The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-06-02

III.
Ief crew, Jack NIorrissey. Pat Milan.
ana --- Moore, reached land safely
The two former jumped before the ex
ploSlon occurred and caught on drift.
wood. Moore was blown overheard by
the explosion and cut about the head.
Dut managed to swim ashore. Three
others of the crew eIung to the pier
and made their way up to the bridge.
There is no way of estimating the
number of lives lost OH river craft.
Hundreds of barges were moored all
along the river bank. In some i'll
stances as many as ten or twelve per-
sons were OH board when the anchor
age gave way.
st. Louis, May 31-Desolation still
reigns supreme in the tornado-stricken
districts Of East st. Louis and this
city. Tile day opened up clear and
cool, and everywhere could be seen
gangs Of men delving into the ruins
for buried victims. clearing the streets
of dismaGtled poles, wires and general
debris, repairing the damage done to
thousands of buildings and relieving
the injured and homeless.
AS the time goes on it becomes more
and more evident that the tornado is
the worst that ever visited this or any
other city on the North American con-
tinent Horrors multiply every hour
and the list of dead is appalling. More
than 100 dead bodies have been recov-
cred in st. Louis and over 400 persons
are known to have been injured.
Mangled cadayerS are still found along
the path Of the storm and are taken to
the improvised morgues. 1t will be
weeks before complete list of those
killed can be made. but the list of dead
in ST. Louis alone is climbing up to the
200 mark.
Only mere guesses can be made as to
the property loss on both sides OF the
river, but mercantile agencies say that
it may reach S50,0O0,000 in this city
alone, while in East st. Louis it will
be several millions. In East st. Louis
The Disaster Was Complete,
the western section of that railway
town being one vast charnel house.
Only a single dwelling was left stand
ing on what is called the island, and
GOO families are homeless. Citizens es-
innate the dead at fully 200 on the
East side In the wake of the tornado
came grave problems. To meet one
of them-the protection of the city IN
the absence of electric lights-the First
Missouri regiment has gone on duty
for patrol service and the police com
missioners will add 1G0 men to the
force.
The business men of ST. Louis have
taken uD the work of relief. An ear
nest meeting on change yesterday was
the beginning. There are thousands
who can pull themselves out OF this
trouble. There are other thousands
who have lost all and must be helped.
A partial resumption of the street car
service has been effected. The east
and west roads north of Market street
are in operation and also the Broad
way and Grand avenue division OF the
north and south lines. Within the
southern division the Scullen system
is the most badly crippled, owing TO
The destruction of the power house.
and the officers venture no predlctlon
as to when cars will be running. A
partial restoration of the electric llgnt
service is promised in forty-elght
hours. but it will be couple OF weeks
before all Of the circuits are in order.
The destruction of poles and wire
along the path of the storm was COM
plete Inquests on the bodies OF 4
of the slain in st. Louis have been
held. A verdict of "shock and injuries;
accidental" was rendered in each case
East st. Louis has issued
Touching Appeal for Aid,
and. the committee which prepared the
manifesto estimates that 200 persons
were killed and that the number OF IN
iured will foot up in the thousands.
1t is known that a number of persons
are still buried in the debris on the
southwestern end of the island and in
the ruins of Halsey's hotel, the Mar
tel house. the Relay Retreat and the
Durant house Conservative people as
sert that the list will not reach the es-
timated total of 200, though enough
nersons are now missing to create
fear that the fatalities will approach
that number Many of those who have
not been seen by their families since
Wednesday are supposed to be stop
ping with friends or detained from re-
turning to their homes by injuries that
NAV not prove fatal. Street car traf1c,
telephone service and electric lighting
facilities are entirely suspended. All
business is virtually suspended.
Every one agrees that months will
fail to reveal the extent of the lorna
dos devastation in the Illinois towns.
From the surrounding country thou
sands of men, women and children
f1ocked into the city to view the scenes
of ruin and death.
The officials of the board of educa-
ton are busy figuring out the enormous
loss which the schools suffered All
the South end schools between Cho-
teau avenue and Arsenal streets were
badly damaged Some had roofs blown
away and walls cayed in and others
- +r with I.1iuad windows and Chin