Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-05-13
A rpRR1BIp STORM.
A Score OF People Killed and n
Large Number DEMONSTRATIONS
Dam nlInhad.

Demolished.
KANSAS CITr, May 11.--A fearful storm
of wind and rain. swept over the city to-
day, continuing from IL o'clock until
noon. The courthouse on Second street
was totally demolished above the second
story. The Lathrop school building on
Eighth Nstreet was partially wrecked,
many children were caught in the ruins
and ii Of them were killed. A manufac-
tory of overalls on Second street was
blown down, and FIVE deaths are re-
ported from there out of the 10 girls at
work in the building, while nearly oil the
others are wounded. The old water
works building, near the courthouse,
was blown down, and one or two persons
are missing. At the Western Union tele-
graph office but one wire is working out
of the city. Communication has been
established with ST. Louis over that wire
by way of Dallas, Galveston, New
Orleans and Memphis.
AT 8 p. M, as nearly as can be learned
amid the intense excitement, about 20
persons are known to be dead. Frank
Smith Of Smith u Moffat, owners of
spice mills was killed. Deputy Sheriff
Dougherty was buried in the ruins of the
are reported to come in sight of his body.
OF the four buildings wrecked all were
| more or less unsound. The school build
ing has been twice condemned, and the
courthouse by many was considered un.
safe. No one was killed except in these
| four houses.
The storm, though entailing so heavy a
| loss of life, was nothing of the nature of
the tornado that visited the city three
years ago. 1t was violent wind accom-
panied by flood OF water and some nail,
which turned many streets into rivers.
Signs, shutters, chimneys, &C., were
blown with the gale, and a number Of
vehicles were overturned in the streets.
The black clouds that rolled over the
city created almost.the darkness of night.
The following is a list of the causaities
At Lathrop School--Killed Nellie
Ellis, May Bishop, Josie Mastin and hei
little brother, Kate Smith, Ruth Jameson
Jesse Insco, Matte Moores, Edith Patch
Robert Sprague and L. L Moore, Jr.
Injured; May Hoover, girl named
Terry, Edna Evans, Eva Hazlett, NELLIE
Currie, Maud Askew.
AT the water-works building-W. A
Weldin, injured about the head ant
breast seriously; Major Livermore, hurt
about the head Lieutenant f. II. Young
knee broken and hurt about the head
= Nelson, hurt about the head.
AT the Smith ~ Moffat spice pills, ad
joining Frank Smith killed and severa
men bruised.
AT the overalls mandatory the searel
is still in progress and several persons ar,
still missing. These are known TO hay,
been killed: Jennie Fitzgerald, Will,
Eckman, and woman unidentified
Mary and Maggie Bird will die. Severa
others are in dangerous condition
Julian and Joseph Haar, proprietors, ar
badly bruised
At the ourt-house-Deputy Sheriff
Henry Dougherty, still missing, suppose,
to be in the ruins Mr.. Moore of indie
pendence, dangerously hurt Ed Hedges
back broken; Will Hedges, leg broken
James Chase, badly hurt.
The prisoners in the Jail in the base
ment of the building wers scared, blu
unhurt. The building is intact on tn
outside from the second story down.
The Lathrop school consisted of a mali
building, to which an art wing had beef
added. The building was surmounte,
by tower, which for some time had beef
considered unsafe. This morning tn
building was crowded with children
many of whom went nearly frantic witt
fear over the appalling darkness and til
bstillness which preceded the tempest
The wind seemed to concentrate its fore
upon the tower, which yielded with
crash, and, carrying down the heavy bell
plunged through the intervening floors b
the basement. The main building is
mass of ruins, within shattered walls
which still stand. The wing was CON
paratively uniniured, and the scholar
there were unhurt.
In the main building the effect wa
awful. The falling floors precipitated til
terrified children to the basement, wher
masses of bricks aud beams crushed ther
to the ground and buried them from view
Owing to the excitement the first wor
, was not very effective, but the fire depart
ment and police soon arrived and a
! organized search was commenced. tn
dead and wounded were taken out /,
quickly rs possible and carried to til
natatorium adjoining which was turne
! into hospital. Among the first take
out several were dead and one or tw
mangled almost beyond recognition. Man
| heroic scenes were enacted during til
rescue, and some of the wounded childre
seemed to have greater control than thei
} elders. One little girl, half buried i
} the debris, over whom rescuers were bus,
) begged them to leave her and help n bo
| because, said she, he was only five yeaI
old. Eleven dead were taken out ,lurin
the day aud the bodies were sent to tb
> houses of sorrowing families.
| In tha Ovaro11c tnur,, ia
! by Haar Brothers were 25 employees
chiefly girls. When the storm began the
started for the cellar. Four have bee
1 taken out dead, number of others az
: wounded, and some are still missing.
: force Of laborers is busy tonight b
lantern lights upturning masses of brick
and timber.
, The county courthouse was erecte
nearly ~ years ago for hotel purposes
! but When completed was purchased b
the county for $500, 900, and converte
into courthouse. The building has a
ways been considered rather rlnsatisfat
! tory, and the roof has frequently sufTere
: injury from high winds. The storm struc
the northwest corner to-day, blowing il
the roof and the major portion of tn
walls OF the third and fourth stories. TIL
/ south wall at the east end was blown int
! the street, and Deputy Sheriff Doughert
was caught and killed. All others sue
ceeded in getting out of the buildin
alive. The Jail is located in the base
ment Of the building, and that porto
! escaped injury. The prisoners were in
: tensely alarmed, but became quiet whe
the crisis had passed, and they foun
themselves unhurt. Judge Slower ha
been holding court on the third floor
and had adjourned just before the storI
descended. A portion of the roof in fall
ing struck the chair the Judge had jus
vacated.
Across the street stood two-stor
brick building, erected in 1860 BY Oh
. Santa Fe Stage Company. The buildin
has of late years been occupied by th
United State engineers. Adjoining that
In the west, was three-story bricl
coffee and spice mills, owned by Smith
Moffat. This building was demolished
: falling over upon the adjoining one, an
both were completely wrecked. F ran
: smith, the senior partner of the firm
was taken bleeding from the ruins, an,
died in short time. Mr.. Moffatt wa
badly hurt, and three employees wer
taken out. The debris is being remove,
tonight in search for any one who ma
J yet be buried beneath.
The second span from the north end n
the bridge across the Missouri, opposit
the city, was blown into the river, On
piers being left apparently uniniured
A great number of telegraph wires wer
carried down with the broken span
! Workmen are busy tonight raising wire
from the wreck, and il is hoped com
: munication IN that direction will be re
| sInrnd hr 40 ..,l.u..... - -. = ~.