The Portland daily press., 1896-05-28
LIVES LOST ESTIMATED AS
HIGH AS 800.
Over Hundred Killed By Bridge
Disaster.
GRANDSTAND WRECKED AND
MANY KILLED THERE.

MANY KILLED THERE,
Steamboats, and Trains Were Overturned-
Churches and Other Buildings Leveled
to the Ground-Town of Rennick Wiped
From Face of the Earth-EIost AppaI-
ling Cyclone Disaster Ever Known,
st. Louis, Mo-. May 27.-St. Louis was
struck by cyclone Of frlghtful fury at
late hour this afternoon. Hundreds of
people were killed. The property loss is
beyond estimation. At $40 the clouds
that had covered the city since noon
broke into furious storm. Within 10
minutes ths wino reached velocity of so
miles an hour, sweeping with it dense
waves of rain. The highest speed of the
wind here previously recorded was 70
miles an hour in August, 1878. The
soreeching of the wind through the cleo
trio wires, the crash of debris that swept
In every direction, the flashes from
tangled wires and crashing thunder made
scene indesoYibable. The loss of life is
appalling. At p. m. the lowest esti-
mate of fatalities in East st. Louis and
this city is placed at 800.
| East st. Louis suffered the greatest
probably. Messengers came at 7p. m. from
there asking for physicians and nurses.
The steamer D. Fl. Pike with 30 passen-
gers on board bound for Peoria was
blown bottom side up
In the middle of the river a number of
persons were killed, The steamer Della
phin with crew of six and 20 lady pas
sengers on board was blown against a
bridge pier and broken in two. The
ladies and two Of the crew clung to the
stone work Of the bridge and were res
cued.
The steamer Libbie Conger with only
Captain Seaman, his wife and three of
the Grew on board went adrift. The
wreck of the boat opposite Carondelet is
supposed to be the Conger.
| Ottened's furniture store was demol-
ished and six men are reported killed.
A saloon at 604 South Seventh street fell
with nine men in the ruins. st. Patrick's
church at Sixth and Biddle Streets fell
and the debris filled the streets. The
electric railway line was burned out as
we'll as the electric plant. Fourteen fire
alarms sounded within an hour. Three
alarms were sent in from the poor house.
which building has 1900 inmates The
roof of the poor house was blown off a nd
the fatalities were great.
During the last race at tie fair grounds
the roof was blown off the grand stand.
The crowd had gone to the open field
for safety. -Four men were killed.
The armory at 18th and Pine street is
being used for Temporary hospital. At
7.30 the rain which ceased for time be-
gan afresh and fell in torrents.
At s the eastern sky was afame with
| the lights Of fires in East st. Louis. The
metal roof Of the Merchants Exchange
| was rolled up like scroll and fell into
| the streets.
The Louisville & Nashville east bound
| passenger train just reached East ST.
Louis when the storm struck that city.
| Iht train was overturned. Mlraculously
only few passengers were injured. They
were taken from the cars by yard man.
The Chicago g Alton east bound passen-
ger train which left St. Louis at was
| ON the east span of the bridge when the
wind picked the cars up and turned than
over,
The iron spans and trusses held the
cars from topping into the river 100 feet
| below. The passengers were thrown in
| to confused mass. The reported fatali
ties in East ST. Louis are hourly increas-
ing in number. At O'Clock it is esti-
| mated that the loss of life will exceed
l5O. 1t is impossible to cross the river
to get particulars.
Works and flamos wero soon pouring
from dozen buildings. The fire depart
ment is utterly powerless to cope with
the oonfagration and it is feared that
| nearly the entire business and great
portion of the resident section will be
destroyed by flames if it is not already
so BY the wind. Among the principal
tional hotel, Standard Oil Works, East
st. Louis wire nail works, Crescent ele-
vator, H. and L. elevator, all freight
depots and residences on st. Clair avenue.
The damage to property at S. Louis
ls estimated at 81, 100000. The loss in
East 81. Louis is aleady So, 000 Oo0 and
the tire is still raging.
There were really two cyclones. One
came from the northwest and the other
from the east. They met on the Illinois
shore of the Mississippi river. The list
OF dead in St. Louis is beyond present
computation. A startling report reached
the police that 200 girls were In the
ruins of Liggitt & Meyers cigarette taoto-
~.
Wind swept away the roof of the expo
sition building and that structure is
badly damaged by the flood of water.
Ihe greatest anxiety Is felt for the SAFE
" OF passengers In different excursion
noatS that were in the river when the
storm broke.
Steamer City OF Florence with an ex-
oarslon party is reported lost below
Carondolet. The steamer ST. Paul with