Semi-weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings Co., S.D.) 1894-1898, 1898-09-23
MOST TERRIFIC EXPLOSION
Spontaneous Combustion of
Dust the Cause of the
Catastrophe.
Half a Million Bushels OF
Grain and the Building a
Total Loss.

TOLEDO. O., Sept. 81. Ten men ere.
mated, six more fatally burned and
hight others seriously injured is the
result of the most disastrous fire
that ever occurred in Toledo. The
spon taneous combustion Of dust in the
grain elevator owned by Paddock,
Hodge 81 Go. at 9o'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 are: Samuel Alexander, Fred
Garret, Bert Wainwright, Harold
Parks, John Smith, Grace Parks,
Frank Van Housen, 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 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 20 men
at work on the 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 EN-.
ployed at the elevator the three chill.
dren of Superintendent Parks were
visiting him at the time. One of these
may recover from his burns, but Grace,
17.year.old girl, is burned almost be-
yond recognition, and Harold, the
third child, has not been found, being
either blown to atoms or cremated.
The explosion caused panic all over
the East side. 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 the Building.
It 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. Not one
Of the score Of men at work in the ele-
vator could be seen in any part Of the
building and it was impossible to reach
them in any way. William Parks was
found first. He was 20 feet from the
building, frightfully burned, his cloth.
ing almost entirely torn off. An.
other employe, 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
Charles Keifer, the engineer, were
found at their places in the engine
room. They were wounded by falling
timbers and their faces were
| Charred to 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 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 disem bow.
eled and was taken to the hospital to
die. The missing men are doubtless
all dead. No trace can be found OF
any Of them aud as they were EN-.
ployed at the top Of the elevator their
chances of escape were but slight.
M. Paddock, member Of the firm
owning the plant, said that there were
between 500, 900 and 600, 900 bushels OF
grain in storage at the time, the most
of it being winter wheat. The prop.
erty and the grain is an entire loss and
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