The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-06-14


class of Northwestern university, mum
bers ninety seven young Ladies' and gentle
men. took the steamer Viola at the Demp-
ster street pier, at Evanston, at O'Clock
this afternoon for an excursion, picnic and
general class jubilee. The storm that did
so much damage to property III TINS city
broke forth shortly after the excursion
party had left. The capsiziag Of the boat
is counted among the possibilities by the
friends and relatives of those on board.
At Evanston up TO o'clock this morning,
no word from the boat had been received
Anxious fathers and brothers have spent
the night telephoning and telegraphing to
various points. endeavoring to get word
from the picknickers.
THE STORM IN CHICAGO.
CHICAGO. June l3.-This city was visited
this afternoon by one of the most severe
storms known here for many years. 1t
lasted only short time, but during that
time one person is known TO have been
killed, many others painfully injured, and
much property damaged. The great
wigwam on the lake front, in which
the Democratic national convention Is to
be held next week, was badly wrecked,
About o'clock this afternoon heavy
later the darkness was so intense that the
electric and gas lights had to be called
into use in Offices and stores down town.
a few minutes later a coronado swept
down upon the city from the northwest,
accompanied by terrific thunder and
lightning and torrents of rain and hail.
In the west division of the city trees
were broken down, awnings torn off and
windows shattered. Several buildings in
course of erection were wholly or partially
wrecked A brick cattage at 1876 Whipplc
street was demolished, 2-year-old Emma
klima killed instantly aud her mother aud
another child badly injured. In the dis
tplcC between Twentv-second and Thirty
second streets, east Of the river, great
deal of minor damage was done. The tele-
graph, telephone and electric light systems
Were demoraliZad for time. The large
chimneys on two or three manufacturing
establishments were wrecked and some
houses were struck by lightning. The
storm badly wrecked portions of the roofs
on several buildings on State street. Ono
large window in Armour q Co.'S Office
was blown in, but no one was hurt. On
the upper floors number of windows were
broken. Three or four women employed
IN the office tainted and there was precipi-
tate rush for StaircaSes and elevators. To
make matters worse the lightning burned
ont the switchboard near the dynamo and
all the electric lights in the building went
out at the height of the confusion.
Seventy-tive men We're at work in the
big Democratic wigwam. The quarter
pole holding the northeast corner of the
mbrella-shaped canvas roof gave way and
tore through the canvas. The wind got
under it, the guy wires snapped like
Iwine, and an instant later the great 90
foot center mast snapped and fell with a
crash. running hundreds of chairs. The
IL
rain flooded the wigwam. The wOrkmen
marvelously escaped injury. Contractor
Allen says that the damage to the wig
wan will amount to fully S, 900. He will
have it repaired and ready for the conven-
lion.
Several houses in the business district
had plateglass windows blown in and suf-
fered some damage from rain. The flag
staff was torn from the tower of the Pull
man building and fell into Michigan
avenue, narrowly missing buggy occu-
pied by two ladies. The storm played
havoc with the great piles of lumber in the
district about Blue Island avenue aud
Twenty-second street For half an hour
the air seemed full of flying boards and
shingles, aud the loss on lumber will be
heavy. Three people in one yard Were
badly injured.
An idea of the force of the storm may be
CLEANED from the fact that six-inch timber
was picked UP and driven endwise through
boX-cars standing near by.
Armour's elevator on Morgan street was
struck by lightning and completely
wrecked. Charles Roperts, who was at
work in the boiler room, was buried be-
heath a mass of brick and killed. Late
his evening several causualities are re-
ported. Several men working on new
buildings were badly hurt by being blown
from the roofs and scaifoleings or struck
10y flying debris. The life saving station
reported that three men were seen in a
row boat some distance from shore when
the storm came up, and they must have
Deen lost.
CHICAGO, June 13-About $50 O'Clock
tonight another severe storm swept over
The city, lasting about Jhree-quarters of
:u hour. No fatalities are report ed The
storm. however, again demoralized the
telegraph service.