The Mankato free press., 1921-12-30
Three Bodies Now Occup,
The Same Grave
STORY OF THE WREcI
Great Damage Done BY Explo'
sion of Lighting
Plant
Especial to The Free Press. ]

St Peter, Mimi, December 23.-
Three members of the Henry A. Metz
Ike family of Cranky township, Nicol-
let county, were buried in the same
grave this afternoon at the Trinity
Lutheran cemetery at Old Nicollet
Henry Netzke died yesterday without
regaining consciousness as result OF
injuries received last Wednesday night
in the explosion which wrecked his
home, killing instantly his wife and
son. +. Funeral services took place at
1880 p. m. and were conducted by Rev!
F. Koehler Of Trinity Lutheran church.
Nicollet
Luella Netzke, one of the surviving
children who suffered severely from
the shock of the explosion, has fully
recovered from its effects but both
girls were prostrated with grief when
they learned of their fathers death
which occurred at ten o'clock at the
Fred Krohn home, neighbor.
Several hundred automobiles VISITED
the home yesterday. 1t Is total
wreck, the furniture and clothing be-
ing removed by the neighbors await
ing the disposal of the two girls. So
badly is the framework and the walls
of the house sprung, that it must be
torn down and rebuilt II it Is to be
of use again.
Although the cause of the explosion.
which was heard for three miles in
the neighborhood. will probably never
be definitely determined, it seems that
the general belief Is that the escaping
gas got into the furnace room in the
basement, through an opening in the
- Ia oHf ~
flames in the furnace ignited it at the
moment the father entered the pit.
The house foundation and walls into
the furnace room were blown out,
which gave rise to this theory. as 1t
would have been impossible for the
explosion within the pit. to penetrate
that distance. 1t was also learned yes
terday that Mr.. Netzke had been down
In the pit earlier in the day and had
bouredN hot water into the generator
to thaw 1t out. 1t may be possible that
ne left the hopper tray open. causing
fifty pounds of carbide to dump at
once in the water. The chemical would
become red hot under such treatment
according to local acetylene experts.
and might ignite the tremendous
amount of gas generated. The two
girls are positive that their father did
strike match, as 1t was not quite
dark when the explosion occurred.
The lighting system at the fNtzke
home was a Colt Acetylene plant. It
was purchased in April OF HE. Nich-
OILS of Minneapolis and was installed
by his agent, Joel CARING. in June.
1t had been frozen up once before. but
otherwise had not given any trouble
Mr.. Netzke, who died yesterday. was
forty two years of age. He was a son
of Mr.. and Mrs. Carl Netzke of Nicol
let and was born and grew to man
hood there. He was married In 1901
to Theresa Hopp Of Nicoflet township.
who was thirty seven years Of age
when her death occurred. Their son
would have celebrated his fourteenth
the CRANKY farm fifteen years ago,
and last summer remodeIled 1t into
one of the finest farms in that com
munity. The family is considered
prosperous. Olga. aged fifteen, and
Luella, aged nineteen, are the only
surviving members of the family Of
1--WE. They are making their home
temporarily with their grandparents
at Nicollet.
Mr.. Netzke is survived by his par
ents, and by the following brothers
and sisters: Carl Netzke, Humboldt.
MINI; Herman of Fergus. N. D.; VII
liam of Lamberton; August Of Nicol-
let; Mrs. Albert Dal1mann Of Lam
berton; Mrs. Albert Duffner and Mrs.
Weingardner of Pettbone, N. d. Mrs.
Netzke leaves her aged mother. Mrs.
Laura Hopp, of this city, and threy
sisters. as follows: Mrs. Carl Netzke,
Lamberton; Mrs. August Rudenick,
Nicollet, and Mrs. Reinhart Struck. st.
Peter.
A meeting of the stockholders in the
Traverse Elevator company Of Ira
verse, has been called next Thursday
to decide upon the re-opening OF the
elevator for business. It has been
closed for the past two months ow-
ing to the financial strfngency. Far
mers have subscribed $500 addition
al stock. and it is believed that its
doors will re- open on January End.
The board of county commissioners
CT NicolIet county and the city coun-
Gil of st. Peter will be asked to take
over the health program which has
been conducted the past two years by
the Nicollet county chapter Of the
Red Cross. The funds in the, Red
Cross treasury have now been ex-
hausted, and If the city and county
nurses are to be retained, they must
be supported from fpme other source.
The annual Christmas vacation be-
gan yesterday at Gustavus Adolphus,
college, and the trains leaving this
city in the afternoon were jammed
with more tkan 200 who will spend
Ehristmas at home. The school will
re- open on January 3.
Henry Solomon 4Bretz was the