The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-22
REIGNED
!. IN THE STORES
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AAS n AAA- ~ - ~ |ANAN ~
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which we have discovered seem to
indicate that it was a real tornado.
Why, some pieces Of the wired sky
light glass from the top Of the fifth
floor were blown over the building
and down into the fourth story win
idows of the Nicollet avenue side. II
that wasn't a tornado / don't want
to see one and if it was, we have had
enough anyway"
Store Seemed to Fall In.
John Joseph, dress-goods clerk,
was stationed near the middle of the
first floor and witnessed the whole
effect of the storm. He said: Il
heard a terrific crash and watched the
people rush madly back in my direc-
ton. I could not imagine what had
happened, but my first thought was
fire. The whole front corner Of the
store seemed to fall in, and wall
of water and broken glass simply
rolled back thru the store. The crowd
went mad and trampled over each
other In crazy effort to get back out
of harms way. Umbrellas, underwear
ribbons, laceS, hats and every Other
conceivable thing was mixed with the
water and glass and came rolling
back. Men and women fought to get
to safety first. Some of them craWled
under counters and several children
and women fell and were trampieo
on by the mob. The people outside
We're trying to get in the store and
the people inside wanted to get out,
but were deferred by the crowds and
the storm.
When the panic-stricken multitude
wit h
another deafening roar and glass IN
all-sized pieces began to crash down
thru the center of the building. Some
of us stationed ourselves along the
passageway and kept the crazy ones
from running right into this shower
of glass;
An Endless Five Minutes.
Mr.. Keavan. who presides at the
silkgoods counter, was also In the
thick Of the fray. He said: Il don t
want any more Of that in mine. That
spent. I can't tell you how it hap
pened. 1t was terrible, tho, and I
thought Of a good many things while
1t was going on. 1t is funny now
when I think of how the women and
children crawled under the counters,
thinking that they could there escape
the danger. We pulled several of
them out and made them get back
into the rear of the store.
There were many funny and some
touching Incidents" said Edward
Everson, dressgoods clerk who took
part in attempting to direct the dis
traught crowd. "One woman was
crying for her little girl, another was
loudly bewailing the loss of her Paris
hat and after the tempest had passed
I saw two little girls in the basement
rush wildly, into each others arms
oh, r. oSsi1 H.,
telling the other and the crowd how
overjoyed she was
Girl Clerks Had Nerve.
In discussing the event yesterday c
group of the male clerks took vote
and decided unanimously that theil
young lady contemporaries had shown
unusual presence Of mind and nerve
In the crisis. II don't see how. thu
girls at the front counters ever es
capped" said one Of the men, why
that whole corner of the store was {
labyrinth of ti1nbers, drygoods, coun
ters, and the way the girls got ava,
was nothing short of miraculous
All day long yesterday curiou!
sightseers crowded around the rope:
stretched to keep them away from the
building. To the few who were per
united to enter, the sight was one
that will not soon be forgotten. Chao
reigned The building was literall.
powdered glass The showcases Ease w ws1,
twisted and in many instances broken
Fine laces, gloves, hosiery and al
sorts Of dry goods and notions
soaked and ruined, were strewl
everywhere. A red umbrella wa
dangling appealingly from the ceiling
where it had become entangled In tn
wires Of the cash carrier. At anothe
place a piece of real lace was suspend
ed and near 1t, hanging Imply, wa
q piece of red chashmere, while far
Their back, as tho seeking seclusior
was an embroidered garter. A Gus
toner's hat was found on top of on
of the high shelves. Everything i
the path of the hurricane bore som
mark Of it's havoc and showed to tn
most casual observer how furiou
had been its onslaught.
On the roof the force of the win
was illustrated by a chunk Of the sky
light glass which had been blown clea
thru piece Of sheet iron.
Guaranty Building Hard Hit.
Next to the Glass Block disaste
the hurricane force was most effet
tive in the Guaranty building. With
out warning and with terrific nois
that words fail utterly to describ
3,34O square feet of half-inch sky
light glass was raised from it's frame
down past thirteen stories onto tt
stairs and floor beneath.
Fate decreed that it was long afte
office hours and the big building We
nearly deserted. Had it been othe
wise, the story could have been wri
ten in the blood of victims. AS it i
several persons had an experienc
which time cannot obliterate, tt
beautiful structure was temporari
marred and damage was done whc
will amount to between $4,000 ar
$4,000.
Tons of Glass Fell.
Terror reigned supreme when tn
awful crash came" said Charles
Holstrom, assistant manager Of IL
Guaranty safe deposit vaults. II w
In John S. Aliens jewelry store du
ing it all. l never heard nor ina
lined anything like the thunderil
fall of those tons Of glass. thong
the whole top Of the building w
coming down.
Some of the men nthe store wan
ed to run, to go anywhere to get O.
of the building. I would have be-
glad to get away, but couldn't THU
Of any place to go to. I didn't wa
to go out into that storm, and so
stayed until things quoted down al
then went out to view the wreck.