The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-14
A DELUGE IN CHICAGO.
The Most Terrific Storm That
Ever Occurred There.
Nearly a Score Of Lives Lost and
Much Property Destroyed.

One or the nerceSt storms or recent years
burst over Chicago, H., at 6 o'clock in the
evening. The day had been sultry, with
scarcely any wind. When the sun went
down the sky became overcast with greenish
clouds, and darkness came on with incredible
speed. Shortly after 9 o'clock rain be-
gan falling in torrents. Great streams
Of water poured into the Easements, driving
hundreds of people into the streets and ruin.
ing an immense amount Of property stored
in the down town stores. The electrical
display was appalling. Scores Of objects
were struck by lightning, and the roar of the
thunder was deafening. Seven alarms OF
fire were rung within fifteen minutes
The water poured into the Lasalle street
tunnel in such volume that passengers on the
cable cars were compelled to stand upon the
seats. In tho southwestern portion Of the
city it is estimated that 1000 persons were
driven from their homes. The Wisconsin
Central tracks were submerged, the water
being so deep on the tracks that 1t entered
the fire boxes Of the locomotives.
The signal service officer said that q sue.
cession Of thunder storms had swept over the
city. They came from the West, and each
was moro severe than its predecessor. At 8
o'clock the water was falling in binding
sheets with an almost continual roar Of thun-
der. Some Of the big downtown gas mains
were flooded, and many merchants did busi-
ness by the aid Of candles and lamps.
On the west side buildings were de-
molished, trees uprooted and entire side
walks disappeared. Garfield Park wns almost
bereft of foliage There the wind devastated
path Of 400 feet in width.
-Four new brick buildings at Rockwell and
Sixteenth streets were demolished, and two
men who had sought refuge in the doorWays
were crushed to death in the wreck. Two
large brick buildings on Twenty-first street
collapsed, fell on adjoining cottages and
, killed seven people, besides injuring six
others.
Two families were almost obliterated In
this disaster. James Lusks cottage on Fit
teenth street was blown to pieces, but the
family miraculously escaped death. 1t
rained for three hours, and the climax came
at S:45, when all elements united and the
very foundations Of the city were shaken.
Water poured into every basement and
drove thousands Of poor people into the
street. In the police stations prisoners were
compelled to cling to the bars to escape
drowning.
The fires in the Palmer and the Grand
Pacific were extinguished. Three feet of
water flooded the Clifton House basement.
At the Chicago Opera House much Of the
'sBlue Beard" scenery was ruined -
Panics were narrowly averted In the
theatres yhere the electric lights ceased to
burn. Whole blocks beyond Western avenue
wereunder water and the wooden sidewalks
foated like RATS. Both the cable railways
were completely paralyzed and in the Lasalle
street tunnel was q surghg stream.
Hinman street officers saved Mrs. Chepeks
and six children in basement by plunging
s,,%o fo,,,. faat of rxrofar nn1npr T'hOu1aq Dor.
gan was dangerously injured by electrical
discharge and Maggie Austin was rescued
from current on Lake street.
Scores of instances were reported next day
of casualties mainly by lightning, and anum-
ber Of the victims cannot recover. John
Hnyess house on Oakley avenue was demol'
ished and one son fatally hurt three persons
being very seriously injured. Ernest Blocter
was killed on Sixty-sixth street
Fires were innunerable, and SS0, 600 DAM
ages resulted from that cause. Off at Ham-
mond three great packing houses succumbed
to flames, caused by lightning. !.
The police report fourteen persons dead
and twenty-five injured, three OF them
fatally. In the Chicago Tribune office the
stereotypers worked in water to their waists.
So much sewage was returned from the river
by the back current that the Health Com
missioner advised the boiling Of water before
drinking. The pecuniary loss was estimated
at 81, 900, 600.
The records of the local signal service
station show nothing approaching the deluge
From $50 to $50 4 12-100 inches OF rain fell
Without going into figures it may be stated
that the volume Of water which fell inside Of
the city limits would make q Lake on which S
could be foated the greatest navy in the
world. It was impossible to estimate the
damage with any degree Of accuracy
Hardly house in the city escaped the fury
of fhe storm .f.' g. -.r.'