Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-05-29

walls will be torn down ana ne"
structure built. Many of the
HANDSOME RESIDENCES
on Fourteenth street and about Lafay-
cite Park are ruined, but the most dam
age was done on Sixth. Seventh, Eighth
and Ninth. south. along Choteau avenue
in the tenement house district. Houses
are to be seen. in all stages OF demoli-
ton. from loss of roof to complete de-
struction. In some of them the front
walls had fallen out. and the tenarts
performed their household duties. cared
for their injured or mourned their
dead in view of the crowds in the
streets. From the doors of many OF
the partially wrecked houses fluttered
the black badge of mourning, and
scarcely a house in all the district did
not have some injured relative, friend
or neighbor within its wlnd-llttered
walls.
The path OF the storm was about a
half mile wide and over four miles
long. sweeping through the thickly
populated southwest portion OF East
land and across the river into East St
Louis.
Colonel Wetmore, manager OF the
Liegett & Meyers tobacco plant, which
was wrecked. estimates the entire prop
erty damage at S25,OOO.OOO, which will
he he saws. almost a total loss, owing
TO the lack of cyclone insurance. Other
estimates range from S15,OOO,O 600 TO SSO,-
GOO. 900. but the majority of them are
close to that made by Col. Wetmore.
When the sun arose on ST. Louis and
vicinity this morning it showed a scene
of terrible ruin and disaster. Wind,
rain and fire had combined in a mission
of destruction.
By last midnight reporters of the AS
sociated Press had visited all OF the
stricken portions OF the city and sub
urhs. Crushed beneath falling walls,
hurled against the sides Of buildings,
struck by flying timbers, cut by the
shattered glass, shocked by the net
work of wires. humanity suffered in
ways innumerable.
Convention Hall and the Four Courts
were in the path Of the cloud as 1t
passed from the City Hospital toward
the river. Convention Hall lost part
of the roof at the eastern end and was
pmctured in several places by flying
timbers and sustained some derange-
ment Of the interior. Ten days work
and the expenditure of $4,000 will make
the hall good again.
In the district between Sixth street
and the river northward from Choteau
avenue. the tornado tore a diagonal
path. The district comprises business
houses. many of them of the older type.
Every building within the path sus-
tanned damages. Through this district
the streets are impossible. They arc
covered in places with debris ten feet
deep.
Along the levee front the hawsers
snapped and boats were set adrift,
some 70 go down. others to go ashore
on the eastern bank. Loss of life which
might have taken place at this point
was ayerted by the hour at which the
tornado came A little later the excur-
sion steamers would have been going
OWt.s -NNuN VI LuCAu ltll NutAl NU1llS.
Perhaps the most impressive evil
dence of the storm clouds force is to
be seen in the wrench of the eastern
end of the E3ds bridge. There, the
tornado
DEALT WITH STONY MASONRY.
Ii T5re off and tumbled down tons upon
tons Of this masonry. Beginning with
the big eastern pier and extending to
the foot Of the incline, cloud cut off
the upper part Of the structure as if
it had been fimsy trestle instead of
a structure OF world famed masonry.
What the tornado did to Eads bridge
win not be believed unless the eyes
see il.
Fire added much TO the loss account.
Down wires. currents of electricity.
crushed buildings all contributed TO
this element OF destruction. The alarm
sys,em was parayzed. Approaches
were blocked. A 100000 conflagra-
ton On the So Louis side was supple
mented by q dozen lesser fires In East
ST. Louis TIE fires added at least $780,
eco
The hurricane came when the bust
ness centre of the city had begun 10
send its workers to, their homes. Ser
vice on almost all the stree railways
was Suddenly suspended. When night