People's voice., 1896-06-04
People, S Voice.
By LYMAN NAUGLE.
Cyclone at ST. Louis.

Jne uOSU I6TTlUle SuOTu UIldU eNSl 'lo
tied this section of the country. so
widespread is the destruction both IN
st. Louis and East st. Louis that 1t
is impossible to even estimate the
amount of damage and loss Of life.
Buildings of every description are in
ruins and as a result hundreds OF
people are reported dead and injured,
but until daylight comes and order is
restored, it will be impossible to make
definite statements. Reports are in
circulation that seven steamers lying
at wharf both on this and the East
St. Louis side Of the river, have been
sunk with all on board. The city is
nearly in darkness, as the electric
lights and trolley wires are down.
With one or two exceptions all the
street car lines in the city are at
a standstin and thousands of people
are compelled to remain down town
or walk.
"The storm broke OutabOut5 O'Clock
in the afternoon, after a most Oppres-
sively hot day, and rain began to fall.
1t soon developed into a fierce thun-
der storm with the wind from the
east. A little later the wind gained
a velocity Of eighty miles an hour,
driving the rain before it and tearing
loose signs, cOrnices, chimneys and
everything in its way. Many build
ings of every description were demOl-
ished and Others set On fire by light
ming and crossed wires. The fire de,
partment responded to fourteen
alarms. The streets were full of
people going home from work and
a panic enSued as soon as the storm
broke. Men werepiCked upand hurled
against the buildings, horses and car
riages were sent flying here and there
and falling wires full Of deadly fluid
added to the horror OF the scene.
Suddenly the wind Veered around
to the west and completed the de-
structiOn. 1t is asserted by some of
those who have traVerSed the down.
town portion of the city that there
are but few buildings in the city that
have not suffered in some way from
the storm. Tonight the streets are
In complete darkness and travel in
any direction is dangerous because Of
fallen live wires and debris lying
everywhere. The wagOnway Of the
EadS bridge on the East St. Louis
side is a crumbling mass of mortar
and stone and parts of the tower and
pier No. ! were also torn away.
Thousands Of dollars will not cover
the wreckage. An outbound accom-.
mediation train on the Chicago &
Alton read was wrecked by a broken
rail, but fortunately nobody among
the fifty passengers was hurt.
"a trolley Car loaded with passen-
gers bound for the west is said to
have fallen through to the railroad
track below, but with what result is
not known. The roof of the Republi-
can convention hall was blown off and
a A-fOOt section of the western wall
Of the city Jail was blown clear down,
exposing the interior. 1t was during
exercise hours and<two hundred pris-
oners were exercising in the building.
They were panic stricken. They were
too frightened to escape. Jsller Wag-
ner was on the scene in a moment
and with the aid of number of de-
tectives and policemen, the prisoners
were placed in their cells"
st. Louis, Mo-, May 2S.-When dark.
ness temporarily interrupted the
search for storm victims tonight, 3l5
people were known to be dead on both
sides of the river, and although the
complete death list will never be
known it is believed that it will ap-
prpximate 400 in the two cities. The
number Of the injured is even larger
and many Of the manned cannot sur
vive. The property loss will reach
well into the millions, but insurance
people, fremen and police alike refuse
to hazard even a guess at accurate
figures. The uncertainty regarding
loss of life and property is due mainly
to the wide extent of the havoc
wrought by the storm.
The list of known dead in st. Louis
Is l69 and in East St. Louis l46.
The city is in darkness tonight, the
repairs of the electric light wires
having been scarcely begun, and but
few Of the trolley lines are running.
All over the stricken district the de.
briS-chOked streets are crowded with
sight-seers, and through the dim gas.
lit aisles of the city mOrgue at
Twelfth street constant stream OF
people is urged forward by lines Of
police
The most furious work of the storm
was along Rutger street, Lafayett,
op5 OhOufaan arap,o, ord A. o..