The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1903-05-06
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE

+ ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
| The recent explosion at the North
Star Oil works, Minneapolis, where
by at least eleven persons lost their
lives, and several others were
permanently manned or disfgured.
or both, was the most distressing
accident that has happened in this
state since the explosion in the
Minneapolis flour mills a few years
ago. Sudden death in any form is
shocking, but when dozen persons
in the midst of their accustomed
activities are in a twinkling buried
beneath an avalanche of brick
mortar and other debris and left a
prey to unquenchable flames it is
simply sickening.
1t seems almost strange that peo-
pie thoroughly acquainted with the
dangerous nature of gasoline could
feel safe to occupy offices the year
round Immediately above great big
tanks full of the treacherous stuff.
1t is safe to predict that if there are
any more Offices hereabouts with
full gasoline tanks for a foundation
they will be promptly moved to a
more healthful locality Gasoline is
more dangerous than gun powder,
for while the latter is equally ex-
| plosive in case of contact with fire,
it is not roaming about in an in
visible form looking for fire. Case
line, on the other hand, is liable to
escape in the form of gas which
finds fire if there is any in the
vicinity.
This accident illustrated the
strange, almost insane, desire of
many people to witness grewsome
and revolving sights. On the day
of the fire the street cars were not
able to carry all the people who
visited the vicinity to get glimpse,
If possible, of the dead or injured
The streets were packed with NOR
bidly curious humanity for blocks,
while some more eager than the
rest climbed telephone poles, freight
cars, barns and houses in order to
be sure of view. These people
were warned that there we're other
tanks filled with gasoline or kero-
sene which were liable to explode
at any time, out this danger was
willingly risked for the possibility
of seeing dead body brought from
the smouldering ruins. And on the
Sunday following it is estimated
that fifty thousand people, many OF
them from St. Paul, we're on hand
to watch the process of rescuing
the bodies of the dead. This crowd
was not all men and boys; fully
one half we're ladies who were ap-
parently as anxious as any one else
to see the uncanny sights.
Coming events cast their shadows
before, and the Fourth of July is
near enough at hand for one boy, at
least. to have been rendered a
cripple for life through his interest
in the precious mud can. He was a
St. Paul boy, and was making ex-
perlments with powder and can of
mud in order to be ready with
something new for the coming holt
day. The usual result followed,
and now neither his friends nor
relatives are able to recognize him.
Hundreds of boys, every year, are
shorn of some of their physical
assets through their devotion to
| the mud can
| Minneapolis has at last found a
mayor of whom her citizens are not
ashamed. To be sure he is not
wide open enough in his ideas to
suit the sporting fraternity, neither
is he tight laced enough to please
those of the opposite extreme. But
the great bulk of citizens whose
ideas range between these two ex-
tremes are we'll satisfied with the
administration of Mayor Haynes.
This official assumed the duties OF
| nH - II