Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-05-23
a PACIFIC COAST ZEPHYR.
Aerrtbte Effects Of Violent Wind Storm
AT Iacoma, W. T.-Scveral Persons X iIled
and mi ured by Frustrated Buildings,

Terrible Effects Of Violent Wind Storm
a. tacoma, w. T.-Several Persons Kill ed
and Injured by Frustrated Buildings
TACOMA, w. T., May IA strong
windstorm, almost a cyclone, from the
southwest passed over this city last even
ing, resulting in terrible disaster. A
large frame hotel, 65x12O feet, four stories
IN he1ght, under process of construction,
was blown to the ground, in which there
were hfteen or twenty persons, eleven
OF whom were wOrkmen, and other citi-
zens who had stepped in the building to
get rid of a binding storm of dust and
rain The structure fell with loud
crash, which was heard all over
the city, and thought to be a
thunder-clap. The rain soon be-
gan pouring in torrents. An alarm
was quickly soundedson the fire bells. and
soon several thousand people were at the
scene tearing away the debris.
The building was roofed in and every
thing ready for lathing. The wind struck
1t fully on the west front, where the win
dows had not yet been put in. w. H.
smell, who was recently elected county
attorney, and his brother in law, Walter
Bates, ST., were the owners. Both were
in the building.
Mr.. Bates was killed outright
Mr.. Smell was injured internally and
can not recover.
Walter Bates, Jr., son OF the owner,
was standing alongside OF his father
when killed, and escaped uninjured.
The painters who were on the roof came
down with the building and their lives
were miraculously saved.
Rev. W. a. Mackery, pastor OF the
First Presbyterian Church, who was seek
ing shelter from the storm, was badly in
1ured and taken to his house.
The grOans OF those beneath the debris
could be heard from time to time, and as
the dead and dying were reached and
taken out cheers went out from the great
crowd of onlookers.
Shortly after the fall OF the hotel build
ing another large three story frame store
on f street, near Eleventh, succumbed
TO the wind. and was flattened to the
ground, the workmen escaping by being
thrown into the cellar through the joists
Three of the dead workmen from the
hotel structure have been identified as
Frank Mcconnell, a carpenter, aged about
fifty; has a wife aud two sons at Law
renee, Kas.
Thomas Bell, carpenter, aged abou
thirty; single man; has q brother at
Whatcom.
Stanislaus Jarvais. a Canadian French
meu from Ottawa, Ont; came here last
March from Duluth; aged about thirty
five.
The clouds presented a terribly black
appearance in the southwest fully ten
minutes before the wind req ched the city,
assing over it quickly and going down
the Sound in the direction OF Seattle. The
clouds Of dust were so dense when the
wind began TO howl through the streets OF
the hilly portion of the city that nothing
could be seen for q distance OF thirty
feet.
The steamboats, coming from Seattle
rounded Browns Point, three miles from
the city, just as the storm struck the
ground and they were fully an hour in
reaching the wharyes. There was almost
panic among the passengers as the sea
was running high. 1t had not been very
warm in the afternoon preceding the
storm, and such u heavy wind is almost
unprecedented in the Puget Sound coun-
try.
All of the dead bodies thus far recov-
cred show marks of terrible bruises
around the head and shoulders, but none
of them were disfigured in the face.