The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-31
THE WRECKED DISTRICT.
Citizens and Authorities Ciearfn0
Away Debris-Crowds of Siehtseers.

Citizens and Authorities Clearing
Away Debrfs--Crowds of SfGhtseers.
ST. LOUIS. May 30-By slow degrees St
Louis is recovering from the business paraly-
sis caused by the awful storm Some oe
the principal thoroughfares that were
choked with wreckage have been opened ana
a few of the street-car lines have been start
ed. but the telephone system Of the town II
practically useless. The side streets through
the storm-wrecked district are stil In =
chaotic condition. Telegraph and telephons
poles with tangled network OF wires. roofs
Of houses. uprooted trees, wagons and We
hicles of all kinds and the shattered remains
of whole buildings are still strewn through
most OF them so that<traf1c is In many an
stances impossible. II will require weeks 70
restore some Of the streets TO their normal
condition.
The number OF dead is hourly growin0
greater as the work Of clearing the ruins
progresses The ruins where at first II was
not thought there were any dead bodies are
now yielding them UP. 1t was said by the
officials at the City Hospital the day after
the storm that one was crushed In the
ruins. They are now beginning to change
their minds. 1t has neen asserted that from
sixty to seventy-five Of the patients ana
this morning practically nothing towards
exploring the ruins had been done But q
large number OF men were put to work &C
daylight to-day. This was done only at the
loud demands of the people who had friends
at the hospital during the storm, and whs
have not been heard OF since. Father Ken-
rick. of St vincent's Church, who has been
attending TO the spiritual wants OF patients
In the hospital for years, says that hffy
bodies win be found IL not more DR.. Stark
loff says no one knows how many are dead
under the wreckage. Dr. Sutter estimates
the number at twenty-five. but would not Be-
SURPRISED IL It runs over that figure.
Demand for houses and fats by those who
are rendered homeless by Wednesdays
storm is great and real estate men think
there are not sufficient vacant houses In St
Louis TO supply the needs OF the people,
More than half of the available supply has
been exhausted and the real estate of.coo
are constantly besieged by applicants fog
quarters. 1t is estimated that 1000 homes
were SO damaged as TO render them uninhab-
table. Real estate agents say that the num-
her of vacant houses and fats at the time
OF the storm would not exceed six thousand.
and IN that event some families viii have
70 go temporarily without shelter, or depend
upon their more fortunate nelsnDors-
JAM OF sIGHTSEERs-
The storm has attracted TO ST. Louis an
enormous crowd. The streets ere fhronged
with strangers night and day. The hotels
are taxed 10 their utmost capacity 10 care
for their guests. Some of she big doHn-tosu
hotels have had TO put cots In rooms 70 meet
the extraordinary demand tor accoinmoda-
tions. For the past three days al the raibs
road trains TO St Louis. from every direction
have been loaded to the guards with passen-
gers The Union Station is 5ammed constants
ly wita moving. eager. restless mass Of
humanity. and In the rush OF visitors there
are about as many women as men Appar-
emily all the towns within radius OF 100
miles of ST. Louis have ernpficd their popn-
lations here and thousands have come from
Ear beyond that limit. Most OF the strangers
were drawn here by MORBID curiosity. but =
great many % them came 10 look after rcla-
lives ana friends. The devastated district ~
South 81. Louis has peculiar fascination
for the visitors. Thousands OF them thronE
the Lafayette Park region. and really i'm
pede the work OF rescue and repair BY
csoyalng around The wrecked buildings -