The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-06-04
ToRNADo,s AWFUL COURSE.
How 1t Cut Through the City, Swept
the River and Crossed.

How 1t Cut Through the City, Swept
the River and Crossed.
ST. LOUIS, May 29.-The awful sweep
of the tornado is marked by devas-
tated district in the Southwestern por-
ton of the city, half mile wide and
four miles long, with wrecked build
ings, tottering walls, debris choked
streets, and rescuing parties to tell the
story Of havoc and death.
st. Louis is dazed by the amount of
the calamity and it will be days before
the total loss OF life and the AMOUNT of
property destroyed will be known.
The storm left its path Uttered with
dead and dying. and patrol wagons,
ambulances and undertaker's cars were
busy all day long carrying the identi-
fed dead to their homes and homes of
relatives and friends, or leaving the un-
identified with the city morgue auth
critics. The property loss is terrific,
estimates ranging from SlO,OO0,0OO to
$50 100000.
The storm which wrought the havoc
was a most peculiar one and scarcely
two people in all the city agree as 10
Just how the damage was done. The
wind seemed to'take the form of a tor.
nado, rather than that of cyclone,
the wrecked buildings, showing none Of
the twisted irons and girders which
usually mark the track Of rotary wind
storm. The general trend was from
southwest to northeast, the center of
the business district Of the city,
lying about mile north. The
first heavy damage was in the vicinity
of Lower Grove and Lafayette Parks,
where handsome residences were
wrecked and many injured. The tor
nado swept from there northeast as far
as the river, when with a sudden turn
to the north it cleared the Mississippi
and tore its way into the heart Of East
st. Louis.
One of the remarkable features was
the destruction Of wing of the city
hospital, carrying 200 patiens and nurses
down in tho wreck and killing but one
person.
The steamers Pittsburg Of the Dia.
mond Joe limo, City of Vicksburg and
City Of Providence Of the Columbian
Excursion company, the City of Monroe
OF the Anchor line and all sorts of
small craft were pitched and tossed
about until final blast rent them from
their moonngs. They were swept
across the river and struck the Illinois
bank, few lengths Of 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 a total wreck. The City OF
Providence was blown upon the Illinois
bank. Her rudder is gone and cabin
and smoke stacks were blown away be.
fore she parted from her wharf.
The Sc. Louis and 81. Paul Packet
company's steamer st. Paul had started
for Keokuk when the tornado struck
Of. She had full cabin. The Belle of
Calhoun, the Madill and the Lubbie
Conger, which were moored near Cho-
up. Their cables and smoke stacks were
blown away The Ellen G. Smith, the
harbor boat, was blown down the river
and was wrecked near Arsenal island.
u Is thought no lives were lost on this
boat. The steamer Harvester of the
Mississippi Valley Transportation COM
pany was almost tom from !ts dock and
carried down the river. The ioss to
property can only be estimated A
riverman said that 81 100000 would not
repair and replace the boats alone that
Inquired in the disastrous storm.
AS an instahce, 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
company, were blown away. When
the variety of goods that is transported
by the river craft Is considered II will
be seen how easily the amount lost foots
up. All the barges of the transporta-
ton company except one were lost and
Captain Haarstick has telegraphed
Cairo to see if he can secure others TO
continue the business of the company
while new ones are building.
The Louis Kogg broke from its 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 Christy had terrible experience.
When the storm broke the boat was
born from its moorings at the foot of
Spruce street and blown down stream
with fearful velocity. The pi issengers
were crazed with fear and 1.-two horse