The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-05-29
HUNDREDS ARE KILLED
CONTINUED from Second Page.)

The erection of the bridge was begun
. The cost was S6,536,729. It's center arch
is one of the largest in the world, and
the Douro bridge of Portugal and the
Cardiff bridge in Southern France alone
exceeds it in dimensions of it's span.
Its endurance and strength was tested
two days before it's opening, when loco
motives weighing 500 tons were sent
across it.
The bridge stood the strain with the
utmost ease and the DETECTION of the
center arch measured only So inches.
The foundations of the bridge are very
substantial. Captain Eads found HIM
self antagonized by the leading engin-
GERS of the country, but with his char
acteristic courage worked on and final
ly triumphed.
TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS.
The wreck by the storm of a part of
the Eads bridge at St. Louis destroyed
/ the Western Union Telegraph COM
\ pany's main line of communication
I with that city from the east The local
\ office this morning had not received
definite information as to the character
n VI tllc otJltSt uOllt W tlIC pliNoVb pos'
judging from the circumstances that
\ every direct wire into the city is down,
the inference is that it was extensive.
The Western Union company has but
4 one wire operating direct into st. Louis
\ from the east by way of Chicago,
n Omaha and Kansas City this morning.
Il 1t is worked on what is known as the
automatic Wheatstone system, and 1T
has capacity for an immense amount of
i business.
d There was another wire operating by
n way of Memphis to Carondolet, a sub
L urb of ST. Louis, eight miles to the
II southwest, and still another running
4 through Nashville to East st. Louis.
Communication with St. Louis from
& the western termini of these lines was
4 effected by means of fast messenger
u service. A bicycle corps was establish
Il ed between the main office and Caron-
4 dolet and tug service between the
u main office and East ST. Louis.
The greatest difficulty in the way of
II complete service was that the offices
II at Carondolet and East st. Louis are
n not equipped with the necessary termi-
y nal facilities.
a Communication with st. Louis was
II lost yesterday afternoon about
n o'clock 1t was an inopportune time.
II The bulk Of the business of the day was
& on hand. and there, was no means of
8 getting it west. Consequently, to-day
"a the three wires In operation are fairly
red hot with work.
NJ The greatest damage was confined to
N an area within twenty miles of the main
4 office at st. Louis, it was said at the
81 home office this morning. No serious
81 damage had been reported from other
hi quarters. The routes west by way of
M the Southern Pacific and Northern Pa
a. cific railways were not interfered with.
The local office has received word
& that a large force of repairers is en-
E# gagged in rectifying the damage done.
# BY tomorrow, it is hoped, sufficient
N number of wires will have been put up
N to handle the business without trouble.
HI LOUISVILLE TORNADO RECALLED
Ri The st. Louis disaster recalls the
~ Louisville tornado of March q, 1890,
M when that city was visited by a SINH
B lar storm which resulted in the loss
M Of hundreds of lives and the destruc-
81 ton of from $12000,0O0 to $4,000 ,0OC
81 worth of property.
E The Louisville tornado came just as
ID the st. Louis tornado did. Hardly a
Il breath of air was stirring, and the day
III had been close and hot for March
| weather. The barometer showed that
81 Louisville was the storm center, but
the weather bureau did not indicate
more than an ordinary blow and a rain
storm.
A soft breeze began shortly after S
III I'LL in a oxyanfncr hIIf ctr n
| only few minutes and then the atmos-
phere was oppressive. Suddenly the
tops of trees began to sway and bend
almost to the ground, a rushing noise
like the passing of train Of cars was
heard, but still hardly a breath of all
was left on the ground. The trees con-
tinued to bend and the overhead wind
became stronger; each second limbs be-
gan breaking. Then the roofs of houses
shook and walls trembled, but still the
wind was overhead.
Almost without a moments warning
the wind suddenly turned to the
ground. Many houses were damaged
and trees uprooted, but still the dam.
age was hardly more than would have
resulted from a fierce wind storm.
Then the air became oppressive again
and it was thought that the storm was
over For five minutes there was hard.
ly any movement Of the air, and ther
came a noise like the smothered burst
ing Of a cannon. A funnel-shapet
cloud was seen descending to the earth
1t rose, then came downward, ant
wherever it touched houses and tree!
were caught up and carried with the
wind Roofs were carried miles, ant
trees and debris filled the air.
The cloud came from the Ohio river
and first touched the city in the south
western suburbs. There it left dealt
and destruction in its wake. Then il
made it's way to the more thickly set
tied districts, passing through the resi-
dence section to the business part o.
the city. The cloud went from south
west to northeast and its path was
more than 200 yards broad Not house
stood in this path and the damage done
by the wind on the outside was almos
as great as that done directly in the
path of the tornado Occasionally the
cloud assembled, and when it rose M
damage was done either directly in it:
path or on the Sides
The first reports were that the fatal
tiles would reach LOCO or more deaC
and 10000 or $4,000 injured. When the
work of rescIIinp- began next day it wa.