IL, WAUKEGAN - Washington St, note on 1911 Powder Mill explosion - wk0186

Illinois postcard 

mailed 1911

shows a street car in the center of the road.  There are a few partial signs, so if you know what was suppose to be in the view, you may be able to fill in what is missing.  Boston Hous(e) / ?? Real Estate ____ Hillard & Wagner / ??Edd's Shu . On the right side of the card is a Barber Pole with red, white and blue stripes.

Note:  3-21-11. Dear El, invited to a grueling bee today / Mr Graves is sick / Archie Webs and Olive Well(?) We're married.  Well was you scared when the Powder Mills went up / Helen and I we're in bed we thought of an earthquake.  We ran outdoor barefoot and in our night dresses. We seen the blaze of it.  Did it do you any damages.  It did us know damages at all.  We didn't go to bed until after 11. How is all the folks and grandma. All well here!  Last week Ed had the grippe.  Expect to have the sewing machine Wed or Thur.  Could not hear one word you mother said yesterday, did you get Helen postal, right soon with love friend Maud

From what I could find out (Kenosha History Center) - it appears that it was Laflin and Rand Powder Company in Pleasant Prairie.  Article said that Millions of pounds of dynamite and powder exploded just after 8pm, Thursday evening March 9, 1911.  Apparently the explosion was felt more than 500 miles from Kenosha.  Somehow only one man was killed at the mill ( E S Thompson was a foreman and parts of him were found 200 feet away from the first explosion).  A woman in Evanston died of a heart attack caused by the fright, and about 350 were hurt.  Unique to have a  first hand observations on the disaster!)

shows a street car in the center of the road.  There are a few partial signs, so if you know what was suppose to be in the view, you may be able to fill in what is missing.  Boston Hous(e) / ?? Real Estate ____ Hillard & Wagner / ??Edd's Shu . On the right side of the card is a Barber Pole with red, white and blue stripes.

Please note that the majority of the cards are over 50 years old and as such, are sold AS IS. Tears will be noted but it would be too timely to note each fault on every card.  If condition is important to you - contact us with our number in the title & what it is that you would like to know or what it is that you would like pictured more closely.

·       Again, because of the age of the cards - they are noted as being USED - no matter if they are written on or not.