davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04
VIEW OF ST. LOUIS, OVERLOOKING THE DEVASTATED DISTRICT

downtown streets % the city We're impas-
sable with the wreckage of shattered
buildings and the strands of broken cleo
trio wire which were suffering and blaz-
ing everywhere and had it not been for
the floods of rain the tornado might have
been but the prelude to the destruction Of
the entire city by fire.
On the river the destruction was even
more complete than on land. Only one
steamer out of all the fleet that crowded
the levee remained above the surface of
the Mississippi. The others fell easy
prey to the fury of the tempest and quick
~ sank, in many cases carrying down
with them all on board. The Great Re
public, one of the largest steamers on the
river. was sunk along with others.
Death List Is Appalling.
Ten millions Of damage to property and
FIVE hundred persons killed and a thou
sand injured, is what has been accom-
plished. East st. Louis is as badly dam
aged as st. Louis, Half a dozen small
towns close to st. Louis, in Missouri, and
at least two villages in southwestern ILL
nois are gone. There has been loss OF life
in each Of these communities. What
seemed to be three distinct and separate
cyclones struck the city at 10 minutes
past 5 o'clock in the afternoon. They
came from the northwest, the west and
the southwest.
When they reached the Mississippi river
they had become one, which descended
upon East St. Louis and from thence
passed on toward Alton. The day was
an oppressive one in the city. There was
no wind and the people suffered from the
heat. About 1 o'clock in the afternoon
the entire western horizon was banked
with clouds. These were piled one upon
the other, with curling edges, yellow IN
tinge. A light wind sprang up Il a sud
den darkness came upon the city. rms
darkness increased until the storm broke.
The descent Of the storm was so sudden
the fleeing women and children were
caught in the streets and hurled to de-
.struction or buried under falling walls.
Before the mass OF clouds in the west,
hanging over the villages of Clayton,
Fern Ridge, Eden and Central, gave vent
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04
Volcanic ring" in the Pacif-,

Nirrafon, the volcanic ring" island
recently described by Lieutenant SOM
erville in the Journal of the London
Geographical Society, Is a lonely spot
midway between Fiji and Samoa. 1t
is about three miles in external diam
eter. and the entire coast line is formed
Of black lava rocks. The internal di-
ameter-that is to say. the diameter Of
the 'caldera'-is two miles, and the
cliffs surrounding it are 200 or 300 feet
high. 1t contains a deep, calm lake,
on the eastern side of which is a PENN
sula formed by the craters of the erup-
ton of 1886. The view from the sum
mits Of the cliffs around the ~"caldera"
is Of remarkable beauty, and includes
a great expanse of the Pacific ocean
rolling under the southeast trade, as
we'll as the still, deep lake within the
luxuriant foliage of the outer slope and
the barren cinder of the recent
nutburSt.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04
travelling at the rate Of eighty miles an

travelling at the rate Of eighty miles an
hour.
From them and the clouds above, a
strange, cracking sound came. This filled
the air and at times was stronger than
the incessant peals of thunder. The
tunnels enveloped the western side of the
city, and in thirty minutes were wreak-
ing destruction in the business heart. Men
and women, horses, all kind Of fowl in
the open, were picked up and carried
hundreds of feet in every direction.
So irresistible was the cyclone and so
much greater in magnitude than any the
country has ever previously known Of,
that some of the stanchest business blocks
went down before it. Structures, the pride
or merchants and intellectually famous
from New York to San Francisco, were
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04
Largest Sailing Ships Afoat.

The British full-rigged ship Somali,
one Of the most colossal sailing vessels
atloat, has just reached New York from
Calcutta in command of Captain Han
noy, and manned by a crew of thirty
nine men.
The Somali registers 1886 tons and
spreads $4,000 square feet of canvas.
1t is consigned to James Parker & Co.,
who say it is the largest British sailing
ship now afloat. The hull of the Somali
Is of steel. Under full sail it left Cal
cutta on Jan. = last and made the trip
in 116 days. Captain Hannoy said the
voyage vas without incident and the
weather favorable throughout. 1t
brings 1000 tons of general cargo;
which will be discharged at Erie Basin.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

POTS were piled on top of each other.
Long lines of box cars loaded with valua-
BILE freight were turned upside down. The
telegraph offices were destroyed and miles
of wire blown down.
There was Il short time after the storm
when st. Louis could not communicate
with the outside world. NOr could her
own citizens communicate with each 9TH
er by any electrical means. Such a con-
fusion and ruin in a large city was never
witnessed since the Chicago fire.
Breaking at the hour it did, and the
night following, the work of rescue and
relief was very slow. The fremen and
police were Immediately made aids to the
surgeons and physicians of the city.
Many people We're buried under the ruins
of their homes or places of business. The
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04
WORK OF CONGRESS.
tAE WEEKS DOlNGS IN SENATE
AND HOUSE.
A Comprehensive Digest of the Pro-
cecdings in the Legislative Cham
bers at Washington Matters that
ice the People.
Lawmakers at Labor.

The Senate put in Friday in discussing
the bill to prohibit the issue Of bonds.
Senators Hill and Sherman united in de-
nouncing the measure as one which had
for it's object reputation. The House
listened to conference reports on the
river and harbor bill.
The general deficiency appropriation
bill, the last of the supply bills, was before
the Senate throughout Monday, and pass
Ell just before adjournment. 1t tempo
rarily displaced the bill to prohibit the
issue of bonds. AS passed the bill carries
about SO, 10000 bonds, an increase of
S6,O0O,OOO over the House bill. After
disposing of routine work the House went
into committee of the whole to consider
the bill to repeal the free alcohol clause
f the existing tariff law.
The House Tuesday by a vote of 16o to
60 passed the bill for the repeal Of Sec
ton 81 Of the present tariff law providing
for a rebate on alcohol used in the arts
or medicinal compounds. An amendment
was attached providing for a joint COM
mission to consist of three members from
each house to examine and report on all
questions relating to free alcohol at the
next session. The Senate amendment to
the general deficiency bill, excepting the
French spoliation claims and claims under
the Bowman act, We're disa greed to and
the bill sent to conference. Another par
tial report on the Indian appropriation bill
which left only the question of sectarian
schools and the old settlers claims still in
dispute, was adopted. Tariff and finance
each came in for a share Of consideration
in the Senate. Early in the day Mr..
Sherman succeeded in having the filled
cheese bill taken up, whereupon Mr.. Du-
bois offered an amendment adding 20
cents a barrel to the tax on beer. On the
question of adopting the amendment the
debate became general. Senators Mills
and Gray supporting and Nelson, Aldrich
and Villas opposing it. The bill was dis.
placed by the bond bill, which was advO
Gated by Mr.. Pritchard and opposed by
Mr.. Lindsay. a bill was passed to pen
sion, ut $50 a month, the widow of Gen.
George e. Spencer, at one time United
States Senator from Alabama.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

The east end of the Eads bridge, one
of the most solid and finest bridges in
the world. was destroyed. The other great
bridges spanning the Mississippi were all
injured. some as seriously as the Eads.
Scores of persons We're drowned, or, after
being killed on the land, blown into the
water. Steamers like the Grand Repub-
lie, the City of Monroe, packets which
are famous between New Orleans and st.
Louis, We're carried everywhere. Still
others, after being torn from their moor
ings, disappeared, and have not been
heard from. AS Il rule the smaller craft
was sunk. This was particularly the case
with the smaller excursion steamers,
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04
RECALLS THE JOHNsTOwN FLOOD
Story of the Disaster that Visited
the Pennsylvania Towns.

The catastrophe which has befallen st.
Louis was within a few days of the sew
enth anniversary of the awful calamity
visited upon Johnstown, Pa, and adjoin-
ing towns May 81, 1889. in which many
lives were lost and millions Of dollars
worth Of property destroyed by the floods
rthat ragged along the Conemaugh river,
IN .rsting a reservoir covering a square
1sile located just above Johnstown. For
weeks heavy rains had fallen in the noun
tains, and the resultant freshet wrought
ruin and death hat appalled, the country.
While towns were washed away, bridges
destroyed and industries forced to sus-
pend. Hundreds of people chung to their
floating homes. which were swept onward
upon q volume of water unprecedented in
modern history. Many people were res
cued from their p~erilous positions in the
upper stories of their homes.
The Cambria iron works were destroyed
and 1000 men were thrown out of en-
p%loyment. Five large bridges were swept
away. Cars and lumber tloated upon the
mad torrent. All trains on the Pennsyl-
vania and Baltimore and Ohio railways
were abandoned. Men. women and chill
dren were panic stricken. The fatality
list exceeded 1000. The water reached
a depth Of fifty feet. and it required
prompt, persistent and heroic action to
rescue the inmates of a valley in which
death rode through upon Il wave of merci.
less water.
The rain descended in torrents for sew
enty-two hours. Hundreds of dead bodies.
floated upon the bosom of the river for a
distance of fifteen miles from the scene
of the disaster. Wires were down and
all telegraphic communication temporar7
lily cut off. Galleries in the vicinity were.
forced to suspend. The damage extended
to the properties of the Lehigh Valley
and Reading railways.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

ehd or the great Eads bridge was de-
sfFoyed and it is reported that an Alton
'faln went into the river. Steamers on
The river We're sunk with all on board. A
station of the Nandalia in East st. Louis
was destroyed, and it is reported thirty
1--WE hFes We're lost. The roof Of the Re-
pIoIl'an convention hall at St. Louis was
,aheh on. The two top stories Of the
r"dhters Hotel are gone. The Western
mon and many other buildings are
wrecked. The city was left in darkness.
'F"S broke OUT and threatened to destroy
what the wind spared, but rain finally
tucked the flames. At Drake, ILL.,, Il
HV"ooI house is said to have been demol-
Nleu and eighty pupils killed. Telegraph
"'es were down and it is difficult to Sc
cure information. Heavy damage to life
tiles.
After the wind and rain had done their
"'FA' hre added much to the storms loss
oN''uut. Down wires, wild currents of
.''',Fclty, crushed buildings, all contrib
"''i 70 TINS element of destruction. The
"t'Ehl system was paralyzed. Approaches
we're blocked; Il S2OO, 900 ~confiagration on
/" o. Louis side was supplemented by Il
n,1Ph lesser fires. In East st. Louis Il
mn was burned and two other consid-
a.'''e losses We're sustained. To the
,.,-ornlols total the fires added at least
ran of Ruin Through the City.
rom where the storm entered st.
a ?ul III the southwestern suburbs, TO
1'e II left, somewhere near the Eads
,'4'N'' 'here Is Il wide path Of ruins. Fac
aI'ef factory went down, and piles
~ orlrhS and timber mark the spots on
"'''' 'hcy stood. Dwellings were picked
~ "Id thrown i'll every direction. Bust
houses were fattened. There was
cav ea"Aee for the escape of the occupants.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

place DR.. Mosher is ELIZA NJ. MOSHER.
to fill is Il new one. Her duties will bring
her into almost personal relations with
the 900 young women in the university,
and to each of them she will De guide,
philosopher and friend. DR.. Mosher will
be the first woman professor in the uni
versity, and her past will lie one of great
distinction and responsibility. She leaves
a very lucrative practice in Brooklyn to
accept the offer OF the University of Mich
igan.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04
Tall Man Wants Il job.

The 'tallest man alive" Col. A. A.
Powell, once of Texas. but for many
years of Barnum's circus and the
world, is looking for a job as floorwalk-
er in a store in st Louis, Mo. He is "a
years old and stands / feet 10 inches
in his stockings. He says the show
business was firing and didn't pay, all
things considered.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

The city Of st. Louis, torn and devas-
taxed oy a cyclone, flooded by torrents
of rain and in many places attacked by
fires. vas Wednesday night the scene Of
such a carnival of death and destruction
as has seldom been cqualed in America.
Owing 10 the ~frightful havoc Of the storm
cutting off almost every line of commune
cation with The stricken city, but little
information could be had, and that of Il
very vague nature. 1t is estimated that
a. many rs 800 lives were lost, while the
damage 10 property is incstimable. Scarce
ly a building in the city but has been in
some way or another damaged by the
tornado.
Ruin and dcsolation are upon st. Louis.
For the first time in the history of Il me-
tropolis the tcrrors Of a cyclone have come
upon its avenues and ~boulevards, ravaged
the business streets and brought death to
hundreds. ST. Louis, with its 100000
people, passed through in one brief half
hour Wednesday night an experience
paralleled only by the horrors of the
Johnstown flood. Cyclone. flood and fire.
ms triple alliance wrought the dreadful
havoc.
The grand stand at the race track
was blown down, killing $50. The east
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

The Pintsch gas department of the In
dianapolis Gas Company at Indianapolis,
Ind. burst into flame while Alfred III.
Somerville was preparing gas with which
passenger coaches are charged for light
ing purposes, and before he could be res
cued he was burned from head to foot.
His death is certain. Somerv;lle is u
noted athlete.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

TO their frishtful contents tunnels shot
ont from them. Some of these seemed TO
be projected into the air. others ieapeu
70 tho Garth. twisting and turning. Llsht-
ming played about them and there was a
marvellous electrical display. Then came
the outburst. Three of the tunnels APP
nroached st. Louis with a wind hat was
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

professor of hygiene,
is now on her way
to Europe to study
the colleges for wom-
en- in connection
with Oxford and
Cambridge. L h e
dean of the depart
ment for many years
W a Martin l..
D'Ooge. but the
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

o'clock when the worst Of the storm had
passed.
East ST. Louis Ruined.
East st. Louis tremendous shipping in
terests have received a h~eartrendins
blow. The railroad tracks We're literally
torn up from the right of way and seat
tered. Huge warehouses and freight de-
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04
NEW PROFESSOR AT ANN ARBOR
Six Hundred Women to Benefit by DIR.
Eliza NJ. Mosher's Experience.

Dr.. Eliza NJ. Mosher, of Brooklyn, who
comes to Ann Arbor as associate dean of
the department of literature and arts and
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04
Huge Buildings in the City's
Heart Destroyed.
DEATH ON THE RIVER.
Fxcursion Steamers Are Blown
Bottom Side Up.

Human Beings Swept to Instant Door.
Steamers Are Sunk, Buildings Blown
Down, and Railroad Trains Over
,urued-Loss of Life Rivals That of
the johnstown Disaster Principal
Buildings in East st. Louis Destroyed
Fire Adds It's Millions of
Dollars Property Damage.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

Stoecker. the ex-court chaplain, which
said: The clergy must not NEEDLE with
politics, because it is no concern of theirs"
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

The German clergy, Protestant and
Catholic, are thoroughly aroused in con-
sequence Of Emperor Williams telegram
to Geheimrath HinZpter. reCa riding DR..
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

electric lights being out, searching parties
in the ruin strewed streets could not 20
ahead. They simply had to wait for the
dawn.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

attison
ed for
er that
|ecured
hts per
lis year
,.TA
Other
lled the
ate has
ilnmi-
f farm
5 an in.
he year
higher
ents, in
her re-
sed this
that the
e. Ly-
The Mis-
ion lost
ices are
Of I'M
eek, and
new SET
no left a
ayly all
alton is
mbcr OF
beng Is
All re-
migration
)rs.
of Janl.s
5 OF Fair
:, decided
leslion of
opening
attempted
,tion line
secured a
ring was
/. town Of
appeal 10
action OF
opinion by
the order
d the case
.-,.,o
fo"N'.'
nj ScIioot
Is arrested
ucihs M'sS
sood par
Fadness
father de-
ont. King
Years age
CampbeD
=.
III o'ouA
filled lne
mated u. Iiia'
sent. liils
,riners were
,ing repre-
vas a spleh'
turned owe!
bands and
candidates
o.o.
roN' 49,.
her anu so'
to the ne -,
NO each !, ~.
claimed va
plevined III.
vent to ser'
the premise Mns Sc
ork. lie Re
k the stocf
naSes,, ..,,
4. L.. snip, :,
mt Hom N.n,,
comes N
,inst the e
m prisonme
ter. Shlpl'
ice in VIII
ID of $500. !
months.
.o.pi."s"a of,
lld y n 90
miles We,
are ,nal a
bursnns II,
lnd. Nv
utheast OF ]
TOP TOP of SIT
md one OF
lie Law III
i..;r,, I
$50, went
fvers whom.
fy'' ,,,are
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

II the
range
tpidly
n the
| state.
|sheep
Tres in
Tx in.
eepon
10000,
| 10000
|)racti-
IDS, as
|lleout
Tor this
| While
y from
attiSon
Ted for
Ter that
fecured
hts per
lis year
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

b in Sioux
|, filled the
mated thai
Fsent. This
| attractions
the Mystic
lrinerS we're
elng repre-
Vas a splen'
turned Oyel
bands and
candidates
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

naSes'
h. L.. Shipley
Int from the
ly, in which
|, comes IN d
inst the eX-
mprisonment
ter. Shipley
ice in when
ID of $500 ~
hOnthS.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

-oportions de.
ildingS at lne
miles West "
are that tho
bursting Of a
ind. No lives
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-04

her and son
to the next
loo each fol
in the dis.
,vanses had
elaimed was
plevined the
kent to serVe
the premises
ork. He re-
k the stoch'
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-08-13
MOUNT RORAlMA.
strangest Freak of Mountain Building In
the World.

Among the many objects OF interest
that have been brought to light by the
AngloVenezuelan dispute there is per-
haps none that claims SO much atten-
ton from the scientific world as the So
called mountain of Roraima. Situated
in the southwestern corner of Sir Rob-
ert Schomburgk's alleged boundary be-
tween Guiana and Venezuela, this won
derful geographical phenomenon, al
though long known, has ELECTED but
little interest. In point of fact, how
ever, it is a veritable scientific sphinx.
This stupendous mountain, or isolated
tableland, which the native Indians call
Roraima, or the mysterious" rises
high in solitary grandeur above the sur
rounding mountain system, its perpen.
dicular rocky sides rendering it abso-
lutelv inaccessible to the foot of man or
beast.
Growing this impregnable fortress
of nature is a tract of territory esti-
mated to contain upward of 140 square
miles. Unlike other inaccessible noun
tain SUBMITS of the world, this ele-
waited region is no mere wilderness of
snow-capped ridges. On the contrary,
all the indications, including the posi-
tive evidence of the telescope, point to
its being covered with forests, inter
sected with rivers fed from lakes, and
to its possessing a climate that must,
in the nature of things, be temperate
that is, neither wintry, despite its alti-
tude, nor tropical, despite its equatorial
position.
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-08-13
a TIN MINE IN PERAk.
Primitive Methods That Seem Sufficient
for the PURPOSE.

for the Purpose.
We came to the edge of the mine, or
paddock, as it is called, which, after all
is nothing but broad open pit with
sloping sides and perhaps some 40 or so
feet in depth; poor thing in the eyes of
anyone expecting shafts and machinery
and the elaboration of western meth
DDS, but sufficient for its purpose, as
Chinese methods are apt to be, says
Macmillan's Magazine.
Three hundred men clad in loose blue
coats and drawers aud plated sun hats
three feet across are digging up the pay
dirt at the bottom of the pit with great
hoes and putting it on fat wicker bas-
kets; others catch up the baskets,
sling one at each end of a yoke and,
balancing the load across the shoulder,
they carry them up to the level ground
vibrating in time with their steps, by
narrow tree trunks, notched with foot
holes, which are placed at short inter
walls athwart the sloping sides of the
pit.
Having gained the higher level, they
throw down their burdens by the wash
boxes and descend by other bridges at
a steady trot in a silent, orderly and I'M
broken stream. The men at the wash
boxes, which are long, sloping troughs
Of wood. throw in the dirt and by rak
ing it back and back under a nicely reg
ulated flow of water they separate the
black tin sand from the spoil and shovel
it into tubs ready for the smelling
house, while the spoil is flung down the
slope of the hlther side of the paddock.
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-08-13
NATIONAL TYPE.
Forces Which Enter Into the Work of it,
Creation,

Probably, says BlackWood's Maya
zine, there is no link between an ochre-
Gus complexion and a hasty temper IN
modern man other than a racial one.
The two qualities were CONFIDENTLY de-
veloped by independent agencies. We
know little of the nature and working
of the forces which go to create a ma
tional type. That they are to some eE-
tent climatic and geographical is plain,
for in New Zealand, Queensland and
North America we find the process in
visible operation.
Probably in the days of purely tribal
savagery any peculiar attributes of the
founder of elan migrating away from
his fellows would give the key, which
external nature would develop and
elaborate into national characteristics
Such pioneer, whether emigrant or
outcast, would in most cases be a man
of uncompromising temper and eK-
ceptional orr ginality of mind; and, as
IS well known, these generally go with
physical popularity as strongly
marked. Moreover, all barbarians are
eXtre mely intolerant of any bodily de-
formity or strangeness of aspect, and
often a man, or family, CHANGING to he
>otfensively conspicuous in any such
way, would be expelled from society.
In Central America a hairy man was
deemed an impossible outsider by the
aborigines, while among the blacks of
western and southern Africa an albino
IS always an outcast: These facts show
how a new race might be developed from
a sport" which otherwise would be
redissolved in the prevailing national
fraitc