The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-05-31
ANGRY Winds
Level a Part Of the Hampden
Works to the Ground,
Causing a Loss of $4,000,
at Noon Monday.
The Walls Fall In With q Ter
rife Crash,
Which is Heard All over the west
ern Part of the City.
Men at Work in the Building, But
They Escape in Time.
Hundreds of Visitors View the
Ruins This Afternoon.
Mr.. Dueber Telegraphedt to and the Ruins
to be Cleaned Up at Once" Demo
crat Representatives Visit
the scene---Other Dam
Men at Work in the Building, But
They Escape in Time.
Hundreds of Visitors View the
Ruins This Afternoon.
MI. Dueber Telegraphedt to and the Ruins
to be Cleaned Up at Once" Demo
GRAFT Representatives Visit
the scene--other Dam
ages Done.
IFrom Mondays Daily.l

A terrific wind and rain storm passed
over this city, about half-past twelve
this afternoon. The wind appeared to
come foom the southwest and was OF
fearful force. Awnings and s%ignboards
all over the city melted away before
the wind like chatf, and
all the billboards We're blown
down. Chimneys in different parts OF
the city were swept down. Several
narrow escapes are reported.
The worst feature of the storm was
the terrible havoc it played with the
pride of the city, the Dueber works
The south wing of the Hampden build
ing was blown in and completely
wrecked.
The wing is two hundred feet long
and thirty feet wide and three stories
in height. The wind seemed to enter
between the wing of the Hampton
works and the long brick building on
the west side of the wing and its force
concentrated against the wing on the
south side. The wings, being so mar
row and long, afforded the wind demon
a good chance to wreak his vengeance,
and, with a loud roar the wing Was
lifted from the foundation and swept
away.
The wreck is about as complete as
/ could be. The wood work is smashed
into splinters, and the iron castings and
gas pipes twisted into grotesque shapes,
| while brick, stone and window glass is
mingled together in the utmost chaos.
The news of the disaster spread
rapidly, and oOn hundreds of people
were swarming out in the rain and
mud to view the ruins. 1t was ru-
mored that several workmen who were
thought to be in the fated wing were
missing, and fears that they had been
killed were expressed. Such, happily,
does not prove to be true. There were
but three men in the wing, and all of
them escaped.
A DEMOCRAT reporter saw n of the
gentlemen, a carpenter, named Miller.
Said he:
81 was standing neal the south end Of
the wing wondering what effect the
storm would have. Suddenly l observ-
ed the corner of the wing surging, and
I ran towards the. center of the room.
Then l stopped and watched. With a
crash the end caved in, and l lost no
time in getting out. l was in the sec
ond story; l ran down the stairs out
into the building, and from there
went out on the ground. |
had hardly gotten out when
l heard a crash, and in less time
than it takes to tell it the whole wing
was a mass of ruins"
The loss, of course, cannot be cor
rectly estimated, MI. Davidson, the
contractor, said the brick work could
be replaced at a cost of abont $4,000
Others who are supposed to know, esti
mate the total damage at not less thar
$4,000, and it may even exceed this
figure.
The ruin is complete. Mr.. Duebel
was at once notified of the disaster
and a telegraphic correspondence il
now going on. 1t may be stated thai
MI. Dueber will at once rebuild thu
wing. Work will begin just as soon a
possible.
The wing was almost finished TO
work. The line. shafting, gas and waite
pipes and work benches were in posi-
sition, and everything was In readiness
after a few final touches, for business
The northern parts of the building ar
uninjured.
Those who were working around tn
buildings say that the collapse anne il
, a moment, and in three minutes tim
| from the first appearances of a fall tn
; wing was in ruins. Had this happeneI
at a time when all the workmen wer