The Mankato free press., 1921-12-23
DEATH OF FATHER,
MOTHER IS VICTIM
Son Is Also Slain When
Blast Occurred
ESCAPE OF DAUGHTER
Terrible Tragedy Did Suddenly
Wipe Out Portion of Henry
A. Netzke Family

Wipe Out Portion of Henry
A. Netzke Family
st. Peter, Mimi, December T.
Henry A. Nitzke, his wife and fourteen
year old SON were killed here Last
night by the explosion OF q carbide
lighting plant In their farm home
three miles from here In Nicollet coun-
". The blast wrecked the home. Tho
mother and son died almost immedi-
ateay. and the father died a few hours
after the explosion, Two daughters
Olga, eighteen years, and Luella. If
teen years, escaped without injury.
The cause Of the--cxplosion Is nm
known.
Esplosion Hzrd For Mines
Especial TO The Free Pressl
NlcoHet, MINI, December 22.-One
OF the most disastrous accidents that
has ever occurred in this community
took place last night about six O'Clock
az the Henry A Nuke farm in Gran
Dy township, north OF this village.
Mnen ngnung plant blew I'D, killing
Mrs Nitzhe and son, WIlberf. are9
Nitzke. MI
Ihe explosion was heard. for many
Hles In this vicinity and was of such
terr1f1c force that the boy. Wilherr
was hurled four rods from the sn,rf
upon winch he was standing and in
stanuy killed. His mother who stoo
eesiae nim, was buried under tons of
oUncleee and rock and also instantly
klHed. The north end of their hons.
was completely demolished and tia
Iour walls OF the kitchen were
Just h6w ths .ocidsnt occurre, u,ll'
/ IS Is s EplaiR 111117s.
stalled the new lighting system. Az
1rst II caused them some trouble. hut
og uualng lne past several months, it has
morning, when the family fonnd II
impossible to ignite the lights. To,
ward supper time. last night Mrs
Mike noted the odor Of carbide gss
ana urged her husband to look over
lne plant at once. The tank was In
gated In a concrete pit, five by eight
.ee1 IA size and at depth of six feet
unoer M the kitchen porch Mr.. and
to Investigate. The father ci;n,heH
INTO the pit, while his wife and son
STOOD above 1t looking on. Within !
Lnu.e n1na9 alter entering the pit, the ex.
Girls Were In Kitchen
eet. glns, Louella and Olga, aged
nIteen and eighteen years, were in
.ne @ Nlcnen at the time. They did
NO. see their father In the pit and are
eas 10 20 state just what caused the
Rhaticaly, however, that he had m
lgnt and that he struck no match
Wnne IN the pit as he had often warn
ca tnem OF the danger of such An az.
RIoslon. The two girls did not realiz.
IeT Danger until they were thrown -,
Inc moor by the terrific concuss;oss
osr ona was painfully injured ut
Uasa was only badly shaken up. She
hfoesense1 fo eaT "a enough presence OF mind
many were on their way alreadv
having heard the explosion. Thsr
Sc! 10 work at once to extricata ~.
injured man, and after hard uro,.k =.
moving the debris which covered NJ
completely, they removed lin sffij
ave put very severely injured. He
was taken to the home of Louis wis
shis ei%gnnor % ana Dr.. w. J. Meiiicke of
noc+os Soic0. ne was not 0V-
nas,s ~ sIvlye through the night.
the two bodies were also exfr&c.t<>s
ana were taken to Nicollet. Rav
hoehler has taken charge a. fha ~
nnalns, out as yet no Arrangement.
nave been made for the funeral Ths
Two Two, girls were also removed tn the
wills home. Coroner J. w. Daniais
nncs mas summoned from st. Peter at
That an explosion OF this ch.r.....
could be so violent is unbelievah1a
Inc Nnzke home is q s,rbsfantiai
two story building, yet the theIr, entira
wall or the house was torn ofY ana
nearly the entire interior wrechad
Inc porch was reduced to snlinfers
SO SO small that they could not be iden.
tlne1 as part of that structure. Plastar
ana glass In all parts of the ho,ise
Ma Was Iorn ieose' and q large hole ia
Mr.. Nitzke was ~ years az apa bis
wife 40, and his son IA. The fanniIS
is considered to be one of the mnst
prosperous in the community Their
nelgnfors and friends were overcoma
Dy the castatrophe Today the farm
was visited by hundreds who had
heard of the explosion and who were
curious to see its effects.
Exploded With Great Force
New Uln Mimi. December %
Three men,bers OF the Henry
Netzke family are dead as the resuli
OF the explosion last night f-tle car
DIde lighting plan st their country
home in Cranky township, Nicollc.
county, eighteen miles east of ne.a
Mr.. Netzke. who was fatally ir i,,rer
died early today. Mrs. Netzks and
her fifteen year old daughter. LusiIs.
We're killed almost Instantly. .Anothars
daughter and son escaped snIury.
The lighting plant was located In =
pit under the front rorch. Mr.. Netz
ke noticed it was not functiuninv