The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-04-08
Big BUILDINGS RlzED.
Light Worlds Fair Structures
/ Leveled by the Wind.
THE WORK OF A MONSTER WAVE

IT Came in from the Lake and Created
Havoc Among Vessels in the Chicago
River - Destructive Storms in Other
Places.
CHICAGO, April s.-A large structure be
ing hastily run up near the Worlds fail
grounds collapsed yesterday. Fortunately
the worlmen were all at lunch and no one
was close enough to the frail building to
receive any injury. The bAilding was 1876
feet square by fifty feet high, and was in
tended for the Gettysburg panorama
When the high wind struck the building
It was seen to tremble, and then, with a
mighty crash, fell, fattening out even with
the ground.
The Plymouth hotel, at Seventy-second
street and Stoney Island avenue, also col.
lapsed. The building was one of the
largest in the district, and was almost
completed. In its fall it crushed a one
story structure which was to be used for
restaurant purposes, and would have been
ready for occupancy in few days. The
buildings were valued at e25,0OO. The
hotel was one of those light honeycomb
. structures that have sprung up during the
winter months. 1t was IL rec story frame
building containing 165 rooms, offices and
parlors.
A huso "ofo oNSpb ihbo buo iIiOuph VI
ths Chicago river from the lake and played
havoc with the shipping moored there
ready to start eastward with the opening
ef navigation The wave was five feet high
from trough to crest and carried away
everything that fell in its path.
When the huge wave came the City of
Paris and Mabel Wilson were torn from
sheir moorings, huge hswsers swapping
Hike twine, The stern of the Wilson was
forced against the bow of the steamer John
,. Lyon, infiicting considerable damage.
On the ebb of the wave the Wilson and
City of Paris were carried against the A.
p. Wright and the City of Venice break
ing their lines, and all four were carried
cut into the lake.
The captain of the City of Paris was
awakened and he Immediately had the
anchor dropped, just before another wave
swept into the river, carrying the Other
three vessels with it. The A. p. Wright
eollided with the pier by the life saving
station and had her stern carried away.
She at once began to leak and the pumps
were started. The City of Venice was car
ried up the river and grounded above the
life saving station. The Mabel Wilson
grounded near the life saving station, hei
stern swung around, and she stuck in this
position, completely blocking the river
After striking the pier the A. p Wright
swung into the channel. grounding with
hsr stern not ten feet from the side of the
Mabel Wilson.
Tho storm passed over Rockford, Ills.
dwelling trees and fences, and doing con.
siderable damage of minor nature at the
naghboring village of Cherry Valley. The
storm attained the proportion of hurri
cane. The fronts of three store buildings
were blown in and the buildings badly
torn, and two freight cars standing on tht
Chicago and Northwestern railroad track
were blown over and badly smashed. Al
Grand Haven considerable damage was
Done to several buildings and to the ship
ping interests in the harbor. At Cherry
Valley two story brick building was de
molishcd, and box cars were blown from
the tracks.
At @ O'Clock last evening severe hal
Storm crossed the city from west to east
breaking thousands of window lights and
esusing loss estimated Mt $l50,oO0 Fred
Glass, aged IL years, and Mary Magce
aged II yeQrs, were run over by team:
frightened BY the storm, and may not re
eever. A gale almost approaching cy
:. clone In severity swept southern Illinoi $
iowa and Missouri, and much damage ha.
Il bsen done. The wind has in a great meas
mo prostrated the telegraph wires, ant
8ull reports are not obtainable. 1t is fearot
skere may be loss of life, although SO fal
none has been reported.