The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-06
PRICE TWO CENTS
THREEKILLED; DOZEN HURT
Il NoRTHT'E STERN RAILROAD ELE-
TAToR IN CHICAGO BURNED.

Spontaneous Combustion from Grain Dust
Causes an Explosion ana Fire Destroys the
B~uiiding-Threo Eirciucn Killed by Failing
wnlIs-E1rebont In Flames on tho River,
CHICAGO. Aug. 5.-Threo lives were lost and
about q dozen fircmen were more or less injured
at n fire which followed an explosion In tho
Northwestern elevator Mt q o'clock this evening.
The dead are John J. Coogan. Jacob f.. Schur,
Jacob Stramcn. all pipemon Of Engine Company
No. 3. 1t is thought at least one man and possi-
bly, more were buried in the ruins. The injured
are Fire Chief Swccnie. Assistant Chief Fire
Marshal William A. Musham; John McGann,
IL years old; Driver Conway OF Engine Com
pany No. -; Marshal Pctric, slightly injured
by bricks; Pipcman |. G. Bond. Engine No. ~;
Capt. Alvey, Engine No. Il; Christopher Blum,
shipping clerk for Strcator Iron Conpany; Pipe
man J. G. Coogan, Engine No. 3; Pipcman Jacob
Schnur, Engine No. 3; Pipcmnn John Sp,man,
Engine No. 3.
The elevator was situated at the junction OF
Grand avenue and the Northwestern hallway
tracks on the west side of the north branch ot
the river. II was n / large structure. and built OF
material. 1t did not contain q
great deal of grain, but men had been Mt work
for a week or more preparing for the rcccip' md
handling Of wheat from the Northwest. Tho
explosion shook the entire northwestern prrt ne
the city and purt OF the nOfh diVIs ga. l. ~ 0
Mt first supposed to have been one Of tnr 40 4. .
in the building, but this is known TO have IL
impossible, us the boilers were not in U~h
The theory advanced by Fire Chicf Swccnia 10
that 1t WAS spontaneous combustion 81 Ead II
dust, which gathers in elevators and which 10
extremely dangerous. Immmcdiutely following
the explosion, flames burst from ihr ruins, an |
what WAS left OF the building was plattIcn. '
destroyed by fire. An alarm was sent IN and
soon repeated, but not until all the ecrvi y
within the limits OF tho possibility OF early
response had been called TOR was the cry FOR
more engines stopped. Every police ambulance
in the city was sent for.
When the news OF the fire reached the heart
OF the city there was a great rush of business
people to the scene. A switching crew on tho
Northwestern Railroad was passing the elevator
at the time. and II Is reported that II number OF
the men were hurt by a falling wall.
Tho alarm of fire brought twenty engines AMI
th> fire tug Yosemite, which steamed mp to the
side OF the building. In n moment the tugs
sides were blazing and she put off. A tug took
engine on the shore eNtinguished the blaze.
As soon as the flames OF the building were suf-
fcicntIy under control a company of fircmen
pushed through the smoke. While the fremen
were working on the river side of the building
the wall fell outward and carried with 1t three
men. They were lost in the water OF the stream.
Later their bodies were recovered and removed
to their homes. All of the dead frcmen were
married and had families.
A freight house Of the Northwestern Railroad
Company caught fire, and with forty or moro
cars was DESTROYED. The elevator was owned by
the railroad company, and is n complete loss.
1t is thought that the loss 10 nearly $3.50. 900. on
which there is insurance of less than half that
amount.