Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-05-29
THE STRICKEN CITY
Nearly 400 Bodies Rescued in
St. Louis, and as Many in
East St. Louis.
THE DEATH LIST GROWING
All is Now Chaos and Excitement
and Searching Parties Are
Steadily at Work.
THE TREMENDOUS LOSSES

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, May 29.-The peo
pie OF st. Louis are just beginning Il
realize the terrible results OF Wednes
day evenings tornado. There i
scarcely home in the city which doe
not mourn the loss of a relative or
friend, and scarcely business maj
who does not suffer loss in som,
way.
The storm was more than a cyclone
as outside the main path Of the storm
agreat deal of damage was done by
the wind and rain, and damage that
money cannot replace, such as de.
stroying old landmarks about the city
and the beautiful trees in the parks.
The most distressing loss OF life and
property occurred, as first reported, in
East St. L ouis, and 10 the south part
OF the city. East ST. Louis is directly
across the river in Illinois, and here,
along the river, the tornado seems to
have, been the greatest. The Eads
bridge is badly wrecked on the, Illinois
side, and it is questioned whether it
can be repaired and made absolutely
safe.
The Aharbor on both sides of the
river is a scene of desolation. A few
RATS and low crafts are blown upon
the shore and the wreckage Of steam
ers is to be seen everywhere.
Already, the search for the drowned
is being prosecuted rapidly, and many
have been recovered by the numerous
divers and river men who are at work
Bodies have been taken from thetriyer
several miles below the city. I
Work up in the city TO repair dam
aged buildings, erect telegraph poles
and to clear the streets of rubbish, is
going forward as rapidly as men and
teams can be found to do the work.
The telegraph Offices all over the city
are crowded with those anxious to send
word, either good or sad, to friends
living outside of the city, from whom
inquiries have come. Many of these
are necessarily disappointed, as the
service would not be equal to the task,
even if the wires were in good order.
The work of caring for the dead,
dying and wounded is going on with
nil possible speed, hut owing to some
OF The large hospitals having been
badly damagei by the storm, the com
forts and conveniences in them are not
what they should be.
ST. LOUIS, Mo May 29.-Dire
desolation still reigns everywhere in
the tornado stricken district of the city
Gao s1n ofs
nnabated, and bodies are being con-
stsntly removed from the debris, in the
presence cf the watchfal, anxious and
despairing papulace, many of whom
have pear relatives and dear friends
buried beneath the smoking piles. 1t
is thought that nearly a weeks time
will have elapsed before list of those
;:illed can be made cut and, even then,
d zens and dozens who met death in
the awful tornado will not be known.
Aiore than 1s0 bodies have been res
cued in this city up to the hour this
dispatch is SEM, this af ernoon, and
nearly as many more in East st. Louie.
The death list grows every h ur.
The mercantile agencies calculate
that the loss may feach the enormous
amount of $50, 100000 in this city
alone, end fully $l0,000,0o0 in East
St Louis.
The First Missouri regiment is on
duty. patrolIiDg the devastated Sec
tions, which present scene Ct utter
desolahon that ctuld only be produced
by such tornado that fell to the lot of
this locality, Wednesday evening, and
s5G nsw policemen have been sworn
in.
A coroaar's inquest will be held at
one lime on forty.two bodies of per-
sons ,-ho we're hurled into eternity
with.nt single moments notice.
An appeal Cor aid has been issued by
the citizens of East st. Louis, to which
generous responses will undoubtedly be
made. They estimate the number Of
their dead at 200 and the injured at
thousands.
A Eall of gloom hangs over these
places as never before, and the awful
ness of the situation can scarcely be
realized by the citizens. who are almost
paralyzed with grief and excitement.