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Angola Herald
Angola, IN
Wednesday, May 8, 1878

              
              The Minneapolis Explosion - Great Loss
                of Life and Property
                
              MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., May 2.
              At seven o'clock this evening the city was shaken,
            as by an earthquake, by a terrific explosion, which
            was promptly traced to the groups of great flouring
            mills, in what is known as the platform, just above
            St. Anthony's Falls, where the entire flouring dis-
            trict of the city is concentrated.
              The explosion came from the great Washburn Mill,
            from which a column of flame was seen to shoot up
            several hundred feet, followed by a crash, which
            crushed the immense structure like an egg-shell.
            Other explosions instantly destroyed the Thompson,
            Hoyt and Humboldt Mills, and flames immediately burst
            out, communicating to the galaxy of mills, and other
            structures down the bank of the river nearly to the
            Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad shops. The destruct-
            ion from the shock of the explosion extended much
            farther, glass being wrecked for several squares,
            and buildings shaken throughout the city. The immed-
            iate theory of the explosion is that it took place
            in gas generated in the patent middlings purifier
            process.
              There were many thrilling incidents and narrow
            escapes. DANIEL DAY was blown the whole length of
            Petit & Robinson's Mill, out through a rear window,
            and escaped. One poor fellow, who could not be re-
            cognized, had escaped from the explosion, and was
            observed crawling through the darting, hungry flames
            toward the track of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Road,
            directly in the rear of the Washburn Mill. He managed
            to reach the rail, and there evidently became exhaust-
            ed and fell back into the raging hell behind, where
            his agonies instantly ended. It now appears that most
            of the day force had gone home, and only the smaller
            night force remained.
              The loss to property is enormous, but the confusion
            is too great for an intelligent estimate at present.
            A rough calculation places it at $1,500,000, of which
            $1,000,000 will fall upon the milling interest. The
            loss throughout the city by the breaking of glass,
            etc., is $10,000. Five mills and a planing mill were
            destroyed, beside adjoining property, including eighty-
            seven out of the 197 runs of stone in the city.
              The five flouring mills, which were involved in the
            disaster, form a group which comprises the heaviest
            concerns in the State. Chief among them were the two
            Washburn Mills, the property of ex-Gov. C. C. WASH-
            BURN, of Wisconsin, of which the one in which the
            explosion occurred was the largest flouring mill in
            the country, and the largest but one in the world.
            It was built in 1870, included forty-one run of stone,
            and was worth $200,000. It is now a smoking mass of
            ruins with its companion on the platform.
              The destruction is complete, so far as the limits
            above named, and serious within much wider bounds.
            The flames are still raging in the ruins, but are
            under control, and no farther extension is feared.
              It is now hoped the dead will be confined to 
            fourteen mentioned as in the Washburn Mill.
            
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