The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-07-10
The Windy City Visited
by a Tornado.
DEATH WAS IN THE GALE.
Havoc Wrought Among Sailing
Graft, and Several of Their
Occupants Drowned.
Special TO THE MORNING CALL

CHICAGO, July 9.-This city was visited
this afternoon By the most terrific storm it
has experienced in several years. The
wind blew almost a hurricane, levelng
trees and breaking in windows, and rain
fell in torrents.
The earlier part of the day. which was
we'll nigh perfect, tempted many people to
go to the lake and thousands of others TO
the parks. The storm gathered in the
northwest with marvellous Quickness and
broke with terrifying suddenness over the
city. The greatest havoc was wrought
among small pleasure craft Oh the lake,
and many narrow escapes from death are
reported, but so 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 in the boat consisted of nine
people. They had been out sailing all
afternoon. The storm broke out so sud-
denly that they capSiZed before the men
could do anything TO prevent it. The dead
are Ethel Chase OF Boston. Themistoeies
Fimbolis, Harry NARROW and William B.
Cornice. The others of the party clung TO
the side of the boat and managed TO keep
their heads above the water till a steam
tug rescued them. The bodies Of the
drowned were otrecoyered. The survivors
were in the water two hours before being
rescued, and were almost exhausted before
aid reached them.
Four young men who tried to cross the
harbor in a row boat were capsized by the
wind, but rescued with difficulty by the
tug Torrent. which brought in the Chesa-
peake party. Other tugs in the harbor
were busy for time in picking up row.
boats. and no less than six people were
saved in the harbor alone.
The yacht Flora, with large party on
board. lost her masts off Evanston, but
saving crew.
At the Worlds Fair grounds but little
damage was done to buildings, but passen-
gers who were afloat in the captive balloon
had close call and the balloon itself was
blown to pieces. The balloon was afloat
when Aeronaut Alier noticed a black
cloud to the northwest.
He signaled to draw In rapidly, and the
balloon came down none too soon, for the
passengers were barely out of the basket
when The wind struck it. 1t flattened out
and trembled under the terrible force.
men Win OI The SfJEk
silk covering was rent completely in
two and the two halves were blown in
different directions. Loss, about S35. 600.
In old Vienna the wind played havoc
and caused small panic among the crowd
that filed the garden. Signs and awnings
were carried away, and the big mosque in
ths center of the garden was blown down.
The gale struck the Ferris wheel with
full force when ali the cars were filled.
some little excitement was shown by
timid people as the wind hOwled around
the ears that hung in the very heart of the
storm, but the wheel kept moving and the
blow did not shake the structure in the
least.
Two boys who hired boat this after
noon have not been heard of up to mid
night, and at a late hour it was repor ted
that the sloop Seashell, having on board
ten people, is missing. The boat was seen
just before the storm, and nothing has
been heard of her since.