New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-29
CRUSHED IN THEIR HOMES.
Two FAMILIES VICTIMS OF GALE IN
CHICAGO.
SEVEN PERSONS DEAD AND FIVE INJURED-AN
UNFINISHED BUILDING BLOWN DOWN
UPON "A SMALL TENEMENT-UN-
PRECEDENTFD RAINFALL

PREoEDENTED RAINFALL.
Chicago, July 2S.-The storm last night was
one of the most severe that has ever visited this
part Of the country. The rainfall was the great.
est ever known here in like period, over four
inches in two hours and fifteen minutes Az
nearly as can be ascertained il was 80 o'clock
when terrible gale of wind struck three
story brick building which stood at Oalzley-ave.
and Twenty-hrst-st, and had not yet been rooted.
1t toppled and fell on cottage, crushing i'd
as though 1t were paper and burying the inmates
beneath the ruins. The three front rooms of
the cottage were occupied by Cornelius Ferdi-
nandus, Hollander, and his family, consisting
Of his wife, Relxa, and five children, the eldest
a girl of twelve and the youngest infant Of
one year In the three rear rooms lived Charles
Book, German lab0rer and his WIFE Amelia,
and three children, the eldest thirteen and the
youngest six years of age. AS soon as possible
an alarm sent to the police and firemen.
who soon arrived on the scene. Thero
was not trace of the cottage to be seen. 1t had
been buried completely out of sight, but the pain-
full cries of child were heard through the shriek|
ings Of the gale. With will, the firemen and
policemen went to work to remove the wreckage,
and shortly after IL o'clock the bodies Of all who
were known to have been in the building were
taken out
thirty-three: Rel1a Ferdinandus, his wife, age
thirty-one; Cora Fcrdinandus, age five; May FerI
dinandus, age one; Amelia Book, wife OF
Carl Book, age thrty-nine; Annie Book age eighta
Albert Book, age six.
The wounded are Carl Book, age fortySthree,
slightly crushed; August Book, age thirteen, skull
crushed Linda Ferdinandus, age ten, badly
crushed Luda Ferdinandus, age eight, slightly
hurt; Gertrude Ferdnandus, age three, skull
fractured.
The cottage caught fire from the overturned
stoves in it, but the flames soon extinguished.
Charles Book was found pinned down by heavy
timbers. He terribly injured about the head.
face and chest, but may recover. His wife was
found dead, crushed beyond recognition Augusti
his oldest soh. age thirteen, was fastened under
heavy beam. His right leg broken and
his skull fractured. He was taken to
the hospital, but cannot survive his in!
juries Anna Book, age eight, and Albert, ago
six, were crushed to death G. Ferdinandus was
found crushed to death in his doorway His wife
was lying near him, with their two-year-old babe
Cora clasped in her arms. The mother was dead
but the child was rescued alive and taken to the
County Hospital 1t died at midnight.
The rain did thousands of dollars damage in
this city, The cloud came from the s0uthwests
and meeting counter currents of air, lowered over
the city for two hours and a half, finally passing
to the northeast. The rain began about $50 and
continued in binding sheets until o'clock.
The wind at times to gale In
two hours and fifteen minutes there
was phenomenal rainfall of 4.1s
inches Pavements and cellars flooded all
over the city, some TO q depth of three or four
feet The water rushed into the La Salle-st(
tunnel, until it reached depth of over three
feet in the centre, interruptng the traffic Of the
cable cars. The damage caused TO warehouse goods
from flooded easements, as already reported, Will
run high into the thousands
In Van Buren-st., near LOomis, while the storm
was at its height, large tree was blown down
and fell upon passing street-car, which was
crowded with people, crushing the roof, but for-
unately not injuring any one seriously. 1t Is
learned that several houses were struck by light
ming q I'd number Of people badly shaken up and
scared.
Ernst Blooter the owner of lumber yard al
Sixtv-sixth and Wallace sts., instantly killed
by an Eastern Illinois engine in last nights storm,
and Henry Dues, of his employees. was badly
hurt. The men crossing the tracks at Sixty
sixth-st They waited for freight train to pass
and then started to The rain blinded them
An engine approaching from the opposite direction
struck them down. Blooter was forty-cight years
old and single Dues lived at No. 6,449 Sherman~
ST. His recovery is doubtful