The herald., 1893-07-10
A Terrific Storm Breaks Over
Chicago.
Trees Blown Down and Win
dOws Broken In.
Many Disasters on the Lake-A Score
of Lives Lost.
Havoc Created at the Worlds Fair
Grounds - The Captive Balloon
Rent in Twain-Narrow Es-
capes Of Passengers.

Dy tuc AsnOCtdtcu IreoS.
CHICAGO, July 9.-This city was visited
his afternoon by the most terrific storm
il has experienced in several years. The
wind blew almost hurricane, leveling
trees and breaking in windows, and rain
fell in torrents. The earlier part of the
day, which was well nigh perfect, tempt
ed many people to go on the lake and
thousands OF others to the parks. The
storm gathered in the northwest with
marvellous quickness and broke with ter
rifying suddenness over the city. The
greatest havoc was wrought among small
pleasure craft on the lake.
Many narrow escapes from death are
reported, but 30 far as known the loss OF
life is limited to seven. Four of these
were lost by the capsizing of the yacht
Chesapeake. The party on the boat
consisted of rine people; they had been
out sailing all afternoon. The storm
broke SO suddenly that they were cap
sized before the men could do anything
to prevent it. The dead are Ethel
Chase, of Boston; Themistocles Finn
bolis, Harry MARROW and Will
liam B. Cornice. The others
in the party clung to the side of the
boats and managed to keep their heads
above water till eteam tug rescued
them. The bodies OF the drowned were
not recovered. The party were in the
water two hours before being rescued.
and almost exhausted before aid reached
them.
Four young men who tried to Cross
the harbor in row-boat were capsized
by the wind, but rescued with, difficulty
by the tug Torrent, which brought in
the Chesapeake party. Other tugs in
the herbor we're busy for time picking
up row-boats, and no less than six peo-
pie were saved in the harbor alone.
The yacht Flora with large party on
board, lost her mast off Evanston, but
the passengers were rescued by the life
saving crew.
age was done to the buildings, sbut the
passengers who were afloat in the cap.
tive balloon had q close call, and the
balloon itself was blown to pieces.
The balloon was afloat when Aeronaut
AlIier noticed black cloud to the north
west. he signalled to draw in rapidly,
and the balloon came down none too
soon, Tor the passengers we're barely out
OF the basket when the wind struck
it 1t fiattened out and trembled
under the terrible force; then with a
succession OF cracks the giant silk COW
ering was rent completely in two, and
the two halves were blown in different
directions. The loss ia about $35OO,
In "Old Vienna" the wind plaved
havoc and caused small panic among
the crowd that filed the garden, Signs
and awnings were carried away and the
big mosque in the center of the garden
was blown down.
The gale struck the Ferris
wheel with full force, while
all the cars were filled. Some little ex-
element was shown by timid people as
the wind howled around the cars that
hung in the very heart of the storm,
but the wheels kept moving, and the
blow did not shake the structure in the
least. n
Two boys who hired boat this after
noon had not been heard of up to mid
night, and at late honr it was reported
that the sloop Sea Shell, having on
board 10 people, was missing. The
boat was seen just before the storm, and
nothing has been heard OF her since,
The police at South Chicago were no
tilted tonight that during the storm
three men were seen struggling in the
lake. 1t is believed they were drowned.
If the fears regarding the Sea Shell prove
well founded, it 'is believed when the
fatalities are footed up, the total will be
20 or over.