Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-20
A DESTRUCTIVE STORM.
Kansas City Visited by a Terrible
Wind and Rain StOrm--SeyeraI
Buildingt Destroyed and
Many Lives Lost.
Much of the Loss Of Life Due to the
Falling of Condemned Buildings
List of the Killed and
Injured.
How the Storm Clouds Gathered and Wrought
Their Deadly Work.

How the Storm Clouds Gathered and Wrought
Their Deadly Work.
KANSAS CRY, May 13.-About 1870 this
morning ominous storm clouds began
gathering over the city. They first ap-
peared in the northeast, and surginp
westward 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 people 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 apparently solid mass for a
time. The storm struck the city in full
force about 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. A
number of vehicles were overturned and
in numerous instances the drivers left to
their fate, and sought refuge in stores
and houses.
THE LATHRoP SCHOOL.
The LathrOp school building occupied
prominent site at the corner of Eighth
and Main street. 1t consisted of main
building to which an art wing had been
added. The building was surmounted by
tower which for some time was CON
sidered unsafe. It had been twice con-
demned; once within few weeks, but no
action had been taken in the matter.
This morning the building was crowded
with children, many of whom went nearly
frantsc with fright over the appalling
darkness and the stiffness which preceded
the tempest. The winds swept madly
across Broadway from the west and seem
ed to concentrate its force in a decent up
on the tower, which yielded with a crash,
and, carrying down the heavy bell, plung-
ed through the intervening floors to the
basement. The main building is mass
of ruins, within the shattered walls which
still stand. The wing was comparatively
uninjured, and the scholars in there were
unhurt. In the main building, however,
the effect was awful The falling floors
precepitated the terrified children to the
basement, where masses of bricks and
beams crushed them to the ground and
buried them from view.
Persons near, hearing the crash, made
their way as best they could against the
beating storm to the scene. The gale
quickly subsidized, and the work of rescu-
ing was undertaken by eager hands. Ow-
ing to the prevailing excitement, the first
work was not very effective, but the fire
department and the police soon arrived,
and an organized search was commenced.
The dead and wounded were taken out as
quickly as possible and carried to the
natatorium adjoining, which was turned
into hospital.
HEARTRENDING SCENES.
Here the parents and friends of the
little ones soon gathered, each searching
for his or her own, and uttering heart
rending cries as they recognized in the
manned and bleeding forms those whom
they loved. Among the first taken out
several were dead, and one or two mangled
almost beyond recognition, their clothing
torn and their bodies covered with dust
and mortar, the deathly pallOr of the
skin showing in painful contrast against
CRIME and blOOdstains. Many heroic
scenes were enacted during the rescue,
and some of the wounded children seem
ed to have greater self-control than their
elders. One little girl, half-buried in the
debris, over whom rescuers were busy,
begged them to leave her and help a boy
beside her because, she said, he was only
five years old. The scenes in the nata-
forum as the little ones were brought in
and laid upon impoverished cots, the dead
being placed together upon one side, were
pltiful beyond expression. A dozen dead
were taken out during the day and their
bodies being sent to the houses of sorrow
ing families. Several of the children be-
lOnged to prominent families in the city,
OTHER STRUCTURES WRECKED.
At ITO West Third street stood a three
story brick building in the middle of the
block, the third floor of which was used
as an overall factory, conducted by Harr
Bros, and the first and second floors by
the Graham Paper company. In the fac
tory were were about twenty-five employ
es, chiefly girls. When the storm broke
out they started for the cellar. The build
ing fell with crash, being RACED entirely
to the earth, and most of the affrighted
girls were caught in the ruins. Four have
been taken ont dead, and number of
others are wounded.
The county court house stands at Sec
ond and Main streets on the hill, exposed
to winds from the north and west. The
building was erected nearly twenty years
ago for hotel purposes, but when com
pleted, was purchased by the county for
S2O0,OOO, and converted into a court
house. The south wall at the east end
was was blown into the street and Deputy
Sheriff Dougherty was caught and killed.
All others succeeded in getting out of the
building. Judge Slower had been hold
ing court, and had adjourned just before
the storm descended. A portion of the
roof in falling struck the. chair he had
just vacated.
Revised List of the Killed and Injured