HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY. 
 
a candidate; but, as he did not receive the cau- 
cas nomination, his friends refused to vote for 
the regular nominee, and Angus Cameron was 
elected by their uniting for that purpose with 
the democratic members in the legislature. 
After the expiration of Gov. Washburn's 
term of office, on the first Monday of January, 
1874, he at once directed his entire attention to 
the management of his private business. In 
the manufacture of lumber and flour, he accu- 
mulated a large portion of an ample fortune. The 
success of his early investments in pine lands 
demonstrated his far-seeing sagacity; so, also, 
those in the water-power at St. Anthony's falls, 
he becoming the principal owner of the west 
side power. Here, being interested in the man- 
ufacture of flour, he erected, in 1876, an im- 
mense mill-the "Big Mill," of Minneapolis, 
Minn. At 7 o'clock in the evening of May 2, 
1878, an explosion occurred in this mill, at- 
tended with great Loss of property and' that of 
a number of lives. There were fourteen men 
in the mill at the time, every one of whom 
perished. The building had first caught fire, 
and the flames had come in contact with the 
dust of the mill, which, it is said, mingled with 
the air, made it of an explosive character; 
hence the disaster.  The destruction was not 
confined to the "Washburn A"X-called, as we 
have seen, the "Big Mill," it being 100x138 
feet on the ground, seven and a half stories 
high, filled with the most approved machinery, 
and having forty-one run of stone.  Six mills, 
in all. were destroyed, and five more damaged; 
among the latter was the "Washburn B," which 
was badly shaken up. The number of lives lost, 
in and out of the mills, in Minneapolis, by 
reason of this fire and explosion, was eighteen; 
the total loss of property was estimated at 
nearly $1,000,000. 
This terrible and unusual calamity did not 
have the effect to discourage the indomitable 
Washburn. He proceeded at once to the work 
of re.building his mills on a still larger scale, 
and with improved machinery.   The massive 
 
"A" mill has been described as the largest mill 
in America, and the most complete one of its 
size in the world. It is twice the size of the 
old "A," and covers a ground space of 100x240 
feet. Its height is eight stories above the canal. 
The full capacity of the mill is 3,000 barrels of 
flour a day. The ',B" was built in 1866, is 
60x90 feet on the ground; three stories high in 
front, and five in rear. Its daily capacity is 500 
barrels. The "C" ranks next to the "A," cover" 
ing ground of 95x145 feet; is five stories high; 
its capacity is 1,250 barrels a day.* Mr. Wash- 
burn was the first man in the United States who 
introduced what is known as the "patent pro- 
cess" in the manufacture of flour, and   the 
"Hungarian roller system."  He visited Europe 
for the purpose of investigating all the improved 
processes for making flour, determined to secure 
the very best.  His efforts, though attended 
with much expense and hard labor, were crowned 
with snccess. It may be said that Mr. Wash- 
burn was the champion miller of the United 
States. No man in this country was so thor- 
oughly versed in milling, or possessed so com- 
plete a knowledge of every detail in the manu- 
facture of flour, as he. Besides the interest al- 
ready spoken of as engaging his attention, Mr. 
Washburn was one of the early projectors and 
builders of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Rail- 
road. He was interested also in a number of 
other enterprises, requiring skill and energy to 
manage. Indeed, it may be said that nearly all 
of his life was full of activity and hard work, 
indicating large will-power and a capacity for 
great physical and mental endurance. 
The career (and a noble and successful one it 
was) of Mr. Washburn was now nearing its end. 
During the year 1880 he frequently complained 
of indisposition, and of a sense of weariness 
and lassitude; still, his attention to business 
and his activity were unabated; but a dreadful 
malady (Bright's disease) was seizing hold of 
his powerful frame. On the last day of Janu- 
* History Ilennepin County, Minn., pp. 391,392, 891,395. 
 
304