The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-31


Randall's nsures exaggerated, and. ieAv-
irg oat the city hospital, which Is almost
destroyed. calculates that <ie,co or NSve
VIII ec sufficient to make all the necessary
repairs.
sending Out the News.
No city Ia the world. in proportion To its
population. has better teiegrsph.c facili-
ties than 81. Louis. Rnt the storm blew
down the wires ana s,iiied the instruments.
and for few hours st. Louis was virtu-
ally world 10 itself. Thousands on thou
sands % messages were stacked up here 10
be sent. and great numcer were nled
In other cities fer 81, Louis delivery, Inn
med'gtesy after the storm the companies
began replacing the wires. Thousands oe
nnesnen were secured, and the werk OF ra~
construction was pushed night and day.
As fast as the wires we're put In workina
order the messages flashed over the wires.
Operators we're eroug's, from all available
sources. and messengers by hundreds.
mouniet! on bicycles and horses. and meg
sengers on foot. were employed. To delivar
sill the snesss ses was an impossihlity, ana
at night more than io.upo messages were
placed in the mails for delivery BY letter
carriers Tho first deliveries on Friday
and saturday mornings contained thnsss
sands OF the weii-known telegraph snvsi.
opes which the companies were unable 70
handle. In addition to the private tcie-
grams inauirfne about friends and In reply
respondents had consregased Ia the city.
and to great extent they monopolixsd the
wires with speclals TO their pspers. ON
Friday night nearly f.0oo. 90 words OF spc-
ciai ieiegrams were sent by these corre.
spondenta
Distribution of Relief.
As the fund grows for the relief Of the
victims OF the tornado, practical work 10
being done In giving the sufferers thu
help of which they stand In such sore
need No deiaytos being had IN this most
important work. for the sufferers must
have relief at once The Merchants Ex.
change relief committee 10 doing fts work
as rapidly AZ possible. and is sendinD
wagons and provisions into all parts of
tie stricken distrtct. An army OF 300 men
with seventy-nve large wagons started
from the Cupples block early this morn
ing 10 carry assistance to the sufferers.
Their mission Was to remove the house,
hold goods of the unfortunates to placea
OF safety from the elements. In many
cases tho victims had no place 70 move
their goods. and the Simmons Hardware
Company rendered the use Of the new
warehouse ON Ninth street. between Clark
and Walnut streets. Tho work. which Ii
being done rs help to the regular re-
lief committee. was carried on systsmat.
icaliy.
The suffering witnessed by the gentie-
men who canyassed the districts Friday
and today was indescribable. They found
entire families almost starving. Al ono
place they found woman who was about
10 become confined. without . place to
lay her head.
The work being carried on from tho
Cupples building is not In conflict with the
Merchants Exchange relief committee.
but supplementary TO II. Today the Mer-
nifty families with provisions. ordering
the goods from merchants. who. with
their own wagons. could deliver them
without delay. In addition the wagons
of the st. Louis Transfer Company have
been placed at the disposed OF the COM
ferrinE property to places Of safety. Tho
relief corps organized by the 81. Louis
ProvitUht Association II eanvsssing tho
district from Tenth street to the river be-
tween Geyer avenue and tho railroad
tracks- On Friday they had reached
Twelfth street. and today their work was
east. Tho headquarters OF the Merchants
Exchange relief committee WAS thronEaI
all day with sad-faced men and womon
seeking suceor. Some Of the stories toll
were heartrending
Tho Soulard street police station 10 the
center OF the relief work in the eastern
portion Of tho ravaged district II iiea
near the center OF the storms path. ana
affords a convenient and accessible bureau.
A number OF relief wagons have been
placed at the command Of tho sergeant IN
charge. and the officers are instructed to
direct persons applying to them for relief
or assistance In moving to the station. In
all sls,.ios has been collected for the work
OF relief This includes the city sppropria-
ton OF 100000.
Cleaning Up the Streets.
The work Of cleaning up the devastated
district Of South st. Louis was begun this
morning. One thousand men with teams
were put at work by the street depa rtment.
under the personal supervision Of Conn
missioner Miner Sunday morning the sn-
tire street department win 20 to work un-
der the direction OF Chief OF Police Harrf-
gan. searching for bodies Of the dead. The
street department. In now working at an
expense Of g. go day. Commfssioner NIL
ner says II VII take $1,000 20 put tha
streets In order and haul away this litter.
There is about $1,000 to the credit OF tho
department for this branch Of the service.
The excitement has entirely subsidized.
and the stricken people have already set
tied down TO face the situation and make
the best Of II. On every hand may be sern
men. women and children engaged In the
work of restoration where IL is possible. or
removal where II is not.
Seventeen persons dead and alive haye
now been taken out OF the ruins IN ths
nefghborhood Of Seventeenth and Rusger
streets. which. u Is thought, ccnstftntes
the entire number buried there. All the
other residents OF the wrecked buildings
have been located elsewhere. A large fore.
OF city employees Is now at work cleay.nr
the street
Al the cid Souiard market work has bser
abandoned. The debris at this point does
not obsfruct travel. and win not he touch-
ed for some time. Commerce has. howev-
er, already sprung up In and about ths
ruins Tho yendsrs and hucks.srs are ont
tn fuil force. and enjoy a but slightly d.
rninished trade. The trsdesmen whoss
Shops were demolished havs confriyed tenn
poraFy quarters under tho sheds In thar
portion of the old building yet standtnw.
~ the ruins OF the furniture factory AZ
Scnlard street and Broadway a large city
gang 10 at work clearing the streets yfs
efforts are supplemented by those OF a
crowd OF volunteers. Who lsboref win
TIRE expectation of recovering the body ~
Charles Berrsste. driver for the con-
eern. which 10 supposed 10 be s.iil IN ths
ruins.
H~pairinR the Houses.
Around Lafayette park. east. west. north
and south. the number OF wrecked houses
IL legion. Chinlneys are being rebuilt.
missing roofs replaced. walls p.sehsd aud
rooms cleaned. Some persons have got az
far as putting in window panss. bot they
are few. Some OF TIE street railway lines
that suffered from the storm ana have re-
surned operations are besieged by irnrneuss
crowds of yiEif0rs, THE remaining nues
will be In shape for service next wssk.
The magnitude OF tas eityts snixforsuns
IN losing the city hospital i becoming nfors
apparent daily. Only actual experience IN
attempting 10 care fnr tsse unfertunsfes
made soubiy homeless BIZ the storm has
brought out ms full extent OF the calamity.