
..oond the mill was enveloped il flames
nj el possibility of saving it had van
.ss6. The are caught Ill the boiler room,
sIuge quantity OF fuel, Shawn IS, etc.
Tho ersman, Peter Nelson, had been out
i.,;cg the evening, as he relates his
800 and friend Of his bad worked for
NM lhout ~ O'Clock he vent from his
,o.t IN get drink of water, and
,,Ejpg back into the boiler-room found
s,-ss among the piles If shsvings. Be
t.s he could get the hose or pull the
,l,,ls 70 give the alarm, the flames
,.b,d through the room and drove him
M, When the department arrived and
sgsn playing upon the fire the mill was
o0med.
The immense revolving bleach was in
IA heating room adjoining the fire room
4 VA filled with straw and rags. When
8s root over the heating room fell in
IA fremeu turned the hose over the
sescb, and iustsntly an explosion oc-
rrsd. and ten tons OF boiler debris shot
nt Of the building aud across side
rsck through q throng of spectators,
moving them down like gIass.
The explosion lifted the roof and sent
ion,o the heads of the spectators. The
ysls we're blown outward, masses of brick
md stone and broken timber, burying
norss OF people.
The bleacber wss thrown distance Of
30 feet striking the ground three times
10 its fight, and finally turning over.
The names Of the killed men are:
Gilbert MerrIcle, John Moher, Nj. Nun
liner, T. Sandover, John Weaver, Louis
Sossh, Vim, Bublitz, Jr., JAKE Vedder, J.
Htfpan, II. Kuelke, Z. Sohaefes, Joseph
EO JossPh Brueggen, sndS. Liebhsuser.
Most of the killed were married men
| nd cOopers by trade. A large number
Egs wounded. One, Thomas Jordan, an
ia aud well-knewn citizen, was fatally
Cd. the side. Others are badly iniur-
| 81 including the following:
Ayrou Fisher, right leg broken twice.
6ill Bran5e, leg broken, afterwsrd am.
wsttd,
a1g. Heokner, struck in the head and
badly ipi1red.
Cally Shelter, arm broken and head cut.
A. Iauchscher, head and leg cut.
f. Hebach, hurt in the back.
Mayor y. V. Lawson, ankle badly iniur-
Drf. Burroughs, back and arm cut.
John Lull, arm cut.
Alice Laudick, badly injured.
Mrs.. Arlf, badly injured.
ID, Leiphauser, side and back injured.
n Wager knocked from a car and
badly burt.
Zoe Dryer, badly bruised about the legs,
4. hroz.er, struck IN the back by =
plank
41amber of others were slightly iniur
/ 3D.
willie Bubliiz was a carrier for the
Sesnah Daily Times. His head was
@1'led IN and an arm broken. He, like
as others of the fourteen killed died in q.
t.lty.
lae bleacher in it's flight through the
Unlocked like a red meteor. Where it
M'lcE the side-track the rails were cut as
lo12h 10y saw. The body of one man
vs. found suspended in a tree. Another
Gan was found with leg cut off, the
-'uoer being found fifty feet from the
%l!' popularity of the sad affair is
a1.
lae work of removing the bodies was
"Oles commenced. The dead was re-
-s,-a 70 the city hall and prepared for
,".tl The injured we're carried to
-saooring residences. The scene of
.-s lo'ror IA small leland midway be
.'5s5 ia!s city and Menashe. The mill
'-ol ou the bank OF the river in the
''-'' Of the manufacturing center.
committee was appointed this morn
n .! tae mayor TO solicit aid for them.
'-s soacItati0rs 80 far have met with a
''.ly response.
~. S-'lnsss today ID suspended and every
"a ~ j. caring for the dead and injured,
~ =. AIDING the bsrsved friends aud rela
u. Ne Ne. ioss on the property is placed by
~, ~, ming at $4,000, with an iusur
,-g' OF $4,000. he will rebuild the