Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-07-08

Chicago, July 7-One of the most
furious wind and rain storms known iA
this vicinity for years passed over the
city about six o'clock this evening, COM
ing from the northwest. The day had
been intensely hot, and there were many
people out in the lake in sail boats, an<
as the storm came very suddenly, it is
feared that many lives are lost. The
different life-saving crews have been
busy all evening tracing rumors Of
capsized boats; people clinging to
planks, etc, and up to 10 p. m. have
brought in the occupants of
THREE CAPSIZED BOATS,
all in a very exhausted condition. No
trace of any others has been found.
The police of the Cottage Grove avenue
station. on the South Side, claim that
they distinctly saw a sail boat with
three occupants disappear during the
height OF the gale, and that nothing
was seen of it again during daylight
The life-savers from the South Side
cruised about that locality for some
time. but found no trace Of wreck. ls
is probable that more missing will be
reported from the various suburbs at
a later hour.
Up to within twenty minutes of the
descent of the storm upon the city, the
sky had been clear and the sun shining
brightly. Suddenly
HEAVY BLACK CLOUDS
began TO gather in the northwest, and
few minutes later a terrific gale of
wind. accompanied by a perfect flood
of rain and furious thunder and light
ming was sweeping over the city. Shads
trees were broken off close to the
ground, awnings, signs, etc, torn away,
and much minor damage done in the
CITY proper. The wind moderated after
about half an hour, but the furious rain
continued for fully TWO hours. Many
Easements were flooded all over the city
and in some instances fire engines had
to he called for to
PUMP OUT STORES.
Several houses in the outlying dis
tricte Of the city, were struck by light
ming and seriously damaged Two
small residences were completely de-
stroyed, but no one injured. The Pc
cuniary loss in both cases was small.
At the height of the storm a signal
tower beside the Panhandle tracks at
Ada street was blown over and the
tower man. August Boedlow, sustained
fatal injuries. Several other people are
reported painfully cut and bruised by
flying debris.
At II D. m, the police and life-savers
think that all the missing boats, both
row boats and sail boats, are,
ACCOUNTED For
although it is possible that a few may
vet be out. The people in the boats
which were blown out into the lake by
the hurricane, report having had an
awful experience. So far the only ia
tality actually verified is the case OF
Charles Klein and Charles L. Shook,
who were out in a row boat when the
storm burst and Of whom no trace has
yet been found. The yawT boat OF the
Yacht Hattie b.. was picked up this
evening off Twenty-siXth street, and 1t
is IUOugUL tudL luS dOlAC mas "N''e-'N' ~N@
the gale and made some other port.
The damage to telegraph and tele-
phone wires northwest Of the city was
very great. Every telegraph wire was
prostrated, many poles being carried
away. and it was 10 o'clock before tele-
graphic communication was restored to
Milwaukee.
Up to midnight no further fatalities
had been repored, and 1t is thought
now that every one who was out on th9
lake has been accounted for. The re-
port of the drowning Of three men off
Cottage Grove avenue is now thought
to be without foundation, as a small
boat containing three men put ashore
safely near the Farragut boat house
soon after the policeman made the re-
port 10 the station. This is thought
to have been the one seen by the Of
ficer.