The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-06
The Property Loss VIII Foot Up Many
Millions of Dollars.

ST. LOUIS, May 2s.-Thc terrible cpl
Se;nIc of storms and tornadoes that
has devastcd various portions of the
country during the past few weeks
seems to have reached its eliminating
paint in st. Louis and vicinity Wednes-
dry evening, resulting in 4 scene of
widespread destruction difficult tt
realize and an aggregate loss of human
GIfs that when the full tale is told will
reach into the hundreds, while many
hundreds more received injuries that
Will long remain as a reminder of Il
IF the wost disasters that cver befel
the western portion of the continent.
Nearly all Of Wednesday afternoon
there were indications that there
was Z storm brewing, and people on
the streets wore an anxious look as
SLev viewed the threatening clouds.
SI1t none imagined that there was go
iuE to be anything more than a thun-
der storm, as intiInatcd in the weather
forecast for the day. Shortly before
FIVE o'clock, however, Il binding fash
Of lightning followed by a terrific crash
OF thunder told that the beginning of
Che storm was at hand. The rain clouds
5ety2n moving over the city from the
west, but We're met by n strong
Grind from the northeast, which, after
q Gew minutes struggle with the west
eylY current, seemed to double back
towards the southeast. Then there
swept down from the northwest a ter
rifle gale, accompanied with a perfect
<1eluge OF rain, which made every
thing in its pathway tremble. Until
G:1g this hurricane continued its furi-
GUS onslaught. Then the storm ooh
q trend to the north and swept the
business district between Broadway
and the river. Boats were blown from
their moorifgs and capsizcd before the
eyes OF the people on shore. 1t is i'm
possible to say as yet how many
we're drowned. Several boats are
missing. At East st. Louis,
Va stating portions of this city. the
damage is awful. There is scarcely Il
building standing in the town. When
che storm passed the dead and injured
were lying in the streets. From East
St Louis it spread away to the north.
in the records of the local weather
bureau the wind has never blown with
the velocity it displayed yesterday.
Eo- nearly thirteen minutes the
speed registered on the observatory
SougCr was So miles an hour and this
point WAS well removed from the center
If G3c storm. During the tornado, and
Cor 4 long time afterit passed. the rain
tel nshcets. Lightning struck numer-
Hus buildings, and the property loss by
are ai1ae VIII be enormous. The entire
riLy lighting and the electric street
GALWAY system in the southern part OF
The city were destroyed, and the
streets were lined for miles with aban-
5nnad cars, idle and ~motionlcss.
4 terrible feature of the storm was
che blowing down of the city hospital.
che entire west wing and part OF the
root on the o tn wing of the ram
shacklc old structure was blown away.
Two patients were killed and a num-
f5er seriously injured. How many of
The un~fortunates of the city resting in
the hospital walls at the time the
storm struck it will die as the result
Of the exposure to the elements can
GOT be coniectured.
There was great loss of life in the
path of the tornado. Down various
rGh~orCuGhfares in the path of the storm
there is scarcely a house standing.
Chotcau venue was almost blown off
she earth from one end to the other,
md Gratiot street is a heap of ruins.
All along in the most thickly-scttled
portions of the city just south of the
railroad tracks in the Mill Creek val
ley parties searched all night for
bodies. Dozens of men, women and
shildren are undoubtedly under the
ruins.
Skies as black as ink and Il steady
rain interfered greatly with the work
of rescue during the night. The city
was in total darkness, and the streets
were a litter of broken. twisted wires.
AL electric currents were ordered
.erred of. and still there was danger
ron the mass of wires. In the ruined
districts calcium lights were made to
do illuminating duty on the streets,
but the labors of those carrying on the
effort 10 get out the victims were neces-
sarily retarded.
The storm came at a time of the
day when it was easiest to paralyze
the machinery of the health and police
departments on account of the shut
ting off of the lights. Men walked the
street at the risk of their lives.
Thieves and thugs were abroad work |