The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-29

upper story ~ rs cut off clean and one
wing RACED to the ground, but one in
mate was killed
The entire building was rendered use
less and the lettering walls viii be torn
down and q new structure built
Many OF the handsome residences in
Fourteenth street and about Lafayette
park are ruined. but the most damage
and Ninth. south along ChOuteau ave-
nue. in the tenement house district.
Houses are to be seen in all stages of
demolition. from loss Of roof to COM
plete destruction. TIA some Of them the
front walls have fallen out and the
tenants performed their duties. cared
for their injuries or mourned their
dead in view Of the crowds in the
street. From the doors OF many Of the
partially wrecked houses duttered the
black badge of mourning.
HOW THE CYCLONE LOOKED.
The path of the storm is about
half mile wide and over four miles
long, sweeping through the thickly
populated southwest portion of East
land and across the river into East st.
Louis.
Descriptions Of the approach of the
cyclone are many and Interesting.
The nrst section of the cyclone. for
IL appeared to come in waves, first
struck East St Louis about 5.15 o'clOck.
Bye witnesses who We're near the river
declare the cloud seemed to divide and
then come together again The path
entire levee district with the center
and what appeared to be the most de
strucLtVe part of the storm near the
Eads bridge. The upper portion OF
the bridge from the east side Of the
river for about nifty feet was torn
away.
The three upper stories of elevator b
were blown off and scattered for blocks.
Directly across the tracks from the
Belt Line warehouse were the Vandalia
general offices and freight house. Of
the general Offices scarcely one brick
is ieIr on top OF another while of the
freight house nothing remains but
pile of kindling wood Not more than
two or three Of the employees escaped
the remainder being crushed to death.
The path of the storm thence to the
relay station is marked by an unbrOken
line Of overturned freight cars. sDlin-
tered telegraph poles and roohess
houses.
The car tracks are utterly impassa-
bic and il viii be days before anything
approaching order can be effected
Whole trains of freight cars were lifted
from the tracks and twisted in every
direction.
o. G. Van Houten. an employe Of
the St. Louis and East St Louis Elec-
trio railway was an eye witness to the
destruction of the Vandalia general
Office.
Several Of u.s. said Mr.. Van Houten,
were standing outside the car sheds
watching the approach of the storm.
II seemed to me that there were two
distinct cyclones All ct once they
seemed to come together. The tele-
phone poles in front of the barns went
down first and then we ran for our
lives. HOW i got there I don't know
but finally 7 managed 60 crawl under a
truss of the big bridge and hung on for
my life. Then I saw the barns where
we had lately stood cave In and all at
once the Wandalia offices went The
walls seemed to be hattened out as if
something weighty had fallen on top of
the building. one of the freight cars
IN which some Of the boys had crawled
for safety was blown up the track with
the storm. 1T crashed into some cars
about q hundred feet up the track.
"See that trolley car" said mr. Van
Houten. pointing to q car lying in the
gutter a short distance up the track.
s'That car was lifted bodily off the
a-aes and thrown into che gutter. where