The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-27
NINTH BODY FOUND ]
Supposed Remains Of John spotanski
Recovered From Oil Plant
Debris.
Geo. Wilkins, Last Man to Leave
Building, Says Inmates
Scented Danger.

But one body%of the ten is now buried
beneath the ruins of the oil plant, wrecked
by an explosion last Thursday. The
ninth body, presumably, that of John
Spotanski, a laborer, was taken from the
ruins shortly before noon to-day. It is
absolutely impossible to identify the re-
mains except from the position they oc-
cupied in the ruins, which would Indicate
that they were those. Of Spotansk1.
Laphond being employed In the engine
room.
All that remained of what was once a
human form when the f1remen uncovered
it this morning was two handfuls of
ashes and one or two calcined bones by
which the remains were identified as those
of human being. They were taken to
the morgue, where they will await the
results of the continued esarch and then
be turned over to relatives who are ready
to claim them. lst-.. .r ....-. 4
The Last Man. to Leave.
Rumors that other persons than those
employed in the Northwestern Star Oil
| company,s plant, which was destroyed
| by an explosion last Thursday, lost their
| lives: have been proved erroneous. T h Q
J ournal has succeeded in finding
George wilkins who was, the. last man
to leave the Inflated building before the
explosion and who was less than 100 feet
away from the building when the, catas-
trophe occurred. He says that no one
entered the building after he left it,
neither were any strangers there at that
time. Mr.. wilkins, who resides at 2eA!
Lake place, was at the oil company's Of
flee to see about some printing.
II had just completed my business in
the Office said Mr.. Wilkins, "and mount
ed my wheel to ride away. I was at the
| railroad tracks on Sixth avenue Sc, when
heard a loud report. u turned and saw
the roof Of the building high in the air
1t fell back into the building and at the
same time the sides fell out. I turned
back as quickly as possible to render .aid
If necessary, but it was too late.
/ "Mr. Durrin, the manager of the com
pany.. seemed to h ave some premonitior
of the impending danger while I was II
the office. I overheard him say to one
Of the employees that he thought every.
thing was not right. He then spoke tt
the two women employed in the office ant
told them that they had better go home
! early. They spoke Of leaving at once, a
soon as they could get their hats. He tolt
them that it was not necessary to ge
their hats and remarked that he though
| he felt the floor tremble. I could fee
nothing, but his actions made me ner
vous.
while Mr. Durrin was talking to tn.
I young women. Mr.. Davis. asked him wha
was. the matter. He replied that he wa
not certain that the man.. meaning tn
assistant engineer who had been left i,
charge, understood his business. To th
Mr.. Davis replied: If he doesn't, you ha,
better let him go. for we don't want t,
run any risks. We are here ourselves
and the danger is too great to take an.
chances
Before I left everything quieted dow,
and suppose that I would never tllav'
thought of Mr.. Durrins apparent alarm
had not the accident happened so soon:
| will say that his warning, or prenionition
if that is what it was. saved my life, TO-
I hurried my business and left soone
than I would have done had not the in
!, cident occurred in the office. I was no
r outside of the office thirty seconds be
fore the explosion took place !
Walter Scott Dies. :.
Walter E. Scott one Of the employees o
, the company, who was seriously burned a
the time Of the explosion, and: who ha
, been in a critical condition since tha
time, died at the city hospital yesterda
morning: His death swells= the. list of ia
5 talities to eleven, whichc, will probabl
) make the complete list, His wife AN
| parents were at the hospital ats the tim
, Of his death and will take the remains t
: Red Wing for interrnent.* :. .s.:A-=-~
David Dacey's Remains Found.
I The work of searching for bodies wa
continued yesterday and the fremen foun
the charred trunk of human bein
e lying in the interior Of the basement
The remains We're identified as those G
David Dacey, the foreman. The identif
| cation was made by means Of a silve
y watch which was found near at. hand.