Los Angeles herald., 1892-06-14
TOYED WITH BY WINDS,
A Great Storm Strikes the
Worlds Fair City.
Several People Killed and Many
Severely Injured.
The Democratic National Convention
Wigwam Wrecked.
Many Large Business Blocks Damaged.
Steamer With Ninety:seven
Picnickers Aboard Believed
s to Be Lost.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press. s1l
CHICAGO, June 13.-This city was
visited this afternoon by one Of the
most severe storms in years. 1t lasted
only short time, but at midnight two
persons are known to have been killed,
many painfully injured, five or six
fatally, and much damage done to prop
erty. It is also feared that three men,
seen on the lake in row boat before
the storm, were lost.
The wigwam on the lake front, in
which the Democratic national conven-
tion is to be held, was badly wrecked.
THE BURSTING OF THE STORM.
About 8 O'Clock this afternoon heavy
clouds began to gather, and few min
utes later tornado swept across the
city from the northwest, accompanied
by terrific thunder and lightning and
torrents of rain and hail. On the west
side trees were broken down,
awnings torn off and windows shat
tered. A brick cottage at 1886 Whip
pie street was demolished. Two
yC0A-OA0 GJuu6 AlluH WAo lu6LMugly
killed, and her mother and another child
were badly injured. Between Twenty
second and Thirty-third streets, east of
the river, considerable minor damage
was done. The telegraph, telephone and
electric systems were demoralized. The
large chimneys OF manufacturing estab-
lishments were wrecked, and some
houses were struck by lightning and
koAlvv 4 d. 4f a..
OF several buildings on State street were
blown off.
PANIC AT CIRCUS.
A small circus was showing at Twen-
ty-eighth street and Wentworth avenue,
many small children being present.
When the gale struck the tent the chill
dren became panic-stricken and great
confusion ensued. They were gotten
out safely, however, but shortly after
the tent was razed to the ground. A
number of the performers made their
escape in undress uniform.
The Catholic church at Twenty-fifth
and Wallis streets was badly damaged,
and passer- by was seriously injured.
An elevator near Butler street was
struck by lightning and the grain badly
damaged by rain. 81
THE STORM CENTER.
The storm seemed most severe in the
vicinity of the board of trade. The
Home insurance building, on La Sale
street, was struck. and three plate.glass
windows in the Union National bank
were blown in. J.J. p. O'Dell, presi
dent of the bank, was struck on the
thigh by large piece of glass and badly
cut. The other occupants of the bank
escaped with slight bruises. The driv-
lug rain deluged the bank and did con-
siderable damage.
One large window in the Armour COM
pany's Office was blown in, but no one
was injured. On the upper floors of the
building number of windows were
broken, several young women tainted,
and there was precipitate rush for the
exits. To make matters worse, all the
electric lights in the building went cut
at the height of the confusion.
DEMOCRATIC wIGwAM WRECKED.
Seventy-fve men were at work in the
Democratic wigwam, when the post
holding corner of the canvas roof gave
way and tore through the canvas. The
wind got under it; the guy wires
snapped like twine, and an instant later
the great ninety foot center mast fell
with a crash, smashing through the
floor and crushing hundreds of chairs.
Several large stores in the business
district had plate glass windows blown
in and suffered some damage from the
rain.
During the progress of the storm the
gripmen of the cable line experienced
Considerable difficulty in handling
trains, because of the electrical current
on the cables. Three employees in one
yard were badly injured.
An idea of the force of the wind may
be cleaned from the fact that six-inch
timber was driven endwise through 9
box car.
MANY CASUALTIES REPORTED.
Armour's elevator at Morgan street
and the river was struck by lightning
and completely wrecked. Charles j.
Roberts, who was at work in the boiler
room, was buried beneath the bricks
and timber, and his body was not
recovered until late this evening. Many
additional casualties are being reported
to the police. Several men working on
new buildings were badly hurt by being
blown from the scaffolding or struck by
flying debris.
The life-saving station reports that
three men, seen in q rowboat some dis
tance from the shore before the storm,
must have been lost, as after it passed
no sign of them could be seen in any
direction.
A SECOND STORM.
About 8 80 this evening another severe
storm swept over the city, lasting about
three-quarters Of an hour. Two build
ings were set on FIRE by lightning, and
other minor damage was done, but no
serious casualties are reported. The
storm had the effect, however, of COM
pleting the decentralization of the tele-
graph service, and for long time Chi
cago was cut off from Communication