Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-06-04


st. Louis. Mo-, May 49, Two hun
dred lives snuifod out in this city and
as many more in East st. Louis and
the destruction of property whose value
ran up into tho e'millions is the record
made by the 9th day of May, 1896.
This is a conservative estimate. No
possible idea Of the number of people
killed in tho tornado that swept this
vicinity yesterday afternoon can be
made at this time. South st. Louis is
Uttered with the bodies of the dead.
East st. Louis is a gigantic cemetery.
Under tine debris of the buildings of
that city are scores of burned bodies
that will not bo brought to the light
for many days, perhaps never
1t was the most disastrous storm,
from every point of view, in the his
tory OF the city. Tho elements did
little damage in the business and north
ern portions of the city save along the
river front, where the loss cannot be
estimated. just how many gave up
their lives in the waters of the Missis
sippi when the tornado came down and
tore all the boats in the harbor from
their muorings will never be known.
The channel is full of wreckage. In
South St. Louis the storm spent its
force. All the way from Papn street
to Carondelet it put a stamp on tho
face of the city that will not be effaced
for years. Big and strong buildings
fell before the wind like houses made
of cards. From where it entered the
city, out in the southwestern suburbs
to where it loft, somewhere noar the
Eads bridge. there is a wide path of
ruins Factory aftor factory went
down and piles of brick and timber
mark the spots on which they stood.
Business houses were fiattened There
was no chance for tho escape of'the oc-
cupants. The ruins cover bruised and
mangled bodies that will not he recov-
cred unit "a systematic search is made.
Thousands Of families in South st.
Louis are practically homeless and the
temporary hospitals shelter hundreds
Early in tho storm tho plant OF tho
Laclede Gas Co. at Fourteenth and
Poplar streets, was destroyed and large
portions of the central part of the city
we're cut Off from its gas supply. Wires
are down all over the city. Liggett &
Meyers big factory, at Compton
Heights, is ruin and many were
killed and injured in the wreck. Ee-
vators were blown down, boats were
sunk and churches and school houses
we're demolished. After tho wind and
rain had done their work fire added to
the destruction.
AT Liggett & Myers tobacco works
10 persons were killed and 20 injured.
One corner of the city hospital was
blown out and the building was other
wise damaged. One patient died from
fright and two others were killed by
falling debris, while many were seri-
ously injured, some of whom will did,
Arrangements were made TO move the
patients to another building The
Sidell 4 Shenley building, at Seventh
ana Rudger streets, fell in and il is
rumored that Is women were buried in
tho ruins. Engine house No. | was
blown down and the firemen were
Z buried. Every hospital in the city is
filed with tho wounded victims of the
storm and the morgue is taxed to the
utmost to accommodate the large num-
ber Of dead bodies that arc being
brought ia from every section OF the
devastated district.
At East ST. Louis the destruction
,as great. Tho houses, factories and
workshops along Front street were cut
to the ground and present sad sight
of ruin and wreck. How many lives
were snuiled out undor tho wreck it
will take time to find out. That thcro
are a number of peopla killed is known.
Two hundred is thought to be con
servative estimate of tho number of
dead. The threo-story frame hotel of
William Wicher, in which there were
10 or 20 people, wont down with q
crash. Whethor any Of the guests wore
saved il not known. Among tho build
ings destroyed are tho City Hall, the
police station, tho Fremont House, the
Baltimore ~ Ohio and Vandalia railroud
round-houscs, every freight house on
the island. tho Wiggins Ferry Co. IS
warehouse, the STANDARD Oil Works,
Griggins' Hotel. tne Workman's Bank
and b. +. Harris' cooper shop. The
nodes of four unknown men and two
qnknown womon arc waiting idontiilca-
tion.
In st. Louis tho Samuel Cupples
WoodenwHre 90. Is warehouse, at Sew
enCh and Spruce streets, was burned,
Six unknown men wore taken out of
the ruins of box factory at Ninth
and larry streets
Tho Founding Asylum, at Hickory
and Elm streets, is a complete wreck.
In South Jefferson avenue four fine
residences wero completely wrecked.
Ganalos' lumber yard was struck by
lightning and destroyed and tho An
nunciation Church, at Sixth and La
Sale streets. was blown down.
A street car, which was overturned
at Eighth and Park streets, crushed a
man and injured others. Mrs. Sophie
de Martina was killed. by flying timbers
The st. Louis Cracker Co Is building,
at Eighteenth and Choteau streets, is
O wreck.
Tho frail buildings mt East st. Louis
and the flat landscape offered fold
for tho storm that produced dire results
Freight trains were picked up and
blown oil tho track and landed, cap