The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-06-18
Wreck and Ruin in the Heart of
the Worlds Fair
City.
Great Damage to Many Fine
Buildings-A Number of Per-
SON Injured.
An Excursion Steamer Missing
With Ninety-Seven Students
On Board.

CHICAGO, June ID This city was
visited this afternoon by one of the
severest storms known hore for years.
1t lasted only a short time but during
that time one person is known to have
been killed and many painfully injured
and much damage one to property.
The great wigwam on Lake Front in
which the democratic national conven-
ton will be held next week was badly
wrecked. For three days intensely hot
weather has prevailed in this city. About
three o'clock this afternoon heavy
clouds began to gather and half an hour
later the darkness was SO intense that
electric and gas lights had to be called
into use in offices and stores in the city.
\ few minutes later a tornado swept
down upon the city from the northwest,
accompanied by terrific thunder and
lightning and torrents of rain ane hail.
In the west div sion of the city trees
were broken down. awnings torn OFF and
windows shattered. Several buildings
in course of erection were totally or
partially wrecked. A brick cottage at
1896 Whipple street was demoralized.
The two-year-old child of Emma Kline
was killed instantly and its mother and
another child badly injured.
In the district between Twenty second
and Twenty-third streets east of the river
a great deal of minor damage was done.
The telegraph, telephone and electrict
systems were completely demoralized
for a time. Large chimneys on two or
three manufacturing establishments
were wrecked and some houses struck
by lightning and badly damaged. Por-
tons of tho roofs of several buildings on
State street between Twenty-third and
Thirtyeth streets were blown off and
many chimneys blown down. A small
circus was showing at Twenty-eighth
street and Wentworth avenue, many
small children being in the tent. When
the gale struck it the children were
panic stricken and great confusion en-
sued. They were, however. gotten out
of the tent safely. Very soon after they
had left the tent was RACED to the
ground. A number of performers made
their escape in undress uniform to the
neighboring houses. The Catholic
church at the corner of Twenty-hfth
street and Wallace Was badly damaged.
The steeple and a portion of the roof
being demolished. A passer-by was badly
injured by falling debris. An elevator
near Butler street was struck by light.
ming. a large hole being made in one
side of fine building. The grain was
badly damaged by rain.
Down in the center of the business
districts the storm seemed most severe
near the board of trade. The Home in
surancc building in La Sale street was
struck by the furious gale. Three plate
glass windows 1Gy2O feet in the south
west corner. occupied by the Union
National bank were blown in and shat
tered into fragments. j. j. +. Odell.
president of the bank. was struck on
the thigh by a large piece Of glass and
severely cut. He was removed to his
residence as 0 as possible. Other
occupants OF the bank escaped with
slight bruises. The driving rain deluged
the bank and did considerable damage.
One large window in Armour
~ Co.'S office was blow in. but no on one
was hurt, On the upper floors a mum
her of windows were broken. Three or
four young women employed in the Office
tainted and there was a precipitate rush
for the stair cases and elevators. To
make matters worse the lightning burned
oul tllC sNl'tll pOdId Itdl tHC Wy Idiilo
and all the electric lights in the building
The wigwam wrecked.
Seventy men were at work on the big
democratic wigwam when a quarter post
holding the northeast corner of the UNI
brella shaped canvas roof gave way and
tore through the canvas. The wind got
under it and the guy wires snapped like
Irvine and an instant later the ninety
foot after mast snapped and fell with a
crash smashing through the floor and
running a hundred chairs. The canvas
cover then went to tatters and the RAIN
flooded the wigwam. The workmen
miraculously escaped injury. Contractor
Allen said this evening that the damage
to the wigwam will amount
to fully $1,000. He has had enough of
canvas and a timber roof will be begun
at once so that the structure will be
ready for the convention.
Several large stores in the business
district had plate glass windows blown
in and suffered from rain. During the
progress of the storm grip men on the
cable lines experienced considerable
difficulty in handling their trains because
of the electric current on the cables be-
ing in some instances conducted through
the levers to their hands. The storm
played havoc with several piles of lum-
Der in the district about Blue Island
avenue and Twenty-second street. For
halt an hour the air seemed full OF flying
boards and shingles and the re piling Of
lumber will entail considerable expense.
Three employees in one yard were badly
injured. An idea Of the force of the
winds may be CLEANED from the fact that
six-inch timber was picked up and driven
endwise through a box car standing near
by.
Buckien's Arnica Salve.