The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-07-11
BIG STORM AT chicago.
The Yacht Chesapeake Capsized
and Four People Drowned.
Many More Boating Persons Had
Narrow Escapes.


tied az $3.50 Sunday afternoon by the
most terrific storm Il has experienced
for several years Tho wind blew al
most hurricane, and the rain fell In
torrents Tho earlier part Of the day
wus well nigh perfect cloudlees and
with cool, gentle brecze blowing on
Lake Michigan The storm gathered
III the north and west with marvellous
| quiclSness Nobody was looking for IL
or expecting il. All az once Il wns
here and the next minute Il was sweep.
ing over the city, lcveling trees and
| spreading death and deatructionlamong
| the many pleasure boats which were
ont upon Lake Michigan. Many mar
rev escapes from death were expert
cnced. but, 40 far as known, the loss Of
lifris limited 10 four, all Of them lost
~ the capsizing u the sailing yacht
| Chesapeake, which was overturned
about tyo ipiles from shore.
The party on the boat consisted Of
nine people, and IL these four were
drowned, Tho dead arc: Ethel Chase.
sixteen years old, Of Iioston, Mass
Thcmistoclcs Timballs, Harry MARROW,
| VIM u. cornice.
The Chesapeake was well built
| yacht and was owned BY the Avery
| brothers. William and Fred Tho par
~ had been ont during the afternoon.
and Ind been enjoying the pleasant
sailing The sudden fury of the storm,
however gave them no chance. and
they were In the water before the men
~ the party. several Of whom
were Experienced and slkillful sail
ors, could Do anything TO prevent
Il Gray, Fred Avery and Elliot chung
10 the side of the boat. and managed 70
keep their hcads ont 81 water VIII
Avery WINS hurled nearly fifteen feet
from the boat and went down head
foremost Near him wae Edith cramp-
ton, and Ms Avery rose he seized her
and swan to the boat There, with his
three companions he made gallant
fight for life
| Capt. McRae, Of the steam tug Robert
Torrent, whis h was IN the harbor, raw
the Chesapeake cnpaize and went %
its assistance at once. He reached
Il lii time to rescue the Avery
brothers, Gray, Elliott and Miss
Crainpton The bodies Of the othcra
were not recovered. Miss Chase was
employed BY the Western Union Telc-
graph Co, Of this city, md her parents
reside iii Boston
Other tugs in the harbnr were. busy
for time In picking up row-boats, and
no less than six people were saved In
the hnrbor alone, but no lives were
lost Charles Saunders, Of ST Louis,
started out for boat ride and hung to
the bottom Of the boat for forty min
utcs before he wns rescued. more dead
than alive. Tho yacht Flora, with
large party on board. lost her nlnstsoff
Evanston, twelve miles north 0f here,
but her passengers were taken on BY
the Evanston life-saving crew.
At the Worlds fair grounds little
damage was done 10 tho buildings, but
the passengers who were nloft Ii the
captive balloon had D close call. and
the balloon itself. after being brought
10 earth, WAS blown In pieces, and the
pieces were carried ont ~ the grounds
All day tho balloon had been busy
making usccnsiona Each time the
huge body started slxyward the basket
WINS filed. There was no wind to i'm
tcrfcrc. and IL arose straight up each
time When the limit Of height had
been reached on the last ascension
Capt Alder noticed, away over the
smoke Of the city, black moving
body. " was coming toward him.
Picking mp his field glasses, he saw :
greatAngry bank Of clouds preceded by
low, scndding vnpor Instantly he
seized the signal flag. Leaning far
over the edge Of the basket he signaled
the lookout TO draw In rapidly Down
came the balloon, and none too soon.
Tho storm, which hung low, trnversed
the distance IN q twinltling. With .
crash and roar IL dashed through the
trees Of South park
Al the basket touched the ground the
passengers were lot out, and as the last
anchor was made fast the wind struck
ii The big balloon stands sixty feet
from the ground When the first gust
struck Il. in spite Of guy ropes, Il bent
over The 10000 cubic feet Of gns
were but speclx In the gale. Then, ID
an instant, the force Of the wind seemed
70 shift and bore down on the great
body II iiattened ont and shook and
trembled under the terrible force like
Jelly. With n succession Of cracks. the
giant silk covering was rent completely
in two. The strong cordnge which had
covered the silk with network
snapped as though II had been pack.
thread. One-half blew one way and
half another.
The gale struck the Ferris wheel
with AIN its force. The cars were All
filed II blew So hard that the engi-
neer could hardly keep at his post But
hard MS II did blow. II did not move the
gigantic structure . hairs breadth.
Some little excitement was shown
by timid people as the wind howled
around the cars that hung In the very
heart Of the storm. but the wheel kept
moving as steadily as II the sun had
been shining.
Just before the storm, Andrew Cum;
mings, who rents boats at the foot Of
Barry avenue, gave two boys each
about sixteen years old, apparently,
one Of his boats. Atmidnight nothing
had been heard 81 the boys OF boak
It was reported late Sunday night
that The sloop Sea Gull was missing
She had on board at the time 81 lcav.
ing dock, ten people, Of whom two are
known. They are Harry Sherwood and
Addie Murphy. The sioop was seen
Just before the storm. and nothing has
n