Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-05-14
How the Storm Clouds Gathered and Wrought
Their Deadly Work

iHtlT btdulN NOtk.
KANSAS CITY, May u. About 1880 this
morning ominous storm clouds began
gathering over the city. They first ap-
peared in the northeast, and surging west
ward across the city, turned suddenly
about in their course, and descending
rapidly, broke upon the city in terrific
bursts of wind and rain that swept all
lighter objects before them. The dark
ness was almost night and the peo-
pie fed to the nearest shelter and awaited
with blanched faces the fury
of the tempest. The clouds seemed to
Craze the roofs of the highest buildings
and poured out their torrents in an APP
parently solid mass for time. The storm
struck the city in full force about twent y
minutes past II O'Clock, and ragged half
an hour. The streets were running rivers
of water, carrying boxes, signs and other
similar freight which was blown from
buildings and swept away by the flood.
number of vehicles were overturned and
in numerous instances the drivers left
the to their fate, and sought refuge
in stores and houses. Some hail accom-
panied the storm, but the fall
was not great, otherwise the loss
to property would have been enor-
nous from the water streaming III
broken windows. As it was, the windows in
quite a number of large buildings were
blown in and the goods and furniture
were water soaked. All this however
proved insignificant when the full extent
of the disaster wrought by the storm be-
came known.
THE LATHRoP SCHOOL BUILDING.
occupied prominent site at the corner
of Eighth and Main streets. 1t consisted
of the main building to which a wing had
been added. The building was surmount-
ed by tower which for some
time had been considered unsafe. 1t
had been twice condemned, once
within few weeks, but no action was
taken in the matter. This morning the
building was crowded with children, many
of whom went nearly frantic with grief
over the appalling darkness and stiffness
which preceded the tempest. The wind
swept midway across Broadway from the
west, and seemed to concentrate its force
in descent upon the tower, which yielded
with a crash, and tearing down the heavy
bell, plunged through the intervening
floors to the basement. The main
building is mass of ruins with
shattered walls which still stand. The
wing was comparatively uninjured, and
the scholars in it were unhurt. In the
main building, however, the effect was
| awful. The falling floors precipitatet
the terrified children to the basement
where masses of bricks and beams crush
ed them to the ground and buried then
| from view. Persons near hearing the
crash made their way as best they coul(
Ir1e+
The gale quickly subsided and the worl
| of rescuing was undertaken b,
eager hands. Owing to the prevail
ing excitement at first, the worl
was not very effective, bu
| the fire department and police soon arriv
| ed and an organized search commenced
| The dead and wounded were taken out a.
soon as possible and carried to the nata
torium adjoining, which was turned int
| a hospital. Here parents and friends o
| the little ones soon gathered, each search
ing for his or her own, and uttering
HEART RESDEISG CRIES
| as they recognized in the manned ant
| bleeding forms those whom they loved
| Among the first taken out several were
| dead and one or two mangled almos
| beyond recognition. Their clothing wa
| torn and their bodies were covered
| with dust and mortar the deathly pallO
| of the skin showing in painful contras
| against the grim and blood stains he
| roic scenes were enacted during the res
| cue of the wounded children. some o
| them seemed to have greater control thar
| their elders. One little girl, half burie'
| in debris, over whom the rescuers wer
| busy. begged them to leave her and hell
| a boy beside her, because, she said h
| was only five years old The scenes il
| the natatorium as the little ones wer
| brought in and laid upon the improvise'
| cots. the dead placed together upon on
side, were pitiful beyond expression
| dozen dead were taken out during tn
day and their bodies sent to the house
| of the surrounding families. Several o
the children belonged to prominent fam
| lilies in this city.
Al THE OVERALL FACTORY,
| at No. IIG West Third street, stood
| 3-story brick building. in the middle o
the block the third floor of which wa
| used as an overall factory, conducted b.
! the Hoar Bros. and the first and secon'
| two floors by the Graham Paper Co. Ii
| the factory were about 25 employees. chief
IL girls. and when the storm broke ou
| they started for the cellar The building
| fell with crash, being raZed entirely +
the earth, and most of the afrighted girl
| we're caught in the ruins. Four have beel
| taken out dead number of Others ar
| wounded and some are still missing.
force of laborers is busy tonight by flick
ering lantern lights upturning the con
| fused masses Of bricks and timbers-
THE COUNTY coUKT HOUSE
stands at the corner of Second and Man