The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-09-15
HURTLING ROOF
CRUSHES LIVES
OF THREE BOYS
Is Persons Missing in Ruins
Of Factories and Homes
at Rockford
HIT THREE MILE STRIP
50 of lis Escape from Build.
ing; Not Known II Others
Are Safe
HIT THREE MILE STRIP

x1AO 0U4S
Rockford, ILL.,, Sept. 15.-lR-An.
other Of the midwestern tornadoes
which already have taken q dozen
lives in Nebraska and South Dakota
this week, dropped out Of black
skies into Rockford late yesterday,
killing at least seven, injuring so
and leaving property wreckage esti-
mated At more than fiv. million dol.
lars.
Fifteen persons out Of 113 en-
ployed in the factories bowled over
still were missing and 81 were in
hospitals seriously hurt while 9th.
ers less seriously injured had been
removed to their homes.
Another body-th. eiRhth-was
found shortly after noon today IN
Rockford's tornado debris.
Axel Ahlgren's body was recover
ed from the wreckage Of the Union
Furniture company. He had been
listed among the missing.
AS relief workers plunged to their
task Of getting to the bottom of the
brick, timber and steel that mark
the site Of the Union Furniture
company and the Rockford Chair
and Furniture company, there re-
manned only six persons unaccount-
ed for. II they be dead, it is under
the three floors piled where The
Chair and Furniture factory ~"
stood that it is likely they will b
found. So complete was the de-
struction there, that hours Of work
by firemen and volunteer workers
has made only little progress in un-
covering whatever additional tra4-
edy may lie 1t the bottom.
Fourteen persons were in Rock
ford hospitals, some in . serious
condition from the injuries suffered
when the Friday afternoon tornado
stabbed two separate sections Of the
city. A. score 81 others Who had
been taken to hospitals were re-
leased earlier today.
Rescuers who were playing huge
searchlights on the demolished
plants shouted inquiries into the
debris. Some Of the rescue workers
said they heard faint cries in reply.
The list Of known dead grew when
Swan Swenson, 20, employee Of the
Union Furniture company, died in Z
hospital. This plant, with the p"
plant Of the Rockford Chair and
Furniture company, was hardest hit
by the storm.
The tornado struck along q three
mile strip, demolishing two factories
in which several hundred men were
at work and destroying many homes.
The known dead were: Everett
Cornmusser, Is; Bernard Cornmuss-
er. IA; Virgil Cornmusser, II; Tony
Martinkas, so, Spring Valley, Ill;
George Fagerberg. 81; John Brun-
Struck By Roof
The Cornmusser boys were struck
by the hurting roof Of . garage a
they ran before the storm. Only
Virgil escaped instant death. He
died in . hospital Of his injuries.
Martinkas was found dead in .
chicken coop he was repairing. Fay
erberg and Brunski were victims Of
the wreckage 1t chair factory "B"
Of the Rockford Chair and Furniture
company.
American Legionnaires and Illi-
nois National guardsmen patrolled
the storm area with ..oaded rifles
during the night and early today @
relief workers moved forward
against the debris.
-Four factories, Elco Tool company,
Union Furniture company, Chair
Factory "B", and the Mechanics Ma.
chine company, were among the
larger structures demolished. while
numerous smaller factories and
homes raised the estimated damage
total to more than $4,000
The twisfr, described Is ! mon
strous funnel shaped cloud that lift
ed and swooped Is it progressed. en-.
tered the southwest limits Of the
city, moving . path from so to 800
feet wide on its whirl through the
city to the Grant highway.
Building Walls Bulse
The tornado first hit the factory
section where Chair Factory "B'' Is
located. The fourth floor Of the
structure was swept off and the
walls Of the building bulred out by
the terrific wind that moved the en-
tire building some 80 feet.
The payroll for Chair Factory seB"
contained 113 names.
Il is believed more than 80 Of
these men escaped when the tornado
first struck, but il il not known how
many more were able TO get out Of
the building, where power lines and
lettering walls made rescuo work
extremely prscarious during the
night.
Two hundred 4iremsn, policsmen.
deputy sheriffs and highway pslieo
from Beloit, Wis.,, rrooport, Dixon
and Belvidere, M, worked through
the night n The ruins q Chair Fac-
tory az. SearchliGht; wero nd
but the condition 81 the struetn1c
prscluded any organised relioI work.
Hospitals Woro 0ekablishod e H.
scene q tho disostoe.
The tWieoor came within bloch
and = han o3 three 9tAdo 0choo3R
ii which wore noro than 100 90
dron. EIant3e nnoeAers IN 6oWn ~
stroots IT, otes1A ~ tsox ~
ing Tor their eAll1ro6. 1Ea1 ~
were -untouehod ~ ~ MI yl
lifted nnd - 1xoDno RI -