The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1904-06-09
FLAMES DESTROY
BIG DIS T|LlERY
CORNING ESTABLISHMENT AT
PEORIA, ILL.,, IN ASHES.
PROPERTY LOSSIS 300, 900
Fourteen Lives Are Lost and Several
Persons misunderstanding of
10000 Barrels of Whisky
Spreads the Blaze.

Peoria H.. June 6.-Instead Of ten
dead as first reported, it is now known
that IA men lost their lives in the fire
and explosion at Corning's distiIlery
Saturday afternoon. which caused
property loss Of 81 300 600. Eight bodies
were recovered from the ruins Sunday,
four of which were identified, Those
identified are: George Gebhardt. Peter
Lettemeyer, Thomas Il. Montgomery,
Samuel Parsons. Elmer Hagen died at
the hospital.
Other Victims.
The list of unidentified dead and miss
ing is as follows: Ernest Brown, Mil
ton Crowl, William Finley Jr.. John Ho-
baker, Frank Knoll, Louis Sax. Alec
Powell, John Unsbee, Joseph thinner
man. OF the eight bodies taken from the
ruins. only four of them were recognized
and these only by means of particles of
clothing, watches, knives and other
pieces Of metal The search is being con
tinued the fire having been extinguished
and the workmen are now able to handle
the debris. Six persons were injured.
Many Buildings Ruined.
The Corning distillcry was the second
largest establishment of tho kind In the
country. The property destroyed com
priseS largo warehouse, | stories high,
made largely of corrugated iron. In
which was stored 10000 barrels of high
proof spirits, the cistern and fermont-
ing departments, each In three-story
brick building, and the cattle sheds. con
tanning 1900 head of cattle. all Of which
were burned to death. only the cookers
are left, of the entire plant.
The fire started In the warehouse.
Bursting barrels released a stream OF
iGnited spirits, which quickly spread the
flames to all parts of the immense struc-
ture, and soon the explosion of thou
sands Of casks fastened the destruction
and made noise that terrorizcd all that
part OF the city In short time the ware
house fell, crushing the smaller build
ings near it. libcratiIS mass of burning
debris A stream Of blazing spirits was
turned into the cattle pens. turning them
into a soothing pool OF flame. which
quickly killed the animals confined
there The cattle were the property of
Dodd q Kcifcr, of Chicago, and +. G.
White & Co. of Peoria.
Heat Balks Eiremen.
The fcrmentinE houses were the next
to 20 followed by the cisterh depart
mcnt, in which was $1,000 gallons oil
spirits. This added fuel intensified the
heat and made 1t almost impossible for
hrcmcn to get near enough to the build
ings to work effectively. A high wind
famed the flames toward the Monarch
distillery, and that was threatened This
made il necessary for the firomcn to con
fine their efforts almost entirely to pre-
venting u spread OF the fire. In spite OF
them the flames were communicated to
the stockyards. n block distance. but the
damage done there was slight For time
ii was feared that tho fire would sweep
along the entire river bank However,
the great work of the tiremen began to
tell. and at seven O'Clock the fire was un-
der control with no likelihood OF a fur
Their spread.
The fire at the Corning plant is the
third serious mishap that has hcfallen
the company In the last few months. In
October cooker exploded, killing nine
men. In December warehouse burned.
causing a loss of $40 600.