The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-04
STORM INCIDENTS AT CHICAGO.
Probable Loss of Life on the 1,ake-A Disas-
ter Ayerted by a Bridge-Tender.

CHICAGO, June 3-During the height Of the
storm, last night, switchmen walking near the
Illinois Central round d-house at the foot of Six
teeDth street, heard men shouting for help.
The switchmen went down to the breakwater
and hallooed. They were answered by chorus
of shouts, which seemed to come from number
OF men out in the lake. The railway fnen con-
tinued to call, and the answers gradually became
fainter Shortly afterward watchman heard
cries as the foot of Eighteenth street. He
rushed down to the breakwater and called again,
and was answered by the voices of several men.
The watchman thought the men were drifting
south. He attempted to call the police through
the patrol box, but was driven away by
the sheets of lightning which leaped
from the telephone instrument when
ever he touched it. When the police
finally learned of men beingou in the lake, a
patrol wagon was sent to the foot of Eighteenth
street The officers took lanterns and patroled
the beach, but could not see out sixty yards into
the lake. When they first came the officers
heard the cries, 1.-THE voices were very faint,
and seemed long way .out 1t is thought
vessel may have been struck by lighting and
that the crew had been forced to take to a boat
or raft.
From investigation made by the life-saving
service, it is thought that the runor of loss of
life or the lake off this port, in the storm last
ssnght is unfouRded. It is now thought that the
sounds heard came from a disreputable crowd of
people who frequent a a'bumboat" which lies
anchored off the government pier
During the storm Henry Carmody, bridge
tender, at the Halstead street bridge, was the
1.n~n Of orfo prObablV saved
lives of number of people In the midst OF the
blinding wind and rain, he had closed the bridge,
through which vessel had passed, and stepped
into his shanty. A street-car bound north
dashed upon the bridge, and as it neared the
center of the structure, Carfnody glanced out of
the window and was Mortified to see the bridge
slowly swinging open. The driver had his head
ducked down to ward off the force of the storm,
and was apparently unaware Of the fearful con-
sequences of his neglect and the danger ahead.
Carmody took in the situation at a glance,
dashed out of the bridgebouse and ran at the
TOP Of his speed across the bridge toward the car,
reaching the advancing team he grabbed the
horses by the bits and sang out to the
driver to put on the brake. The car was stopped
about ten feet from the end OF the rails and over
the muddy water of the river The driver, in
his haste to get across allowed the team to
travel at rapid gate, and a horrible catastrophe
and loss of life was only prevented by Carmody's
nerve and prompt action.
At $40 o'clock, just as the electric lamp in
front OF Thomas Consadlnes saloon, on Randolph
street was lighted, it was struck by lightning
and shattered into fragments. A portion of the
wires attached to it were fused, and the sign and
woodwork adjoining it set on fire. As tho cur
rent was on, and the dynamo machine on Wash
ington street was in full operation the electricity
kept coming and throwing out its sparks, and
kept one of Consadines employees busy for nearly
fifteen minutes throwing water on the sign and
woodwork. Word was finally sent to the oper-
ator on Washington street, and the trouble was
ended.
The steeple OF the Polish Catholic Church, on
Thirty third street, between Laurel and Ullman,
was struck and completely wrecked.