The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-06-03
ST. LOUIS WRECKED.
The Convention City is Visited by
the Most Destructive Cyclone
in History.

ity tonight as a result of the most terrible
storm that ever visited this section OF the
country. So widespread is the destruction
in both st. Louis and East ST. Louis that
it is impossible to even estimate the
amount of damage and loss of life. Build
irgs OF every description are in ruins and
as result hundreds of people are reported
dead and injured, but until daylight comes
and order is restored it will be impossible
to make any definite statement Reports
are in circulation that seven steamers ly-
ing at wharves on this and the East side
of the river, have been sunk with all on
board.
The storm broke about o'clock in the
afternoon after a most oppressively hot
day, and rain began to fall. 1t soon devei-
oped into a fierce thunder storm with the
wind from the east; little after the wind
ha. gained velocity of so miles an hour,
tearing loose everything in its way. Many
buildings of every description were demol-
ished, and others were set on fire by light
ming and cross wires.
The fire department responded to IA
alarms. The streets were full of people
going home from work and panic ensued
as soon as the storm broke. Men were
picked up and hurled against the buildings,
horses and carriages were sent flying.
Failing wires 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 down town part Of the city
that there are but few buildings in St.
Louis that have not suffered in some way
from the storm.
Tonight the streets are in complete
darkness, and travel in any direction is
dangerous, because of fallen live wires and
debris lying everywhere. The wagonway
Of the Eads bridge on the East st. Louis
side is a crumblng mass of mortar and
stone; parts of the tower and pier No.
were also torn away.
An outbound accommodation train on
the Chicago & Alton road was wrecked
by a broken rail, but fortunately nobody
among the so passengers was hurt. A
tlolly car, loaded with passengers bound
for the west side, said to have fallen
through to the railroad track below, but
with what result is not known.
The count of the wounded is a more
difficult matter. The number of injured
in the regular and improvised hospitals af-
fords little index of the true situation
Only the more seriously injured were
taken to hospitals, or, if they were, they
seized the first opportunity to go to their
homes, while hundreds who sustained
more or less serious injuries were at
home at the time, and consequently have
not figured in the published lists of the
wounded. Taking the hospital and po-
lice reports as basis for calculation.
however, it is estimated that those who
sustained injuries which may be called
serious-that is broken limbs, internal
injuries, fractures of the skull and SINH
lar wounds-number about 400. The
slightly wounded cannot be even esti-
mated, and it is hardly probable that any
mere guess would come within several
hundreds Of the actual figures. 1t is only
safe to say that those who sustained
bruises, scratches and Commissions, and
were cut by splintered glass number
thousands. Many of them did not need
the attention of physician, and for this
reason no account will be accessible as
to this class of casualties.
Across the river in East st. Louis, the
number of dead reported up to o'clock
this morning was 113. Contrary to the
first impression, the loss of life in the ILL
nos city was not so great as in ST. Louis
proper. This is now known beyond doubt.
There was more damage relatively on the
east than on the west bank of the river, but
ly settled that is, the houses were further
apart and contained fewer inmates. There
fore while East st. Louis suffered more in
proportion to population the list of dead
and injured is smaller than that across the
bridge. 1t is not believed that the dead
unreported to the police will number more
than 60 or 20, making the total list foot up
ITS at the outside.
In the matter of the slightly injured
the difficulty is the same as in ST. Louis
and nothing but guesswork can be ven-
tured. Probably six or seven hundred
persons have received minor wounds,
Leaving st. Louis and following the
track Of the storm as it swept through
Missouri and Illinois, the figures become
more indefinite. The telegraph wires are
still in demoralized condition. All
sorts of rumors have yet to be sifted and
deliberate flakes" run down. There
have been stories of loss of life and de-
struction at places which were untouched
by the storm, and on the other hand il
is altogether probable that there are
many deaths and injuries in the country
districts yet unreported.
Coming to the loss Of property, the es-
Inmates Of course vary greatly, but, sett-
ing aside the natural tendency to exae-
it is pretty safe to say that the DANA PC
in st. Louis will reach $5,00O,0 900. Othe,
estimates have been given out-amone
them one by Mayor Walbridge, who
places the figures at $4,000 00O-but they
are all too high. There were no large
and expensive buildings destroyed out.
right. The big hotels and skyscrapers
were not in the path Of the tornado, and
the buildings of any considerable size
that suffered were elevators, freight
warehouses, and other structures of com.
paratively cheap construction.
A careful scrutiny of the data at hand
however, justifies the statement that the
following figures will be found to be ap-
proximately correct when full reports have
been received: Vandalia, ILL.,, and vicin.
ity, 13 killed, Is injured; Centralia, Ill.,
and vicinity, 40 killed, IS injured: Mt
Vernon, ILL.,, and vicinity, killed, 80 in
1ured: R:chfield. Ill. killed, 26 injured
New Baden, ILL.,, 8 killed, Is injured; JEFF
ferson City, ILL.,, killed; Harmony, Ill.
2 killed; Bnker Station, Ill.,, 8 killed. sc
injured; Breckenridge, ILL.,, killed; Fair
field, Ill. and Mascoutah, ILL.,, each killed
Gratiot, Mo-, killed; Mexico, Mo-, and Vi.
cinity, 6 killed, 80 wounded; Warsaw, Ind
2 killed, 5 injured. The foregoing figures
are believed to be authentic. But there
are besides reports which may or may moi
be true of killed and 8 injured at Boyd
ILL.,; killed and s injured at Irvington
ILL.,, and a general statement of large
number killed or injured in Audrian coun
ty. 1t is likely that these reports are cor.
rect. but they have not yet been satisfac.
torily verified.