New-York tribune., 1897-08-06
RIG ELEVATOR BLOWN UF.
SEVEN OR EIGHT PEOPLE INSTANTLY
KILLED IN CHICAGO.

rrpR1srr EXPLOSION OF BOILER OR MILL
DIST AT A F1Rp-MANY INJURED BY FLYING
pEsRIs-THE PROPERTY LOSS $4,000.
Chicago Aug 5-Seven. and probably eight
,ves were lost in explosion which took place
this evening at a fire in the Northwestern gram
.,evator at Cook and West Water SITS Three
of the dead are firemen The body OF another
erennan Is thought to be buried in the ruins OF
the elevator and three people were blown into
the Chicago River From the force with which
,he exnloson swept the spot which they
vere standing, II is certain they must have
heen instantly killed. Either the bursting OF a
hojler or the explosion Of mill dust caused the
awful havoc.
THE DEAD.
The three fremen who were killed by the raii-
Ing walls Of the elevator were;
coOGAN. John
sCHNtR. Jacob J.
sTRAMER Jacob 5.
THE INJURED.
RAFTLETT. Lieutenant W. H; leg crushed
BLANCHARD Benjamin assistant engineer: badly
bruised.
rOND Igna,ius cut by falling glass.
cAMPION. Fire Marshal; burned about face.
Ind cRass sE M ms2 d burned about face and
internally injuerd
EVANS. Captain John j. struck by debris and rendered
unconscious: serious.
EANIsTY. William. pipeman; cut in head.
INQUIRE william fifteen years old; both crushed
SMITH Lieutenant: both legs crushed.
SMITH John F.; injured by debris.
swENIE. Denis Chief; right foot crushed: left arm
wrenc1ed and painfully burned.
THOMPSON. william; hit by falling glass.
Besides these. dozens Of firemen and passersby
were more or less cut and bruised by glass and
flying debris.
The origin Of the blaze is believed to have
been in the vicinity of the boiler-house. Ac-
curnulated dust, as dry and inf1ammable as gun
powder. that had been ping up for years.
formed a ready means for the fire. 1t spread
with great rapidity. and then came terrible ex-
plosion. completing the work of scattering the
fire throughout the entire structure
TREMENDOUS FORCE OF The EXPLOSION
Just as the iremen were getting into position
for advantageous work and nearly all the mem
.bers of Engine Company No were mounting
ladders and bringing hose to play on the in
terror from the upper windows there came a
roar that could he heard for half mile. the
roof was raised high in the air and the walls
came down with crash.
The force of the explosion was so great that
tbe eastern wall was hurled into the river, the
west wall was tumbled down upon the heads OF
.he unfortunate men below. and the roof was
torn into mighty fragments and distributed Iol
blocks around Every window near the elevator
was shattered by the conclusion. dozens OF per
,xous were struck by flying debris. ana seVeraI
small fires resulted from falling tlmbers Ihat
were still in flames. A Jenerson-st. ana Nal-
roll-aye many blocks distant, great burning
masses of wreckage fell upon four wagons lodu-
81 with hay. and set them III iiameF
The elevator was of composite construction
III lower portion being of brick, ana the upper
n@rt of frame covered with corrugated IRON.
ne explosion caused a perfect bomDaroiheh.
NJ nving bricks and sheets of iron at almost
white neat leaving little Of the building, save
fran,eyork of wood and iron surrounding great
pile of blazing wheat
GALLANT RESCUE WORK.
The explosion stunned the police and the nre-
mon for a moment but they quickly rallied 10
holm those who had been hurt. Dozens or men
Law injured in the whitening heat some not
seriously harmed. and others in the agonles OF
death. 1t was dangerous work to get them OUT
but II was gallantly and quickly done, ana an
Of the slightly injured were removed. me ueau
were for the time left where they lay NO man
oo,,ld reach their bodies and live
The fire was extremely difhC ult 10 controI aS
tho elevator was surrounded by nuHpeT oi
snau buildings which were continually catcn-
ing fire The total loss is estimated at HoVoooo
Witch is fully covered by insurance