Omaha daily bee., 1922-06-12

section late today.
Omaha B.e Leased Wire.
New York, June ll.-Six people
are known to have died and so were
injured when high wind wrecked a
Ferris wheel at Classon Point. on
the Bronx shore OF Long Island
sound, just before 8 this evening. in
one OF the worst cloudbursts and
electrical storms in this city and Vi
cinity in years.
Several others are believed to have
lost their lives when canoeists and
others, seeking relief from the op-
pressiye heat of the city, were caught
far from a haven Of safety by the
terrific wind and rainfall and light
ming that struck greater New York
and environs with the suddcnness of
lightning itself.
At Classon Point. where thousands
OF New Workers sought refuge from
the city's oppressive heat. a steel
Ferris wheel, measuring 100 feet in
diameter, was blown down at the
height of the storm.
Wheel Topples to Ground.
8. So suddenly did the storm break
that the crew, operating the big
wheel, in which 20 people were be-
ing rapidly revolved, were unable to
stop the machine and allow the
passengers to alight. With a rend-
ing crash, the wheel with its load of
shrieking men. women and children,
toppled to the ground, part of it
burying itself in the water of a
bathing beach nearby.
Crawling through the wreckage,
while a dcluge OF rain fell upon
them, the rcscuers, led by park em-
ployes, carried the manned to a re-
creation pier 50 feet away, where
they were laid out in rows, pending
arrival of physicians. Five ambu-
lances quickly responded and in
them as we'll as in commandeered
automobiles, the injured were sent
to hospitals.
Police Take Charge.
Deputy Police Chief Dominick
Henry and District Attorney Edward
Glennon of Bronx county were soon
on the scene with 200 police reserves
and took charge.
Several doctors and many priests
from the newly organized Catholic
church at Classon Point admins
tered to the injured. S
Five bodies had been taken from
the wreckagc at a late hour. More
bodies of those unaccounted for may
be still in the ruins. Police and
firemen are working under glare
Of searchlights, hurrying lest some
be still alive.
In addition to telegraph and tele-
phone wires being blown down, big
! trees were uprooted and many build
ings in the storm zone were razed.
Plate glass windows were crashed
all over Greater New York and
signs were torn from their moorings
and sent on the breast Of the winds,
some being carried for blocks.
Auto Hit by Lightning.
At Thirty-fourth and Broadway
an automobile was struck by light
ming and set on fire. That impor-
tant center Of the city was clogged
with fire apparatus which answered
the alarm.
AT Classon Point, the scene Of
the Ferris wheel accident. schooner
is reported to have been turned
over in the sound. There has been
loss of life in this.
The streets are Uttered with ctr
tains and Z varied assortment Of
other objects blown from open win
dows. Ladders left standing on
buildings under construction were
carried away by the wind. In one
scase : wheelbarrow crashed from
the third floor Of new building.
Police are apprehensive lest other
structures now in process of demo-
1ition and with brick walls left not
secure. may yet topple from the ter
rifle strain put on them by the
young hurricane.
In the Pennsylvania hotel the wind
seized the leaf Of an open revolving
I door, turned It with 4 terrible bang
IS if it were the page Of book and
smashed the quarter-inch glass to
hundreds Of pieces. The gale picked
up the broken particles before they
Z could fall to the floor and carried
them with = crash through the lobby
and down the hotel stairs leading to
the grill. That many hotel guests
were not cut by the flying particles
is considered miraculous, for At least
Is persons were standing on either
side Of the landing when the crash
came.
Autos Damaged
Automobiles left standing without
brakes applied were backed from
Eighth avenue through Thirty-third
street,s one-way thoroughfare, and
many q handsome limousine suffered
dented tenders. leaking gas tanks and
damaged bodies through collisions.
Hardings Leave Capital
- n ~