River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-08-30
AN AWFUL CALAMITY

The Boiler of n Paper-sIiI Near Menasha
Wis, Expiodos, Killing Fourteen Men,
aud Badly Wounding Number of
Others.
MILWAUKEE, Aug. IA special from
Eeenah, Wis, to the Evening Wisconsin
says: At 30 o'clock Wednesday oven
ing the large paper mill owned by George
Whitney, situated on the island between
this city and Menasha was destroyed by
fire. While the burning structure was sur
rounded by a crowd of spectators the
battery of boilers exploded. The roof
and the walls were thrown outward,
sending shower of brick and timbers
among the spectators Fourteen persons
were killed, seven fatally injured, and
number less seriously hurt, several of
whom may die. The mill was three -story
structure, built four years ago at a cost OF
Sl00, 900, 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 l 30 o'clock.
while the building was a mass of fame,
the explosion occurred without warning.
The roof of the building was thrown up-
ward and outward. the walls of brick
frumbled and crashed into the street, and
In an instant scores of men were buried
by the heavy debris. There was mo-
ment of silence and then a cry
of horror went up from the null
titude. The first strong impulse 70
fly from possible further danger was soon
overcome ana hundreds began the work
of recovering the bodies of the dead and
rescuing and caring for the injured. Body
after body was found, crushed and
mangled b. the great timbers and masonry
almost beyond recognition, and then re-
moved to the City Hall. The injured were
carried to neighboring residences or to
their homes as soon as their identity could
be established. Following is list of the
dead:
Joseph Brueggin, Willie Bublitz, Jr.. Joseph
Eui, John Holman. Henry Kuelke, Sebastian
Liebhause, Michael Mendtner, Gilbert Murrichs
John Mohr, Louis Reesch, Frank Sanborn,
Jacob Vedder and John Weaver.
The severely injured are:
Thomas Jordan, side hurt. II is thought ia
tally; MyrOn C. Fisher. OF Bachelor s Fischer,
right leg broken twice; VIII Krauz, leg broken
and afterw ard amputated; August Heekner
laborer, head badly cut; Colly Scheenieg, arm
broken and head hurt; d. Teuehseher, head
and leg cut; Fred Helbach. back hurt; j. ".
Lawson ankle injured; DIR. F. Burroughs.
back and arm hurt; John Lull, arm hurt; J..
Koelsch, leg cut; Alice Landick and Mrs. ART,
slightly injured; Edward Leiphauser. side aud
back injured; y. Wagner knocked down from
a car and badly hurt; Joseph Dryer. leg badly
bru sed A. Frazier, back struck by plank
The loss on the building is 10000; in
surance, $500
The cause of the calamity is traced
directly to the iron bleach. 1t is said that
this was full of steam and rags and had
become sunerheafed When the cold water
from the fire engine struck il 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 see were
aithar killed or in iurPd badly