Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-30
RAZED TO THE GROUND
DESTRUCTION LiTCHFIELD'S
BIG FLOURlNO MILL.
Kehlor Bros Great Establishment at
Litchheld Takes Fire and Is Shattered
by Terrific Explosion, Which Is Felt
Fifty Miles Away.
wrecked Many Houses.

Wreckeu mhhy houscss
The Planet mill, at Litchfleld, Ill,
bnrned to the ground at an early hour
Tuesday morning. 1t was the largest
winter-whe mill In the world. The
explosion accompanying the fire shook
the surrounding country for miles and
threw nearly every chimney in the city.
There is hardly a plate glass left in
tact. In the immediate vicinity of the
mill houses were torn completely down
and smashed like egg shells. The mill
wright, John Carr, was burned to death
while attempting to escape. The loss
on the mill alone is $500,0O0. Many In
dividuals in the vicinity Of the mill sus-
tanned heavy damages to their property.
The insurance on the mill was $780,
600. The entire loss will not fall short
of $1,000,000
At 3.20 o'clock in the morning fire
was dicovered in the Planet mill.
While the fire department and the sud-
denly aroused citizens were hurrying to
the scene of the fire the entife city was
startled by an explosion, the like of
which has rarely been equaled. Houses
trembled upon their foundations, Chin
neys toppled and fell, sides and fronts
of buildings were crushed. Women
were almost crazed fright and men were
panic stricken. Few could conjecture
the cause, the majority appearing to
think that it was the crack of doom.
Those who were in the streets at the
time of the explosion say there was
a rumbling sound, then simultaneously
with the terrific report vast column of
dust and smoke arose from the burn
ing buildings, and from it's midst a CEN
trail volume of flames, by some de-
scribed as a ball of fire, ascended high
in the air, which instantly was filled
with flying debris. The report of this
explosion was heard at Taylorsville,
Hillsboro, Staunton, Highland, Van
dalia, Mendoza and all other points
within fifty miles. The fire depart
ments efforts were useless 80 far as
saving the mill property was concerned.
Fortunately the night was calm and the
buildings adjacent were not injured. At
daylight the Planet Mills, with ca
pacity of $500 barrels OF flour per day,
together with the immense elevator and
its contents, as we'll as number Of cars
loaded with grain, were a mass of
smoldering ruins.
Strange to say but one life was lost
that of John Carr, the head millwright,
of Waterloo, who leaves q wife and
three children. Carr had entered the
burning mills intending to save some
tools. In the explosion he lost his life,
and his charred remains were recovered.
Many persons were injured either by the
tho explosion or by falling de-
bris.
Houses Torn to Pieces.
In the vicinity of the mill the damage
sustained was very great. Houses
were twisted and torn to pieces in a
manner which can only be equaled by a
cyclone. Immense timbers were thrown
to great height, and falling end down.
ward, were stuck in the ground to q
depth Of from two TO three feet. Tin
roofing and material composing the mill
was strewn everywhere. Many escapes
from death were truly miraculous. A
house occupied by Andrew Duncan and
family had its entire side caved in the
family escaping with but slight injuries.
Next to the loss sustained by the mill
ing company, Mr.. Neuber suffers the
greatest loss His stock of groceries
was ruined and his residence badly
twisted and crushed.
Some Of the losses sustained on
dwellings, public buildings and busi-
ness houses are as follows: The Litch-
field Mill Company, on plant and ma
chinery, S500.0U0, exclusive of 200, 900
bushels of wheat; John Krauss, store |
and dwelling, SO, 100; A. Neuber, store |
and dwelling. $4,000; E. Eichelroth, |
residence. $500; V. Hoffman estate. |
$4,000; Mrs. Michael O'Neal, $4CO; |
Beindorf Bros, 500; f. Windles, 500;
Litchfield Hotel, on glass. $1,000. The |
loss OF glass in the city will amount to |
$20,0JO. Hundreds of houses in the |
city suffered damages which cannot be |
estimated at the present time.
The capacity of the mills at the time |
OF their destruction was $500 barrels |
day, their market being chiefly foreign |
one. They were owned by Kehlor Bros.
OF st. Louis, Incorporated under the |
name Of the Litchfeld Mill Company. |
Albert Smith was manager and Robert |
Adams superintendent. Temporary of
flee quarters have been secured in which
to transact all business pertaining to
the company. Mr.. J. B. Kehlor ar
rived in the city in the morning. In an
interview to-day he said: 1T is beyond
my comprehension how an explosion of
such terrific violence could have oc-
Jurred in that mill, as 1t was one OF the
cleanest and most orderly mills in the
country. It is not known whether the
mills will be rebuilt or not,