The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-21
BURNED And MANGLED
SIXTEEN VICTIMS OF A FLOUR
DUST EXPLOSION IN
TOLEDO, OHIO
EIGHT DEAD AND EIGHT DYING

Any Account of What Happened
Inside the Elevator Building
Awful Fate OF the Beautiful
Young Daughter of Superintend-
ent ParLs-Dead and Injured,
TOLEDO, o., Sept. 20-Eight men
cremated and eight more fatally burned
is the result of the most disastrous
fire that ever occurred in Toledo. The
spontaneous combustion of dust in the
grain elevator owned by Paddock,
Hodge & Co., at o'clock, caused this
terrible destruction of life, and none
Of those who were taken out after the
fire started were far enough from
deaths door to tell any of the details
The dead: Samuel Alexander Fred Gar
ret, Bert Wainwright Harold Parks, John
Smith, Grace Parks, Frank Van Housen, John
Carr.
The injured: David Kemp, Barney Welch,
Charles Keifer. Fred. PargilIis - Elliott.
Charles Brookseker, Everett Smith, Hamilton
Parks, VIM. ]. Parks, W. c. Jordan. Peter
Haas. Al Baldie, four Others names unknown.
William ]. Parks, the superintendent
after being blown through the window
of the lower story, was conscious for a
moment, and said that about $3.50 a
terrible explosion occurred on the south
side Of the elevator, and that he knew
there were about twenty men at work
on the seven floors Of the enormous
building. None of those who are now
alive will survive the burns and bruises
with which they are covered. Besides
those regularly employed at the eleva-
tor, the three children of Supt. Parks
were visiting him at the time. One of
these may recover from his burns, but
Grace, q seventeen-year-ol girl, is
burned almost beyond recognition, and
Harold, the third child, has not been
found, being either blown to atoms or
cremated
At $50 o'clock last evening the peo-
pie Of the east side were startled by a
terrific explosion, which caused a panic
all over the neighborhood Houses
were shaken as in an earthquake, and
windows were shattered for blocks
around. Those IN the vicinity of the
Union elevator soon noticed flames
bursting from all sides of the building.
1t was but few minutes until the fire
department of the city began the work
Of rescue, which was rendered difficult
by the terrific heat of the fire. The
river cut off escape on one side, and
there the flames seemed to be less
fierce. The families of a dozen men,
who were known to be at work within.
rushed to the scene, and women call
ing for their imprisoned husbands.
brothers and fathers, made a scene in
describable
FRIGHTFUL BURNS.
1t was learned that the force Of twen-
ty men expected to load $4,000 bushels
Of grain during the night Not one Of
the entire number could be seen in any
part of the building, and it was impos-
sible to reach them in any way Will
liam Parks was found first. He was
twenty feet from the building, fright
fully burned. his clothing almost en-
tirely torn off. He had been hurled
from his place in the main room
through a window. and his agonizing
cries were most pitiful. Another en-
ploye, John Carr, was hurled from the !
fifth floor of the building, and was
found bleeding and burned, with many
bones broken. He did not long sur
vive. Fireman David Kemp and Char
q
their places in the engine rooms. They
were wounded by falling timbers, and
their faces were charred to a crisp by
the flames
The little daughter of William Parks
was sitting at the desk in the office at
the time of the explosion, and she was
hurled out Of the door. She walked
down the elevation on which the build
ing stands, and dropped down to be
carried away unconscious, suffering
from wounds from which she cannot
recover
John Smith was fatally burned. He
was literally disemboweled, and was
taken to the hospital to die
The missing men are doubtless all
dead. No trace can be found of any Of
them, and as they were employed at
the top of the elevator their chances for
escape were but slight.
The fire became so intense that twen-
ty cars standing on sidings near the
burning building were added to the
loss. The fire department had a hard
struggle to save other elevators and
property.
The bridge across the Maumee river
was on fire several times, but outside
the loss of the elevator the damage is
Slight.
Mr.. Paddock, a member Of the firm
owning the plant said that was be-
tween 100000 and 100000 bushels of
grain in storage at the time, the most
Of 1t being winter wheat. The prop
erty and the grain is an entire. loss,
and will reach $450,000. The insurance
is $4,000 on the building and the grain
is covered with $258,000 insurance.
AT 1890 o'clock the flames were fully
under control.
BIG FIRE AT TACOMA,