Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-05-19
KANSAS CITY TORNADO.
TweRty-Eight Men and Children Hurled
into Eternity. Th1rty-Four Injured.
Buildings and Bridge De-
srrOyed.

storm on the forenoon OF the .l1th inst.
About half past 10 the clouds began to
gather and an hour later the wind and ra n
became terrific. The darkness WAS almost
like night, and people fed to tht nearest
shelter and awaited with blanched faces
the fury Of the tempest. Clouds seemed to
Craze the roofs of the highest buildings and
poured Cut torrents in apparent solid masses
for time. The streets were running
rivers of water, carrying boxes and signs
and other similar freight blown from the
buildings or swept up by the food. A num-
ber of vehicles were overturned, and in
horses to their fate and sought refuge in
stores and houses.
The Lathrop school building occupied a
prominent site at the corner Of Eighth
and Main streets. 1t consisted of a main
building. to which an arI wing had been
added. The building was surmounted by
tower, which for some time had been
considered unsafe. 1t had been twice con-
demned, once within a few weeks, but no
action had been taken in the matter. The
building was crowded with children, many
OF whom went nearly frantic with grief
over the appalling darkness and stiffness
which preceded the tempest. Winds
swept madly across Broadway from
the west, and seemed to concentrate
its force in a descent upon the
tower, which yielded with a crash, and
the intervening floors to the basement.
The main building is a mass of ruins with
In shattered walls, which still stand. The
wing was comparatively uninjured, and
the scholars in there were unhurt. In tho
main building, however, the effect was aw-
fV1 init <@l <I
terrified children to tho 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 gate was quickly
undertaken by eager hands. The dead and
wounded were taken out as quickly as pos.
sible and carried to the nata torium adioin.
ing, which was turned into hospital, here
the parents and friends of the little ones
soon gathered, each searching for his or her
they recognised in the manned and bleed
ing forms those whom they Lived. Among
the first taken out several were dead and
one or two almost beyond recognition !;
their clothing torn and their bodies cover
cd With dust and mortar. The deadly pal
trast with the CRIME and blood stains. Many
heroic scenes we're enacted during the res
cue and some of the wounded children
seemed to have greater control than their
elders. Ono little girl half buried in debris,
over whom the rescuers were busy, begged
them to leave her and help boy beside her,
because, she said, he was only years old.
A three story brick building on west Third
st. occupied on the first and 2nd floors by
paper company and on the 3rd by q over
all factory was blown down and twenty
five girls buried in the ruins. Four we're
killed outright and nearly all severely in
Second 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
pIeted was purchased by the county for
The building has always been considered
rather unsatisfactory, and the roof has
frequently suffered injury from high winds.
The storm struck the northwest corner to-
day, blowing in the roof and the major por-
tion Of the walls of the third:and fourth sto-
into the street, and Deputy Sheriff Dougher-
ty was caught and killed. All others sue
ceoded in getting out Of the building alive.
The Jail is located in the basement of the
building, and that portion escaped injury.
The prisoners were intensely alarmed, but
and they found themselves unhurt. Judge
8torer had been holding court on the third
hoor and had adjourned just before The
storm-descended. A portion of the roof in
falling struck the chair the Judge had just
vacated. Opposite the court house was
by the Santa Fe Stage company, but now
occupied by U. 8. Engineers. This was
blown down and demolished in falling a
three story brick building adjoining owned
by Smith & Moffat and used as spice
factory. Smith was killed and Moffat and
80. H.
Hannibal & st. Joe railroad bridge over
the Missouri was also blown down.
The death roll at night showed Is school
children and one teacher killed. At the
overall factory6 At the spice mills and
at the court house two, q total of q.
whom will die. The damage to property
was S15O,O0O.