The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-04-02
- sssEA
DEATH BY CYCLONE. Il.
"A Mighty Wind Creates Sad
Havoc in the West.
MANY FATALITIES REPORTED.

N Newly Finished Structure in Chi
cago Crashes Down on Adjoining
Dwellings, Crushing Them Like
Eggshells : Deaths by Storm In
Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri.
CHICAGO, April "A terrific wind
and thunder storm passed over the city
last night, wrecking buildings and de-
molishing outhouses and prostrating
telegraph wires. The seven story brick
building at ID and 18 Pearce street. on
the west side, was struck by the wind
and crushed like an eggshell. The
building was surrounded by one and
two story frame and brick buildings,
the homes of laooring men, which were
also wrecked, killing and injuring the
occupants.
Eight Dead. Six Fatally Hurt.
The following is complete list of the
dead: Mrs. Eliza Allen, an invalid, 10
Pearce street, crushed about head and
body; Mrs. ]. l.. Gowan, 12 Pearce
street. crushed about the abdomen; Will
diam Gowan, years, 12 Pearce street,
head crushed; Mary Gowan, 3 years,
a2 Pearce street, smothered beneath de-
bris; David l.. Hewlett, months old,
22 Pearce street, frightfuNy crushed;
Edward Mott, 2 years old, 10 Pearce
street, smothered; Horace Mott, 5years,
~ Pearce street, smothered; Mary
Walsh, 20 years, 12 Pearce street, a
niece of Mrs. Gowan.
The injured: James Gowan, 80 years
old, - Pearce street, leg broken and
hurt internally, may live; Alice Hewlett,
Syears old, 1S 1-2 Pearce street, crushed
about the legs, head and body, cannot
live; Mrs. Ada Keown, 1873 West Harri-
son street, visiting the Hewletts, hurt
about the head and injured internally
will die; James Mott, IL Pearce street,
CT ushed about the head, is mortally in
lured; Mrs. James Mott, fatally hurt;
Jane Mott, aged 12 years, spine injured,
may die.
Down with a Crash.
The building, seven-story brick 'front.'
ing on ID and 16 Pearce street, was 11S
feet long by so feet wide 1t had Just
been erected by Young 6S Kent manu-
tacturers of brass work, and was practi-
cally completed, the roof having been
finished this week. 1t was the centre of
mass of one and two-story frame
buildings, nearly all of which We're oc.
cupied, by poor people. Immediately in
the rear Of the building was two-story
brick house, the home of Thomas HUI
lett, who lived there with his wife and
nine children. They were at supper and
were entertaining as guests Miss Emma
Hope, u relative, and her friend, Mrs.
Kewan, when the building fell. The
force of the terrible mass of brick and
iron, wood and plaster seemed directed
rearward, completely burying the struc-
ture. All the inmates We're killed or
injured.
Frank Dilleny, who happened to be
passing on the street, and was an eye.
witness to the disaster, said that he first
noticed the rear wall bulging ont. The
rain was driving in torrents, and there
had just been fearful gust of wind.
There was loud crash and he was con.
scious of q deafening noise, which con
tinued for some time as the masses of
debris spilled on the smaller structures.
Then arose cries and screams of those of
the buried unfortunates who were not
dead or unconscious beheath the tons Of
fallen walls. An alarm of fire was
turned in, and as soon as the nature OF
the calamity was appreciated assistance
began to arrive from all directions, and
the work of tearing away the wreckage
was promptly begun.