The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-06-04
HUN /. 0 r EDS Z IL j, ED.
TIE ST. LOUIS CT CLONE THE WORST
EVER KNOWN. u.

: + x u
Several Hundred Lives Are Lost hut
the Exact Number May Never he
Known, as Many People Are
II III Thought to. Have Been Drowned
In il the River ands Many Others
Are, Burned in the Ruins Of
Buildings-The Property Loss Is
yariously Estimated at From
Ten to Thirty Milton Dollars.
st. Louis, May 3O.-It will be several
days before definite information can
be obtained as to the loss Of life, aid
injury Of unfortunate people who hap
pened to be in the path Of the cyclone
which swept over portions Of Missouri
and Illinois Wednesday afternoon. In
addition to the killed and injured in st.
Louis and East st. Louis, the cyclone
moved down many people who adj
vanced before it. Dispatches received
to-day by the Associated Press gave
accounts Of serious loss Of life and
maimings in quite number of places.
3 Death and Destruction
St. Louis, May 80. The awful sweep
of the tornado is marked to-day by
devastated district in the southwestern
portion Of the city half mile wide and
four miles long, with wrecked build
ings, tottering walls, debris, clicked
streets, and rescuing parties to tell the
story Of havoc and death.
The general trend was from south
west to northeast, the center of the
business district Of the city lying about
a mile north Of the storms path. The
heavy damage was in the vicinity Of
Tower Grove and Lafayette Park,
where handsome residences We're COM
pletely wrecked and many injured.
One of the remarkable features was
the destruction Of a wing of the city
hospital carrying 200 patients and
nurses down in the wreck, and killing
but one person.
Ruin and Disaster,
; When the sun rose on st. Louis and
vicinity this morning it showed a scene
of terrible ruin and disaster. Wind,
rain and fire had combined in q mis-
sion of destruction. The greatest dam
age on this side of the river was in
flicted within a three-mile strip along
the mighty stream. Hours Of depress-
AA5 SOASAAAASoo, PuAAS VI "1uu SOluluS NY
turns from all points Of the compass,
.piling up in heavy clouds around the
horizon, the flying hither and thither Of
light, mist-like formations across the
dull, dark-colored masses-these We're
the characteristics of an afternoon
which brought to ST. Louis the most
For hours the currents shifted, the
win h1orx7 1oNf nd ooII nj 1,o ~
center developed.
In the west thunder storm devel-.
oped. The early mutterings Indicated
nothing more alarming than down,
pour with the ordinary electrical acL
compartments. This rain cloud came
up slowly at first, from the west, be-
mounted higher above the horizon it's
arc embraced more territory to the
north and south. A strong wind from
the east began to blow right in the
face of the storm. It was a lower cur
rent. It raised the dark cloud and
brought it forward faster and faster.
Suddenly the wind stopped blowing
from the east and there swept from
the northwest
A Terrific Gale
which made the best built structures
trenlble. With the hurricane that
was the first form the storm took when
it broke over the western part Of the
city-came a deluge of rain. For half
an hour from a few minutes before 5
until $50 this hurricane blew from the
northwest. Then there came a lull.
The currents shifted. In the south
west there came into existence storm
cloud with the essential features Of the
cyclone funnel-shaped. This second
storm burst upon the city from the
southwest. It came in on the south
side of Lafayette Park, struck the city
hospital, and from there tore it's way
through the city to the river by
northeasterly course. It wrought such
havoc as will long leave traces in that
part OF the city which lies east Of
Seventh street and north Of Cerre
street to the Eads bridge.
a Enough is known to show that more
lives have been lost on the East side
than on the West side: Perhaps the
most impressive evidence of the storm
clouds force is to be seen in the wreck
of the eastern portion of the big Eads
bridge. There the tornado dealt with
stone and masonry. It tore off and
tumbled down tons upon tons of ma
sorry. Beginning with the big eastern
pier and extending to the foot Of The
incline, a storm cloud cut off rhe upper
part Of the structure as if. it had been
finlsy trestle instead Of a structure
Of wcrld-faned masonry. What the
tornado did to the Eads bridge will not
be believed unless the eyes see it.
s# Death in the River
OF all the craft that lined the river
for miles, but one remains to tell the
story of the disaster. It hung steadily
to it's mornings throughout. When the
tornado struck the light Of day van
ished in a moment, and those at work
could barely discern the forms of the
steamers as one after another pitched
and tossed and finally, with a crash,
was blown out into the dark waters
and disappeared. The scene was one
of wild uncertainty and chaos No one
knew whittier to seek safety. After
the tornado had passed it left a scene
Of desolation where ten minutes before
steamers had rocked quietly at their
docks, some just arrived and discharg-
ing their passengers, others preparing
for departure.
Trucks and baggage had been tossed
hither and thither. Plows and agricul-
tural implements had been distributed
up and down the leyee and the whole