The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-17
Terrifying Shrieks of Wives and Mothers as
the Dead and Dying Are Dragged from the
Fallen Structure During the Storm.
WestSuperior the Scene of Sudden and
Almost Unprecedented Whirlwind.
Five Dead and Many Injured-A Pennsylvania
Boarding. House in Connection with Which
Five People Lost Their Lives in Day.
Fortunately, Only Five Are Lost, though
Many Are Injured.

storm of terrific violence swept over Su-
perIOr to-day, carrying death and destrnc-
ton in its path. The wind was accOmpa-
MED by pouring rain, and the air was
heavily charged with electricity. The
storm lasted only about thirty minutes.
but during that period many thousands of
dollars of damage was done, besides taking
off at least five lives and the visiting of
terrible injuries upon many others.
During the progress of the storm an alarm
of fire WAS turned in from the Fifth ward.
and the department responded. to find the
new, large, four-story frame hotel on Third
street, near Lamborn avenue. mass Of
ruins. The structure had blown down, and
the cry went up from hundred excited in
dividuals that the wreck was the tomb of
many men. The news flashed over the city
with startling rapidity. and hacks and
drays containing their loads few to the
scene of the disaster.
Meantime the rain was falling in torrents
and the lightning was crashing like artil-
lery. The building was a complete wreck,
| and. in spite OF the pouring rain, the visitors
rushed in and assisted the tiremen in the res
cue. Men in all walks of life stood should
OF to shoulder and worked with only the
thought of humanity sake. The work is
| still in progress tonight, fresh men taking
the places of these who give up through
| fatigue. Fully three thousand people were
at the ruins. At late hour tonight the
| dead were:
JOHN LAUR, married and aged thirty-six
years.
CHARLES LUcIUs. single, twentyfOur years
| HERMAN PAUsSEY, single, aged twenty-six
UNKNOWN MAN, about thirty-six years of
| John sCHoFIELD. who died from injuries
received in the back and broken limbs.
Among the more seriously injured are
/, John Brown. with broken legs and John
Long. with internal injuries; it is thought
| the latter will die.
WORK OF THE RESCUERS.
William Simple. Dick Clarke and others
were injured more or less seriously. Doc
| tors dad excellent work III the matter Of
caring for the injured and providing for
| their conveyance to st. Francis Hospital.
| The assistant chief of the fire department
sustained broken leg during the work of
| rescue. While rope was straining on q
mass of broken framework. the crib work
| to which it was attached parted and struck
| him.
A scene of intense excitement reigned.
Men worked with desperation. and the
sight was pitifuL Women ran about re-
CARELESS of rain and mud. wringinR their
hands and crying. filled with the terrible
fear that their husbands OF other relatives
had been burned in the ruins.
An eyewitness of the disaster says he
saw crew OF workmen running to the
/ a. Oh h.1x H.
Fully thirty or forty men must have been
inside. They wore distributed over all the
floors. It appears that the men on the
third floor took warning first and FIVE were
seen to jump and get away.
This disaster was the central feature. but
| much damage was done in all directions
| The steel hosting and conveying apparatus
employed by Silver Creek and Morris Coal
companies was badly damaged. How
much cannot be ascertained at present, but
it will be very costly and delay the hand
ling of coal from vessels. A large frame
building was blown down at the corner of
Third and Lower streets, South Superior.
and the steel plant reports a number of
buildings leveled, but no casualties. The
wind played havoc with the Unitarian
Church, Union Depot and other buildings.
but no serious fires resulted. Had one
broken out it would have found the city
practically helpless. There are no reports
of disasters on the lake or harbor.
| JUMPED FROM THE WINDOWS.
When the storm came up Boss Carpenter
Gross called to his men to get out of the
building, and twelve of them jumped from
| the windows. At the same moment
1 Is h. 49,
the structure to escape the storm.
AS they entered, the building with out an
instant's warning. collapsed. The struct-
ure lay not more than foot from its foun-
daton. 1t simply fiattened out. as if by
terrible blow from above. Three
| timers on the roof remained
where they were and escaped Sc
riOus injury. though the fall was
thirty eight feet. Hundreds saw the catas-
trophe. and the work Of rescue was begun
at once. 1t was hour before the first
body, that of Herman Paussey, was re-
moved. He was found In a sitting position.
bent nearly double, with spikes driven into
his spine, and almost every bone in his body
! broken.
John T.Rur was found on his back with
four timbers lying across him, cutting his
body into as many pieces. 1t was horrible
sight, and the overw orked rescuers sick
ened in removing the body.
Schofeld was found in what evidently
had been q room on the third floor, and
was still alive. though he died as soon rs
the weight was removed from him. his back
being broken.
1t was over an hour before another body
was found. The two injured men were then
gotten out. Semple was wedged between
two upright timbers. and that saved his
lite. The bodies of Lucius and
an unknown man. evidently one
of those who took shelter in the
ill-fated building were found in the wreck
of a room on the ground floor. Both bodies
were fiattened out of all resemblance TO
humanity.
While the work of rescue had been going
on rain and lightning. with high wind,
had set in. and the violence of the storm
became terrific. forcing the men to leave
work. which has now been resumed.
It is probable that all the bodies will be
recovered before morning. Contractor
Goss insists that no moro remain, but that
is hardly probable. Five of the
number escaped almost miraculous
| ly with slight injury. The building