The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-30

have been made through some of the
principal thoroughfares, 1t is true, but
for the most part the streets are still
choked with the battered remains of
homes and factories, hospitals and
churches. The path of the storm Is
fully mile and half wide. 1t starts
away from the suburbs of the city,
where beautiful homes are located. TAX
ing Zigzag course. 1t extends down
through densely populated tenement
house district, fully six miles, and cross
ed the river.
At the extreme limits of the city to the
west is quarter known as Tower Grove
park. 1t is populated by people of wealth
and the houses are palatial, with beau
tiful grounds and shrubbery.
To the southeast Of this is another re-
gion of wealth. The storm moved its
way through both of them. Magnificent
residences in both places were wiped off
the face of the earth in some cases,
while in others roofs were carried away.
trees torn from their roots and all the
picturesque beauty destroyed. Along
California avenue, in Compton Heights.
are strewn wrecked homes. roofs Of
houses, trees and masses of rubbish,
whirled into the city from the farms
and wild timber beyond the city limits.
The same is true of other thoroughfares.
Not tree nor a house in the region of
the storm was left without damage.
From the corner of st. Vincent and Cal
1fornia avenues way to the northeast,
as far as the eye could reach, is a stretch
of devastation and ruin. The Christian
church at this corner was an almost un-
recognizable pile Of brick, mortar and
timbers. A little to the south stands the
Missouri Pacific hospital. A greater
portion of the roof was torn off and the
whole building was so badly wrenched
that the superintendent, DR.. r. +. Vas
terling. says it will take at least $50
tn rnv ai-t tI,eI n II
ly 100 patients in the hospital, and these
were thrown into state of panic. The
Hodges school, south of the hospital, Is
wrecked to the second story. while a
row of residences across the street were
not harmed. The Choteau school, half
mile north. was so badly damaged that
1t will probably have to be rebuilt, while
nearly every dwelling intervening was
unrcofed or demolished
The Lafayette Park Methodist church.
racing the park, Is in ruins, as is nearly
every beautiful house in the vicinity.
Al Lafayette and Missouri avenues is a
mass of debris which was formerly the
Lafayette Avenue Baptist church.
North from Layfayette park, on Mis-
SlSs1ppi avenue, are the ruins of c. A.
Schneider's beer garden
Nearly every house on the east side
OF this street for mile is either blown
down or badly injured. Browns tobacco
Factory, six-story structure, at Eight
eenth street and Choteau avenue was
almost wholly demolished, and to the
north of it is what remains of Evans
brothers tobacco warehouse. A short
distance east of the warehouse Is the
wreckage left from blown-up gas
house.
"A snort distance south Of Choteau ay-
enue on Seventeenth street is the Full
ton grammar school, or the ruin OF II
FROM mere can be seen the remains Of
the city hospital. This structure, ac-
cording to Adolph Berliner, the superin-
tendent. has been damaged to the ex-
tent OF 100000. The stables of the hos
pltal nave been razed to the ground
while the building itself is so badly
wrecked as to be almost useless. The
Patlents nave for the most part been re-
moved to the Good Shepherds hospital
Devastation and ruin is seen on every
side from the hospital. Scarcely a house
IN the radius of half mile esca ped the
ravages of the storm. At Thirteenth
street and Soulard is the ruin of st. Vim
cent de Paurs church. erected in 1874,
whiie those on the opposite corner were
scarcely damaged But for blocks in
every direction were ruined buildings
Looking from this point toward the bus
mess center of the city. as far as the eve
can reach, are wrecks of houses The
course OF the storm was down a valley
where before the city was laid out a
stream had run. Choteau avenue lies
parallel to this valley and is the main
thoroughfare leading to the heart of ST
LOUIS For q mile to the south and
nearly half mile north of Choteau ave-
nue. was the path of the storm.
Longfellow boulevard, a wide street
lined with hundreds of homes. was left
win scarcely house unharmed.
AT Missouri avenue and Russell is the
south side of the race track. It was
swept clean of the buildings that stood
upon II; North of here is an immense
pile or brick and machinery and street
cars. 1t is what remains of what was
Scuii1ns electric street railway power
mouse. 1t is estimated that 5000. 600 will
scarcely cover the damage done here
East OF this ruin there is scarcely a
building left standing. Lafayette park,
one of the most attractive pubIic
grounds In the city has not a single tree
standing. 1t resembles a thicket of un-
derbrush, with the trunks of great trees
twisted and scattered throughout. The
parochiai school building adjoining ST.
vincent de Paups church is also serious
ly DANA ged. The huge tower OF the saw
on Lutheran church was blown off az
We're also the towers and roof of ST
Peter and st. Paul's church. Soulard
street. The Soulard market, covering
nearly an entire block, from Seventh to
Elghth streets and from Carrollton to
Julian streets, is demolished The c,,n.
ola and roof of st. Martins EyaneeiiceI
church are gone and Soulard street at
the corner of Fourth is completeIw
blocked with what few days ago were
the homes of thousands of working neo-
pie. Peo
1t was about this point that the storm,
turned Its way north. 1t swept every
thing before it for two or three miles
from the river'to Fourth street. Among
the important structures to fall were
the roof and part Of the walls of the
Saxony flour mill. the Southern White
Lead works and Plants mill and elevs-
tor the st. Louis Foundry and Machine
company's works; all We're more or less
damaged. ''
The number of families left homeless
by the devastation along the path of the
storm Will reach up into the hundreds
IN many instances these people have lost
al their earthly possessions. Many will
pe Tor days dependent upon charity and
ter ~ '-e
There Is probability that one man
whose horribly mangled body was taken
TO the morgue was not killed by the
storm. gentleman who was in the
ne1ghborhood of the union depot power
mouse Just after the storm asserts that
some or the crowd there assaulted q
ghoul caught thieving and beat him
to death. His story is that while view
ing the wreck he saw half dozen men
jump on man who had been loafiing
about in the crowd Some one hit the
man with club. telling him TO the
ground. Then the crowd jumped on the