Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-06-03
OVERWHELMED BY A DEVASTATING
and AWFUL TORNADO.
OVER A THOUSAND KILLED
Scarcely Building Escaped Damage,
and Hundreds of Large Structures
Totally Wrecked-Scores Find
Graves In the River-POrtion
of the Famous. Eads
Bridge Destroyed.


Louis and vicinity last night as re-
suit of the most terrible storm that
eAer visited this section of the coun-
try. So widespread is the destruction
in both St Louis and East st. Louis
that it is impossible to even estimate
the amount of the damage and loss of
life. Buildings of every description
are in ruins. The storm broke out
about o'clock in the afternoon. after
a most oppressively hot day, and rain
began to fail. 1t soon developed into
fierce thunder storm, with the wind
from the east. A little later the wind
gained velocity of eighty miles an
hour, driving the rain before it, and
tearing off loose signs, chimneys, cor
nice and everything in its way. Many
buildings of every description were
demolished and others set on fire by
lightning and crossed wires. The fire
department responded to fourteen
alarms.
1t seems certain that the number of
dead and wounded will amount to
fully l 200; and the damage done, to
millions of dollars.
The streets were full of people go
ing home from work, and a panic en-
sued as soon as the storm broke. Men
were picked up and hnrled against
the buildings, horses and carriages
were sent flying here and there and
falling wires full of deadly fluid added
To the horror of the scene. Suddenly
the wind veered around to the west
and completed the destruction. 1t is
asserted by some of those who have
traversed the downtown part of the
city that there are but few buildings
of -,
some way from the storm.
The wagon-way of the Eads bridge
on the East St Louis side is crum-
bling mass of mortar and stone. and
parts of the tower and pier No l were
also torn away. Thousands of dol
lars will not cover the wreckage.
The roof Of the Republican conven-
tion hall was blown off and a twenty
four foot section of the western wall
of the city jail is clear down, expos
ing the interior. 1t was during exer-
else hours and 200 prisoners were ex-
ercising in the building. The were
panic-strlcken. They were too fright
ened to try to escape.
The tanks of the Waters-Pierce Oil
Company, on Gratiot street, blew up,
spreading destruction on every hand,
Three stories of the Coe Manufac-
turing Company's building and nearly
half of the Wainright brewery were
blown down. The Summer High
school, McDermott's saloon, the Cen
trail Emigrant on the opposite corner,
and Jere Sheehan's livery stable were
unroofed. The engineer of the Aetna
Iron Works was almost instantly
killed. The walls blew In and he was
scalded to death by steam.
The Consolidated Wire Works was
almost totally wrecked. Seven people
are known to have been injured seri-
ously by this wreck and many more
are said to have been hurt by falling
walls
The two-story building of the c. II.
Sawyer Manufacturing Company was
demolished. John Sawyer, a mem
ber of the firm, and Emma Cheney
and Isabella Hamden, typewriters,
were crushed to death under the
walls. FL. Fl. Sawyer, a member of
the firm, was injured fatally.
The st. Louis Refrigerator and
Woodenware Company's factory was
completely destroyed by fire caused
by lightning. The loss is estimated
at $780, 900.
At East st. Louis the destruction
seems greatest. ii. c. Rice, the West
ern Union manager at the relay depot,
on the East side, climbed across the
demolished bridge and made his way
into st. Louis. He reports that the
National hotel. fremont house. Mar
tell house, DeWolf cafe, the plant of
the Heel Milling company, Horns
cooper shop and large number of
other buildings are blown down.
Many dwellings are wrecked and
many of their occupants are known to
be dead.
The Vandalia round house, the Van
dalia freight house, in which thirty
five men are said to have been killed;
the Baltimore & Ohio round house,
the Standard oil works, East st. Louis
elevator, Crescent elevator and twelve
other freight houses on the levee are