River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-06-04

physicians, newspaper men ana OtnerS
whose duties called them to the scene. the
| place has been cut off from communication
with this city since Wednesday night. a
section of the upper or railroad portion of
the Eads bridge having been carried away.
| while guards were stationed at either end
| to prevent pedestrians using the foot
bridge.
Eads Bridge opened.
The roadway of the sads bridge was
cleaned OF wreckage at Il p. m. Thursday.
and q test engine and car passed over in
safety.
In addition to the injured in the two
schoolhouses, there are "a MANNED women,
| children and men In st. Mary's hospital.
Women and girls from the farms of the
surrounding country poured into the city
in droves Thursday afternoon and even
ing, with bundles of old linen, clothing and
other necessaries and proffered their serv-
| ices as nurses. The good samaritans were
badly needed by the hospital people and
city authorities. and nearly every victim In
| the public or extemporized hospitals has an
| Individual attendant
The Ruined District.
A district In this city bounded north by
| Chouteau avenue. west by Grand avenue.
south to the city limits and east to the
| river. is v .tually a mass of ruins. Not an
electric light has burned nor a car run in
that section. comprising 720 city blocks.
| since $40 D. m. Wednesday. Within this
| territory scarcely a building has escaped
injury and thousands of them are in ruins
| On surveying the desolate scene one mar
| wells that the deaths are not treble greater
| Beginning at the western boundary of the
scene Is the handsome and exclusive resi-
denco section known as Compton Hill. the
home of the folrth generation of the early
| French settlers of St. Louis. This aristo
cratic home place is strewn with debris
Just east lies lafayette park There the
| trees. shrubbery. fountains and statuary
| that have been the pride of the city were
| caught by the wind and the place is shaver
/ bare as with a giant scythe. Farther east
and south to the city limits were the homes
| of the thrifty German-Americans who have
given distinct character to the district.
| To-day thousands of them are sharing the
roofs of their hospftable and more fortu-
nate neighbors.
Interspersed In this latter section and On
| tho east to the river are mills. breweries
| and numberless manufacturing concerns
These were fair targets for the storm and
they suffered. 1t was this class of losses
that added most to the wiping out of what
Is conservatively stated to be 1900. 900 in
vested capital There are Is breweries
within these bounds worth $4,000. 900. and,
while none arc destroyed. all are dam
aged. The losses fail heaviest on those
| least able to bear theni-business men of
small capital and owners of humble homes.
After the storm had laid its heavy hand
upon the southern half of the city fire
came to complete the,work of destruction.
Five columns of flame shot up. but. thanks
to the deluge of rain. they were mainly con-
fined to their starting points. In three in
stances the engines were unable to get
nearer than block of the fires.
- Its Track In East St. Louis.
In East ST. Louis the track OF the storm
is as clearly defined after touching the
Illinois shore as II plated by a surveyor
Tearing diagonally through the city from
southwest to northeast. It cut clean
swath OF destruction. Bloody island the