Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-09-22
EXPLOSION IN A MILL.
TEN MEN KNOWN TO BE DEAD.
Big Elevator nt Toledo Destroyed by spon'
taneous Combustion From Dust-A Ter
rIbls Scene.

Toledo. Ohio, Sept. N-Ten men In
cincrated and six more seriously in
iured Is the result of the most disns-
trOus fire that ever occurred In Toledo
The spontaneous combustion of dust
in the grain elevator owned by Pad
dock, Hodge L. Co., ut O'Clock.
caused this terrible destruction of life
and none OF those who We're 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 a terrible explosion occurred on
the south side of the elevator. and that
he knew there We're about twenty men
at work on the seven floors of the
great building.
Besides being regularly employed at
the elevator the three children of SUI
perintendent Parks We're visiting him
at the time. One of these may recover
from his burns, but Grace, II 17-year-
old girl, IL burned almost beyond
recognition. and Harold. the third
child. has not been found. being either
blown to atoms or crcmnted.
All over Toledo houses We're shaken
by the explosion rs by an earthquake,
and windows were shattered for blocks
around. Very soon afterwnrd flames
burst from all sides of the elevator. 1t
was but a few minutes till the fire
department OF the city began the work
of rescue. which was rendered difii-
cult bv the terrific heat OF the fire. The
river cut or escape on one side. and
there the flames seemed to he the less
Lao fnv nf t Inynn
who were known to be mt work within
rushed to the scene and women calling
for their imprisoned husbands,
brothers and fathers made scene in
describablc.
II was learned that a force OF
twenty men had been In the building.
their purpose having been to load So
900 bushels OF grain during the night.
No one of the entire number could be
seen In any part of the building and 1t
was impossible to reach them in any
way.
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 ard Charles
Keller, the engineer. We're found nt
their places in the engine rooms. They
We're wounded by falling rimbcrs and
their faces were cliarred 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 was
hurled out of the door. She walked
down the elevation OH which the build
ing stands and dropped down. to be
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 as they were employed
mt the top of the elevator. their chances
for escape We're but slight.
The heat became so intense that
twenty cars standing on the sidings
near the building We're added to the
loss. The fire department had n hard
struggle to save other elevators and
property. .
The bridge across the Maumee river
was on fire several times. but outside
Of the loss of the elevator the dam
age Is slight.
Mr.. Paddock. n member of the firm
owning the plant. said there was be-
tween 100000 and 100000 bushels of
grain in storage Mt the time. the most
of 1t being winter wheat. The prop
erty and the grain is an entire loss and
will re2ch $45O.OOO. The insurance Is
S15O.OOO on the building and the grain
is covered with S25S.OOO insurance.
At 1920 o'clock the flames were under
control