Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-01-11
EXPLOSION HITS TRUST
POWDER CATASTROPHE MAY END
IT IN STATE.
Expected That Every Employe in Build
ing Will Die-Villagers in Fear
of New Blast

KENOSHA, Wis, Jan. -[Special.1
-kenosha is a city of mourning today,
for seven men who lost their lives as re-
suit Of the explosion at the plant OF
the Lafin-Rand powder mills at Pleas
ant Prairie on Saturday afternoon were
removed from the morgues and buried.
The remains of Ralph Anderson, super
intendent of the MILL were sent to
Platteville. his former home, while those
Of Edward Main, his assistant, were
taken to Rockford by his widow. The
remains of Charles Limiskie, Joseph
Rotkiewicz, Benjamin Benski and Karl
Andazek were buried in the Polish GENE
terry in a lot purchased by the powder
company. Many of the people of Pleas
ant Prairie came to kenosha to attend
the funerals.
No light has been thrown on the ter
rible accident and the injured men who
survived this morning are slowly Civ
ing up their lives in the improvised hos
pital at Pleasant Prairie. 1t is regarded
as certain that none of the men can re-
cover. 1t is not thought that a single one
of the men employed in the mill will
survive.
gate the death of the men completed us
work on Sunday afternoon and returned
an open verdict finding that the men
had been killed in an explosion the
cause of which could not be ascertained.
The evidence revealed that the managers
of the plant had been cautious in oper-
ating the plant, and it was claimed that
nothing had been left undone to prevent
an accident.
The big plant at Pleasant Prairie is
shut down and it seems now that the ac-
cident may sound the death knell for the
powder trust in Wisconsin.
The evidence at the coroner's inquest
showed that there were three tons OF
blasting powder in the mill which was
destroyed. The attorneys who have been
retained to fight for the people of the
village in the effort to close down the
plant have communicated with the at
torney general but it is understood that
nothing will be done until after the vic
tins of the explosion have been buried.
It is certain that the company will make
no effort to start the plant again at
once as it would be necessary to rebuild
the mill before any powder could be
made. An order has been issued to re-
move the powder now stored at Pleasant
Prairie.
The people of the town are terror
stricken and fear to go near the plant.
The men in charge claim there is abso-
lutely no cause for fear, but a heavy
guard has been placed about the plant
to prevent any one entering it.
At noon Sunday the company gave out
an official statement in regard to the
men who had been injured and who
died up to that time. The list was as
follows:
ANDERSON, RALPH, 80 years of age,
survived by widow and large family.
MAIN, EDWARD, 81 years old, survived
by widow and one son.
ROTKIEWICZ, JOSEPH aged 80 years,
leaves family in Russia.
BENSKI, BENJAMIN, aged 40, has q
wife and children in Russia
LINsKIE, CHARLES, aged IS years,
Russian unmarried.
ANDAZEK, CARL. aged 30, Russian.
Died Sunday night:
JUKOWICK, STEPHEN, Russian pow
der maker.
The injured are:
Martin Stusch and Martin Wscolvic,
Russian powder makers.
The remains of Andazek and Linskie
were so terribly burned that it was i'm
possible to identify either of the men
and it was found necessary to bury both
in the same grave.