The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-05-30
DELVING IN RUINS
DesolatiOn Still Reigns Supreme
at st. Louis and East
st. Louis.
The Police Figures Show a Total
of 366 Dead in the Two
Cities.
No One Doubts That the Final
Figures Will Be Much
Larger.

ST. LOUIS. May 3O.-Desolation still
reigns supreme in the tornado stricken
districts of East St Louis and this city
The day opened up clear and cool, and
everywhere could be seen gangs Of men
delving i'll the ruins for buried victims,
clearing the streets Of dismantled poles,
wires and general debris, repairing the
damage done to thousands of buildings,
and relieving the injured and homeless.
AS time goes OH it becomes more and
more evident that the tornado Is the
worst that ever visited this or any other
city on the North American continent.
Horrors multiply every hour, and the
list of dead is appalling. More than l3O
dead bodies have been rescued in st.
Louis, and over 400 persons are known
to have been injured. Mangled cadav-
ers are found in innumerable places
along the path of the storm, and are
being taken to the improvised morgues
in the different portions of the distressed
district. 1t will be weeks before a COM
plete list of those killed can be made,
but the list of dead is climbing to the
roo mark.
May Reach Fifty Millions.
Only mere guesses can be made as TO
the property loss on both sides of the
river, but mercantile agencies say that
it may reach $5O.OOO,OOO in this city
alone, while in East St. Louis, it will
be several millions. In East St. Louis
the disaster was complete, the western
section of that railway town being one
vast charnel house Only single
dwelling was left standing on what is
called the island and 600 families are
homeless. The citizens estimated the
dead OF fully 200 on the east side.
In the wake of the tornado came
grave problems, and to meet one Of
them-the protection of the city i'll the
absence of the arc lights-the first
Missouri regiment has gone Oh duty for
patrol service and the police commits
sioners will add $50 men to the force.
Beside this, all previous calamities
fade and seem trivial in cost.
The Work of Relief.
Many of the business men of St. Louis
have taken up the work of relief. An
earnest meeting on Change was the be-
ginning. There are thousands who can
pull themselves ont of this trouble.
There are other thousands who have lost
all and must be helped. A partial re-
sumption of the street car service has
been effected. The East and West
roads north of Market street are in
operation, and also the Broadway and
the Grand avenue of the North and
South lines. The southern division of
the Scullin system is the most badly
crippled, owing to the destruction Of the
power house, and the officers venture no
prediction as to when cars will be run
ming. A partial restoration Of the cleo
tric light service is promised in 48 hours
but it will be a couple of weeks before
all of the circuits are in order. The de-
struction of poles and wires along the
path Of the storm was complete. In
quests on the bodies of AZ Of the slain
in St. Louis have been held by Coroner
Waite, and that duty continues. A
verdict of shocks and injuries; acci-
dental was rendered in each case.
East 81. Louis Appeals For Aid.
East St. Louis has issued a touching
appeal for aid and the committee which
prepared the manifesto estimates that
200 persons were killed, and that the
injured will foot up in the thousands.
1t is known that a number of persons
are still buried in the debris on the
southwestern end OF the island, and the
ruins Of the Hallesey house, the Martel
house, the Relay Retreat and the Du-