The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-05-15
A FEARFUL STORM.
Kansas City visited Several Buildings wreck
ed-Twenty-four Persons Knows to be
killed and Thirty Injured

Kansas City Visited-SeveraI buluinee
ed-Twenty-four Persons knows 70 DC
killed and Thirty Injured.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, May 11.--About half
mast ten this morning, ominous storm CLOUDS
began gathering over the city. They hrst ap'
neered in the northeast and, surging west
wardlv across the city, turned suddenly about
in their course and descending rapidly, broke
mon tie city in terrific bursts OF WIND anu
rain that swept all lighter objects before tnem'
The darkness was almost like night, ana PEG,
nile fled to the nearest shelter ana awai'eu
with blanched faces the fury OF the tempest.
Clouds seemed to Craze roots OF the nighes'
buildings and pour out their torrents III "P'
parenty solid masses for a Tune
The storm struck the city in full force about
twenty minutes past eleven and ragged Tor nan
ON bour. The streets were running rivers OF
water. CARRYING boxes, and signs ana otner
similar freight, blown from the buildings OF
swenf IN by the food. A number OF Vehleies
were overturned and in numerous instances
drivers abandoned their horses to their tate
and sought refuge in stores ana houseS ,,
Some hail accompanied the storm, Dpt tne lali
was not great, otherwise the loss TO properly
would have been enormous, from water stream
ing in at broken windows. As u was, VIZ,
dows in quite large number of buildings were
blown in and goods and furniture were water
soaked. All this, however, proved entlreiy
;ns;oni6cant when the full extent OF the dlsas-
ostep wrought by the storm became known;
The I.athrop school building occupied
nrominent site at the corner of Eighth ana
Main streets. 1t consisted Of main build
mo To which an art wing had been added.
ne building was surmounted by a tower,
which for some time has been considered I'M
safe. 1t has been twice condemned; once
within few weeks, but no action hau peen
taken in the matter. This morning the pullu-
ing was crowded with children, many OF wnom
went nearly frantic with grief over the apalInIg
darkness and the stiffness which preceueu inc
tempest. Gov, tho
west and seemed to concentrate its force IN n
descent upon the tower, which yielded with a
crash. and. carrying down the heavy Dell,
nlnnged through the intervening floors TO the
basement. The main building is mass OF
rims. within shattered walls, which still stand;
The wing was comparatively uninjured, and
the scholars in there unhurt. In the nam
hnilding. however, the effect was awful: ne
falling floors precipitated the terrlhed chiiare1
to the basement, where masses OF bricks ana
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 peaths
storm to the scene. The gale quickly sub
sided. and the work of rescuing was under
taken by eager hands. Owing to the prevail.
inc excitement the first work was not very ef-
fective, but the fire department and ponce
soon arrived and an organized search was
commenced. The dead and wounded were
taken out as quickly as possible and carried "a
the Natatorium. adjoining, which was turned
into A hospital. Here the parents and trends
of the little ones soon gathered, each seareh
ing for his or her own, and utterlng 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 Deyono
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 of the wounded children some OF them
seemed to have greater control than theli
elders.
One little girl, half buried in the debris
over whom rescuers were busy, begged them
to leave her and help boy beside her, be-
cause, she said, he was only five years old
The scenes in the Natatorum as the little one!
were brought in and laid upon improviseo
cots, the dead placed together upon one side,
were pitiful beyond expression; A dozer
dead were taken out during, the day and the
bcdies sent to the houses of sorrowing fami
! lies. Several of the children belonged tt
prominent families in the city.
At 10 West Third street stood a three story
brick building in the middle of the block
which was used as an overall factory, con
Quoted by Haar Brothers. The first ant
second floors were occupied by the Graham
Paper Company. In the factory were abou
25 employees, chiefly girls They, when The
storm broke out, started for the cellar. The
building fell with crash, being RACED entirel.
to the earth, and five of the affrightened girl
were caught in the ruins. -Four have beer
taken out dead. A number of others vert
injured and some are missing. A force o
workmen are busy tonight by the tickerlnt
lantern lights, upturning confused masses o
bricks and timbers.
The County Court House stands at Secont
and Main streets, on the hill, exposed to thu
winds from the north and west. The building
was erected nearly twenty years ago for hote
purposes, but when completed was purchased
by the county for $500, 900 and converted int
a court house. The building has always beef
considered rather unsatisfactory, and the roo
has frequently suffered injury from high winds
The storm struck the northwest corner to-day
blowing in the roof and the major portion
the walls of the third and fourth stories. Th
wall at the east end was blown into the street
and Deputy Sheriff Dougherty was caught an
killed All others succeeded in getting GU
of the building alive. The Jail is located il
the basement of the building, and that por
ton escaped injury. The prisoners were IN
tensely alarmed, but became quiet when tn
crisis had passed and they found themselve
unhurt. Judge Slower had been holdin
court on the third floor, and had adjourne
Just before the storm descended. A portion
of the roof in falling struck the chair the Judg
had just vacated.
Across the street, on the northwest corne
of Second and Main streets, stood two. stor
brick building, erected in 1860 by the SAINT
Fe Stage Company, one of the oldest build
ings in the city, from which the stages form
erly were started across the plains IN stage
coaching days.
The building has of late years been occupi
ed by the United States Engineers. Adjor
ing that on the west was three-story brio
coffee and spice mills, owned by Smith
Moffatt This building was demolished, fall
ing over upon the adjoining one, and bot
were completely wrecked: Frank Smith, tn
senior partner, of the firm, was taken on
bleeding from the ruins and died in a shol
time. Mr. Moffatt was badly hurt, and tire
employees were taken out. The debris is be
ing removed tonight in search for any VIII
may yet be buried beneath.
The second span from the north end of tn
bridge across the Missouri, opposite the city
was blown into the river, the piers being le
apparently uninjured. A great number c
telegraph wires were carried down with th