The herald., 1896-05-29
was hurt there beyond few slight

was hurt there beyond a few slight
bruises.
at the Vandalia the loss of life and
the NUMBER injured is very great. Moth
ing remains of the railway depot to
marx where 1t stood The National
motel at the National stock yards is
wrecked, the whole front being torn out,
roof blown off and every window on all
sides blown in.
BUSINESS was practically at stand
stlll today Street cars were running
in some directions, but In the vicinity
OF the wrecked district, trolley, tele-
phone and telegraph wires were badly
tangled and practically useles for the
great part of the day. In several streets
the telegraph poles were all broken off
close to the ground, making passage
almost impossible, owing to the twisted
wires.
Through South st. Louis the greatest
damage was done between Russell
avenue on the south and Choteau and
Papin streets on the north. Within that
territory, from the western city limits
to the river, the wreck is beyond esti-
mate and the loss of life cannot be esti-
mated. The most wholesale slaughter
was at Seventh and Rutger streets
Where thirteen persons were crushed to
death in the Mockheimer saloon and
boarding house. Many others are known
to be- buried in adjacent houses on Rut-
ger street. The ruin was so complete
Nat the police and volunteers did not
know where to begin the work of clear
ing away the debris.
big gang of men is putting up the
torn down poles and wires and conduc-
tors and motormen are clearing the
wreckage from the tracks. The Scullin
system has met with most irreparable
damage. The power house on South
Jefferson avenue is blown to pieces, hard
" a xyn ct al txrr .ts.
of the Scullin system is between $3.50, 900
and 100000.
The storm was most peculiar and
scarcely two people in all the city agree
as to just how the damage was done.
The wind seemed to take the form of
a tornado rather than that of a cyclone
and wrecked buildings show none of the
twisted irons and girders which usually
mark the track of a rotary wind storm.
The general trend was from southwest
to northeast the center of the business
district of the city lying about a mile
north of the storms path. The first
heavy damage was in the vicinity of
Tower Grove and Lafayette park. where
hundreds of handsome residences were
wrecked and many people injured. One
of the remarkable features was the de-
Struction of wing of the city hospital,
carrying two hundred patients and
nurses down in the wreck and killing
but one person.
The steamers Pittsburg, of the Dia-
mond Joe line. the City of Vicksburg and
City of Providence of the Columbian Ex-
cursion company, the City Of Monroe of
the Anchor line, and all sorts Of small
craft were pitched about, tossed about
until a final blast sent them from their
moorings. They were swept across the
river and struck the Illinois band a few
blocks from each other. The loss of life
on these boats is thought to be slight
as everybody was cautioned not to jump
and they would be brought safely to
land.
The City of vicksburg is almost
total wreck. The City of Providence
rudder Is gone and cabin and smoke
stacks were blown away before she part
ed from her wharf. The St Louis and
st. Paul Packet company's steamer st.
Paul had started for Keokuk when the
tornado struck the city. She has not
been heard from since. She had a full
cabin. The Belle of Cathon, the Ma
dill and the Libbie Conger. which were
moored near Choteau avenue, were al
most totally blown up. The cabins and
smokestacks were blown away. The
Elon G. Smith. the harbor boat. was
blown down the river and was wrecked
near Arsenal island. 1t is thought no
lives were lost on this boat. The steam
err Harvester, Of the Mississippi Valley
Transportation company. was also torn
IL
A river man said that 81, 500. 900 would not
repair and replace the boats alone that
figured in yesterdays disastrous storm.
AS an instance, it may be stated that
two large barges belonging to the Mis-
sissippi Valley Transportation company
and holding 100000 bushels Of wheat, the
property of the White Commission COM
pany, were blown away. When the va
riety of goods that Is transported by
river craft is considered 1t will be seen
how easily the amount lost foots up.
All of the barges of the transportation
company except one were lost and Cap
tain Haarstick has telegraphed Cairo to
see IL he can secure others to continue
the businss of the company while new
ones are being built.
The Louis Logg broke from her haw-
Sers during the tornado. Four of the
crew plunged overheard and were seen
to drown. The others were rescued. The
crew and passengers of the ferry boat
Christie had a remarkable experience.
When the storm broke the boat was torn
from her moorings at the foot OF Spruce
street and blown down stream with fear
full velocity. The passengers were Graz
ed with fear and sixteen two-horse teams
stampeded on the lower deck. The water
rushed over the boat, filling the hull,
but by miracle 1t fioated and was drlv-
en- before the storm down stream. The
river was like a raging sea and the crew
was unable to launch any boats. The
passengers crouched in the cabin, expect
ing every moment to go down. The boat
drifted as far as Jefferson Barracks,
where she sunk in shallow water. The
teams on the lower decks were drowned,
but the fifteen passengers were rescud
in boats.
Th steamer City of Cairo of the Anchor
line, blown from the wharf at the foot
OF Pine street, was carried to the Illinois
side of the river and totally wrecked
Confair William Me-
Clatchy and DIR. Riddell, the only per-
sons on hoard. were taken off at noon.