The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1896-05-29

city which lies east of Seventh and north
of Cerre streets, 10 the Eads bridge.
Boats were torn from their moorings
and capsized, or went adrift. The cloud
crossed the river, demolished the upper
works at the eaet end of the bridge, then
wreaked its fury on East st. Louis.
THE STORM ON THE RIVER.
When the, first evidence of the ap-
preaching storm began to appear, every
engiReer on the river got up steam in
order to be able to combat the elements.
Had it been anything but tornado, it
is probable this would have aided the
crews in saving their crafts. But the
onslaught was so violent that the crews
found their efforts only sufficient to aid
them slightly in directing the course of
their boats. The steamer Pittsburg, of
the Diamond 10 line, the steamer City
of Vicksburg and the Providence of the
Captain Monroe, of the Anchor line, and
many smaller craft. were pitched and
tossed about until the final blast rent
them from their anchorage. The storm
swept diagonally across the river and
struck the Illinois bank with increased
fury. The loss of life in the water on
the East Side seems to be light, as every
body was carried safely to land.
The City of Vicksburg is almost a
total wreck. The City of Providence
was blown upon the Illinois bank. Her
rudder, cabin and smokestack are gone.
The St. Louis and st. Paul Packet Com
pany's steamer st. Paul had started for
Keokuk, when the tornado struck the
city. She has not been heard from
since. She had full cabin list. The
Belle OF Calhoun and the Libbie Conger,
which were moored near Choteau ave-
nue., were alnest totally broken up.
The Ellen q. Smith, the harbor- boat.
was blown down the river ard was
wrecked near Arsenal island. It is
thought that no lives were lost on this
boat. The steamer Ed Harvester, of the
pany. was torn from its dock and carried
down the river. Many heroic acts were
performed in the saving of lives as the
result of the storm. When the City of
Monroe had listed away from the An
chor-line wharf, there were about forty
passengers on board and full crew, as
the boat was just making ready for the
! trip to New Orleans. When the moor
! ings finally gave way the boat lurched
on its starboard side and nearly capsized.
| The movement threw nearly all the
freight to starboard and served to hold
the boat in its perilous position. Cap.
tain Viegler made reassurring speech
to the passengers which slightly quieted
the exteme excitement. He said they
were all safe. When the boat struck
the illinois bank the captain was not to
be found.
IN EAST ST. LOUIS.
In comparison to its size, the fatali-
ties in East st. Louis greatly exceed
those on this side of the river. The
larger part of the central portion of the
city is razed to the ground, while on the
fats along the river bank north of the
Ends bridge, not house is left standing.
The loss of life is terrible. Scarcely
one family seems to have escaped with
out some member being killed, while
many households were wiped out of ex-
istence. A conservative estimate of the
dead there, is placed at $50.
| The Catholic church st. John of
Nepomic, was demolished except the
front, which stands like a tower.
PASSENGER TRAIN WRECKED.
While the storm was at it's highest, a
passenger train on the Chicago & Alton
railway pulled on to the bridge from the
Missouri side, on its way east. Engineer
Scott had proceeded only a short dis
tance when he realized the awful
danger. The wind struck the coaches,
causing them to chreen. The train was
about half way across. The overhead
poles we're swapping and tumbhng into
the river, while large stones were shift
ing loose from their foundations and
| plunging into the water. Realizing that
any moment his train might be blown
into the water or else the bridge be
blown away. Scott put on full head
J of steam, in an effort to reach the east