Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-09-23
Superintendent and Nine Oth-
j, ers Dead and Six More
Fatally Burned.
MOST TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.
Spontaneous Combustion Of
Dust the Cause Of the
Catastrophe. al
Half Million Bushels OF
Grain and the Building a
Total Loss. s.'

t.L. - II. i-t.g y
TOLEDO. o., Sept. 22.-Ten men ere.
mated, six more. fatally burned and
sight others seriously injured 10 the
result Of the most disastrous fire
that ever occnrred In Toledo. The
spontaneous combustion of dust in the
grain elevator owned by Paddock.
Hodge &. Go. at Yo'clock caused this
terrible destruction Of life, and none Of
those who were taken out after the fire
starred weresfar enough from deaths
door to 'tsllsany Of the details. The
dead are: Samuel Alexander. Frsd
Garret, Bert Wainwright, Harold
Parks, John Smith, Grace Parks,
Frank Van Housep. John Carr. Will
lam PARKS and an unknown man.
William J. Parks, the superintend.
ent, after being blown through the
window Of the lower story, was con.
scious for q moment and said that
about s;S0a
Terrible Explosion OCeurrsi
on tte;sop,h side OF the elevator and
-shat he knew there were about 90 men
sas work IN tho seven floors Of the
enormous building. Few Of those
who are now alive will survive the
burns and bruises with which they are
covered. Besides those regularly ON.
ployed at the elevator the three chill.
dren Of Superintendent Parks were
visiting him attic Time. One Of these
may recover from his burns. but Grace.
17.year.old girl, is burned almost I've.
yond recognition, and Harold, the
third child, has not been found, being
either blown to ate ms or cremated.
The explosie n caused a panic all over
the East side. Houses were shaken as
/ in an earthquake and windows were
shattered for blocks around. Phose in
$sthe vicinity Of the Union elevator, soon,
noticed
& Flames Bussting From the Building.
I 1t was but q few minutes until the fire
department OF the city began the work
iaof rescue. which was rendered difficult
by the terrific heat OF the FIRE. Not one
sof the score Of men at work in the ele.
a:vatos could be seen in any part Of the
building aud IL was impossible to reach
1 them inla any way. William Parks was
!, found first. He was 40 feet from the
building. frtghtfully bpIped. his cloth.
ling almost entirely torn of. An.
sother emptoye. 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
survive. Fireman David Kemp and
i Charles Keifer. the engineer, were
found at their places in the engine
room. They were wounded BY falling
3 ttmbezs and their faces were Il
charrsd 70 Crisp By .hs rlamss. y
The little daughter Of William Parks
was sitting ut the desk in the Office al
4 the time Of the explosion and was
hurled ont Of the door. She walked
down the elevation on which the build.
ing stands and dropped downto be
staxsisd faway unconscious, suffering
from wounds from which she cannot
recover. z John Smith was fatally
burned. He was literally disembow.
2eled and was taken to the hospital t.
die. The missing men are doubles.
sell dead. No trace can he found Qs
any Of them and as they were en-.
3loyed at the top q. the elevator their
Rhances Of escape were but slight. 1,
s " Paddock, q member. Of the firm
bwning the plant, said that there ware
sbetween 500: 900 and coz. 900 bushels Of
grain in storage at the time. the most
1t it being winter wneas. Il The nroxss