Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-09-22
Spontaneous Combustion of Dust Caused the Accident In q Grain
 Elevator at Toledo.
THE EXPLOSION
 WAS TREMENDOUS.
Houses Shook as If by an Earthquake, and Windows Shattered For Many Blocks People Near by Were
 Panic Stricken.

Toledo, Sept. 22..-In the fire Tuesday night eight men were cremated, eight fatally burned and eight seriously burned. The spontaneous combustion of dust in the grain elevator owned by Paddock, Hoge 6 Go. at Q o'clock caused the 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. William J. Parks, the superintendent, after be- ing blown through the window of the lower story, was conscious, and before he died said that terrible explosion oc- cured on the south side of the elevator and he knew there were about 20 men at work on the seven floors of the enor- nous building Some of those alive will survive the burns and bruises with which they are covered.
 Besides those employed at the eleya- tor, the three children of Superintendent Parks were visiting him at the time. One of them may recover. Grace, a IT, year.old girl, is burned almost beyond recognition, and Harold, the third child, has not been found, being either blown to atoms or cremated.
 x o'clock the people of East To ledo were startled by a terrific explo- sion, which caused panic all over the neighborhood. Houses were shaken as if by 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. It was but few minutes until the fire department of the city be- gan work.
 The families of q dozen men who were known to be at work within rushed to the scene and women calling for their imprisoned husbands, brothers and fath- CTS, created scene indescribable.
 William Parks was found first. He was 20 feet from the building, frightful. ly burned and his clothing almost en- tirely torn of. He had been hurled from his place in the main room through 8 window and his agonizing cries were most pitiful.
 Another employe, John Carr, was hurled from the fifth floor of the build- ing and was found bleeding and burned. He did not long survive.
 Fireman David Kemp and Charles Keller, the engineer, were found at their places in the engine room. They wers wounded by falling timbers and their faces were charred to crisp by the flames.
 John Smith was fatally burned He was literally disemboweled and was taken to the hospital to die. The miss ing 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 dead are Samuel Alexander, Bert Wainwright, Fred Garrett, Harold Parks, John Smith, Grace Parks, Frank Van Housen, John Carr and Superin- tendent Parks.
 The heat became so intense that 20 cars standing on the siding near the burning buildings were added to the loss The fire department had 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.
 MT. Paddock, member of the firm owning the plant, said there was be- tween 500, ,oO0 and 6n0,000 tons of grain in storage at the time. The property and the grain is an entire loss and will reach $4o0, 900. The insurance is Sls5,- 900 on the building and the grain is covered with $25S.000.