Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-28
WHERE THE WORST WORK Was DONE
Something About the Two Bridges
Said to Have Been Destroyed.
THE CONVENTION BUILDING

Representative Seth W. Cobb Of Missouri
Is probably more deeply interested in the
terrible catastrophe at st. Louis than any
man in Washington. He represents the
central Of the three congressional dis
tricts In st. Louis, and 1t was through
his district that the cyclone seems to have
passed and to have done its most fearful
work. Not only is Mr. Cobb interested in
the welfare Of the people Of his district
and his city, but his relations and friends
are there and his anxiety can be surmised.
Mr.. Cobbs family Is with him in this
city and he Is not so anxious on that
score, but the family Of his wife was lv-
ing in what is supposed to have been the
path of the cyclone.
Mr.. Cobbs residence in st. Louis is op-
posite Lafayette Square, and Is within half
mile of the hospital reported to have
been destroyed, and in which SO many
lives are said to have been lost Both his
residence and the hospital were in the path
Of the storm This fact makes Mr. Cobb
deeply anxious. He tried every conceiy-
Louis, even going personally to the tele-
graph offices of the Pennsylvania and
other roads, where he thought he might
gather some information. He filed mes
sages with the Western Union offices at
the Capitol and down town, and was prom
ised that they should be gotten through as
quickly as possible.
Cost of the Two Bridges.
In addition to family ties Mr.. Cobb is
heavily interested in various business en-
teIprises Throughout the city. being at the
head of one of the largest mercantile con-
Germs there and of several elevator con-
Germs His Office is at the Merchants Ex-
change, corner of Sd and Pine streets but
this building does not seem to have been
tome had hIr oh tr tIay,f ~ tln
pcIation which built the big Merchants
bridge across the Mississippi river. Mr..
Cobb said that this bridge cost S5,OOO.0OO.
The Big Four road is one Of the many rail-
read lines crossing this bridge. If the
bridge has been destroyed, as reported, the
loss in that one instance alone will be mil
lions of dollars. The other bridge report 81
to have been destroyed or partially de-
stroyed was the Eads bridge. This bridge,
Mr.. Cobb said, was the finest in the worlI.
1t was the great popular thoroughfare con-
Tecting the two cities, and was used for
all kinds of purposes. 1t originally cost
Sl1 100000.
Mill Creek valley. through which the
storm IS said to have passed. said Mr.
Cobb rs where nearly all the railroads
running into St. Louis center. 1t is also
a center OF the business. There are hun
Greds of wholesale houses and manufac
turing establishments in this valley, which
separates Central St. Louis from South st.
Louis. The Grand Union station, which is
said to have been unroofed, cost $3,UUU,OO
and was splendid structure"
No Idea of the Loss.
Have you any idea from the newspaper
accounts what the loss will foot up?" Mr..
Cobb was asked.
Il haven't the least idea," he said, land
can make no estimate until 1 receive more
definite information"
Then Mr. Cobb mentioned the Cupple
building and various other costly struc-
lures said to have been destroyed, and said
that if the reports were true there was no
telling what the loss would reach.
Mr.. Cobb was asked about the St. Louis
race track, where the grand stand Is said
to have collapsed and where several hum
dred are reported to have been killed He
said that as near as he could gather the
facts the cyclone must have struck the race
track as it entered the city. The race track
he said, while in the city of st. Louis proper,
is good way out. From there, he thought
the storm must have gone on into the city.
Mr.. Cobb was asked about the republican
convention hall He said that that was on
10Th street, on the same square as the city
hall While the building was reported to
have been damaged, he believed that the
people of ST. Louis would have it ready in
time Tor the great convention.
The City Can Take Care of Itself.
Mr.. Cobb was asked If Congress would
be asked for aid He said that he did not
know, but he guessed that st. Louis would
be able to take care of itself. 1t is the
strongest financial city in the country, he
said, and thsre is more wealth there be-
longing to st. Louis people than in any
city of the United States. 1t was only q
few days ago, he said, that st. Louis raised
$4,000 and sent it to Sherman, Tex, for the
sufferers there.
Mr.. Cobb said that after leaving his dis
trict the storm seems to have gons into
Representative joys district.
Representative Spencer of Mississippi has
a brother and his wife has a sister living
in st. Louis, and he is among the many