Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-07-24
West Superior, Wis, Visited by a
Severe Wind and Rain
Storm.
A Large Three-Story Building Blown
Down and Totally De-
.molished.
Seventeen Men Buried in the Ruins
of the Collapsed Structure
Five Bodies Recovered.

violent wind storm struck this city
about 2:30 p. m It attained the dignity
of a hurricane, but was not at all cy-
clonic in it's actions. It blew down
eight OF ten buildings, but with the ex-
ception of one location, no loss of life is
reported. The large three-story build
ing situated at the corner of Third street
and Lamborn avenue was blown down
And Totally Demolished.
There were twenty.six men at work in
the building at the time and a number
of passersby had taken refuge in the
structure to escape the storm. Seven
teen men were buried in the ruins
when the building collapsed, five of
whom have already been taken out
dead, a number of others seriously
wounded and five are still missing. So
far as known the dead are:
JOHN LAUER, aged 46 years.
CHARLES LUCIUS, "a years.
HERMAN ROUSSEY, 26 years.
UNKNOWN MAN, about IS years of
age.
JOHN SCOFIELD, died from injuries
received in the back and broken limbs.
When the storm came up, Boss Car
penter Gross called to his nen who
were working on the building to get
out, and twelve of them jumped from
the windows. At the same moment a
number Of passersby ran into the struc-
ture to escape the storm. AS they en-
tered, the building collapsed without an
instant's warning,
Buryin: Seventeen Men.
The structure did not move a foot from
its foundation. 1t simply fattened out
as though by a terrible blow from above.
The timers on the roof remained where
they were and escaped serious injury,
though the fall was t~hirty-eight feet.
Hundreds saw the catastrophe and the
work of rescue began at once. The
ruins stood not six feet above the
ground, and the roof seemed to cover
the whole, greatly ~retarding the work
of rescue. It was an hour before the
first body, that of Herman Roussey, was
recovered. 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 Lauer was found on his
back with four timbers lying across him,
cutting his body into as many pieces. It
was horrible sight, and overworked
rescuers sickened in removing the body.
Scofield was found in what evidently
had been a on the third floor, and
was still alive, though he died as soon
as che weight was removed from him,
his back being broken. It was over an
hour before another body was found.
The two injured men were then gotten
out. Semple wa wedged between two
upright timbers and that saved his life.
The bodies of Lucius and an unknown
man, evidently one of those who took
shelter in the Inflated building, were
found in the wreck of a room on the
ground floor. Both bodies were aattened
Out of All Resemblance +
to humanity. While the work Of rescue
had been going on, rain and lightning
and high wind had set in and the vio-
lence Of the storm became terrific, fore
ing the men to leave work, but they
500 resumed. It is probable that all
bodies will be recovered before morn
ing. Contractor Goss insists that no
more remain, but that is hardly proba-
bic. Five of the number escaped almost
miraculously with slight injuries. The
building was a fimsy affair, intended
for a hotel, and much feeling is mani
tested against Contractor Goss and Pro-
prietor Bedocker on account of the evil
dent unsafety of the structure. The es-
cape of all the carpenters is pointed to
as proving their knowledge of its condi-
ton. In addition to the list of killed,
five others are un~accounted for and are
believed to have been killed.
Other Damage Done. ,
Five buildings were blown down at
the steel plant in the south part Of the
city, and a section Of one of the barge
works buildings was carried away.
Chimneys were blown down and con-
siderable minor damage was done.
There is no means OF accurately giving
the amount. of damage, except in the
demolished big building, which had had
about 90, 100 worth of work put on it.
Assistant Fire. Chief Kellogg. while
assisting in removing the dead and dy-
ing from the demolished house, was
caught by a moving timber, breaking.