The Monte Vista journal., 1898-09-24
EXPLOSION IN A MILL.
TEN MEN KNOWN TO d DEAD.
Mig Easv.sss - Fsssae Destroyed ~ spse.
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Toledo. Ohio. Sept. Gotten men in.
cinerated aud six more seriously In.
Jured is the result Of the most disas-
trOus fire that ever occurred In Toledo
The spontaneous combustion Of dust
In the grain elevator owned by Pad.
dock, Hodge & Co., mt . O'Clock
caused this terrible destruction Of life
and none OF those who were taken out
after the fire started was far enough
from deaths door to tell any Of the de-
tails.
William J. Parks, the superintendent,
after being blown through the win.
dow OF the lower story. was conscious
for moment and said that about
$50 terrible explosion occurred on
the south side OF the elevator, and that
be knew there were about twenty men
at work on the seven dOors Of the
great building.
Besides being regularly employed at
the elevator the three children Of Su-
perintendent Parks were visiting him
Mt the time. One Of these may recover
from his burns, but Grace, q 17-year-
old girl. is burned almost beyond
recognition, and Harold. the third
child. has not been found. being either
blown to atoms or cremated.
All over Toledo houses were shaken
by the explosion as by an earthquake.
and windows were shattered for blocks
around. Very soon afterwnrd flames
burst from all sides OF the elevator. 1t
was but Il few minutes TIL the fire
department Of the city began the work
OF rescue. which was rendered diff
cult bv the terrific heat Of the fire. The
river cut on escape on one side. and
there the flames seemed to be the less
fierce. The families Of dozen men
who were known to he nj work within
rushed to the scene and women calling
for their imprisoned husbands,
brothers and fathers made scene In
dcscribnble.
1t was learned that a force of
twenty men had been in the building,
their purpose having been to load 80.
600 bushels OF grain during the night.
No one OF the entire number could be
seen In my part OF the building and 1t
was impossible to reach them In any
way.
John Carr was hurled from the NTH
floor OF the building and was found
bleeding and burned. with many bones
broken. He did not long survive.
Fireman David Kemp and Charles
Keller. the engineer were found mt
their places In the engine rooms. They
were wounded by falling timbers and
their faces were chnrrcd to q crisp by
the flames.
The little daughter of William Parks
was sitting ut the desk In the Office
nj the time OF the explosion and was
buried ont Of the door. She walked
down the elevation on which the build
Ing stands and dropped down. TO In.
carried away unconscious. suffering
from wounds from which she cannot
recover.
The missing men are doubtless all
dead. No trace can be found OF any
of them. and rs they were employed
n the top OF the elevator. their chances
for escape were hut slight.
The heat became so intense that
twenty ears standing on the xidings
near the building were added to the
loss. The lire department had a hard
struggle TO save other elevators and
property.
The bridge across the Mnumee river
was on fire several times. but outside
OF the loss OF the elevator the dam
age Is slight.
Mr.. Paddock. a member Of the firm
owning the plant. said there WAS bs.
tween 100000 nnd GDO.OOO bushels Of
grain In storage nj the time. the mos,
OF II being winter wheat. The prop
erty and the grain is an entire loss and
will reach Si5O.OO0. The Insurance Ii
SlJO.0OO on the building and the grain
is covered with S25sOO Insurance
Al 1920 o'clock the flames were under
control.
Sept. 81. 2:iO a. m.-superintcndent
william Parks and one Of the un.
known men died early this morning
from their injuries. making the total
number Of fatalities ten.