The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-29
BRUNT OF THE VIOLENCE.
District Lying south and Along the
River Bank.

River Bank.
A detail of officers has been sent
along the banks of the river searching
for some trace of the missing steamer
Great Republic, which had 500 excur-
sionists on board. No reports of her
whereabouts have been received at po-
lice headquarters and the authorities
fear she is lost. Rumors that the
steamer Republic has landed at Jeffer-
son barracks and has sustained serious
damage are current but no authentic
report can be obtained.
The distance between Clark avenue
and Washington avenue from Twelfth
street 30 the river suffered fearfully
from the ravages of the windstorm
The brunt Of the violence of the storm
was borne by that portion Of the dis
trict lying south and along the river
bank, as comparatively light damage
was done to the property farther north
and west. The tornado
VENTED ITS GREATEST FURY
along the river front. The levee for
miles I'D and down was devastated
and laid waste. Great steamers were
torn from their mornings at the first
blast and blown down the river for
miles. OF all the craft that lined
the river for miles but one re-
mains to tell the story of the
disaster 1t hung steadily to its moor
1ngS throughout. When the tornado
struck the river the light of day van
fshed in a moment and those at work
on the levee could barely discern the
forms of the steamers as one after an
other pitched and tossed and finally
~itn g crash were blown out into the
oarE waters and disappeared The
scene was one IF WILD
chaos. No one knew whittier to seek
safety from the fury of the storm.
After the tornado had passed It left
q scene Of desoiation where ten minutes
before steamers had rocked quietly aft
Their docks, some just arrived and
dlschargfng their passengers; others
preparing for departure
Trucks and baggage had been tossed
hf0her and thtther most of it into the
river. Flows and agricultural imnIe-
raencs mad been distributed up and
Vown The levee as far as could be seen
ana Inc whole appearance was that of
WASTE AND WRECK.
The steamer J. J. Odell, of the Illi-
nos river packet line, was blown out
from its wharf at the front of Morgan
street, crashed into ths section pier Of
the Eads bridge and sank. Her boilers
blew I'D before she disa ppeared. She
had crew of twelve and three women
passengers besides her captain. George
Townsend, an old river man who has
his home in st. Louis. Three Of her
crew, Jack Morrissey, Pat Milan and a
man named Moore reached land safalv
The two former jumped before the ex-
plosion and caught drift wood. Moore
was blown overheard by the explosion
snd was curt about the head. but man
aged to swim ashore Three others of
the crew chung to the pier and made
Their way up to the bridge proper.
There Is no way of estimating the
number Of lives that were lost on fhe
river craft that happened to be near
when the cyclone came.
HUNDREDS OF BARGEs
were moored all along the river hank
IN some instances as many as ten and
Twelve persons were on board when
the anchorage gave way under the fer
rTble strain. Men were blown into the
water, the barges overturned and the
destruction Of life will be large. Severa !
boats were jerked from their Inoorings
and carried far down the river. The tnp
Belle of Baton Rouge, which was an7
ci1ored up the river, was carried for
down the river, rolling over and finaI1I,
81 hiking the craft of the Virgins Fe,-7.y,
company at the front of Chotean e1,a
lue, where ii sunk