The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-06-05

1,cl0ud with the essential features 81 the
cyclone tunnels This second
storm burst upon the city from the
southwest. It came in ON the south
side OF Lafayette Park, struck the city
hospital, and from there tore It's way
through the city to the river by u
northeasterly course. 1t wrought such
havocias will long leave traces in that
part of the city which lies east Of
Seventh street and north of Cerre
street to the Eads bridge.
The boats ut the wharf were torn
from their mornings and capsizeil or
sent adrift. The cloud crossed the
river and demolished the upper work
at the east end of the bridge, and then
1T wreakci it's fury on East st. Louis.
Shortly after o'clock, with the sun
more than an hour above the Western
horizon, there settled upon the city
place to the darkness of midnight.
That was the precursor of the storm in
| the southwest. The hurricane from the
northwest gave the western portion Of
the city "a severe shaking up. Tho
storm from the southwest, which is re-
sponsible for
The Lose Of Life
and untold destruction along the levee
district and in East st. Louis, followed
the hurricane by about half an hour.
BY midnight reporters of the Associ-
ated Press had visited all of the
stricken portions of the city and the
sllsnrbs. Tile list of the dead. as COW
cred. fell far below the first estimates,
but 1t was long enough to he appall
ing. Crushed beneath falling walls,
hurled against THE sides of buildings,
struck by flying timbers, cut by the
shattered glass, shocked by the net
work of down wires. humanity suffered
in ways innuae11b1e,
In the district between Sixth street
AID the river. northwaid from Cllotcan
avenue. The tornado tore Il dia.o. nj
path. Tue district comprises business
.'Jlscs, Irany of them of til: older
tyre.
The loss G. life wiici might lave
taken place at the river was asarted
by the hour ut which the tOr.li.lo oc.
CURED. A little later the excursion
steamers would have been going out.
None OF them had left their wharves.
Other river passenger boats had gone
an hour before, and, although not
heard from. had probably passed be-
yOnd the path of the storm.
Enough is known to show that more
lives have been lost on the East side
than OIL the West side. Perhaps the
most impressive evidence Of the storm
clouds force is to he seen in the wreck
of the. eastern portion Of the big Eads
bridge. There the tornado dealt with
stone and masonry. 1t tore off and
tumbled down tons upon tons of ma
sorry. Beginning with the big eastern
pier and extending to the foot of The
incline, a storm cloud cut off the upper
part of the structure as if it had been
a f1imsy trestlc instead of structure
of wcr)d-famed masonry. What the
tornado did to the Eads bridge will not
be believed unless the eyes see it.
Fire added much to the loss account.
Dow, wires. currents of electricity,
crushed buildings, all contributed to
this element of destruction. The alarm
system was paralyzed. Approaches
We're blocked. 4 100000 coni1agra-
ton OH the st. Louis side was supple
mented by dozen lesser fires. In
East st. Louis mill was burned and
considerable losses We're sustained.
The fires added to the loss ut least
100000
Death in the River.
OF all the craft that lined the river
for miles. but one remains to tell the
story of the disaster. 1t hung steadily
to it's mornings throughout. When the
tornado struck the light of day van
ished in moment. and those at work
could barely discern the forms of the
steamers as one after another pitched
and tossed and finally. with crash,
was blown out into the dark waters
and disappeared. The scene was one
Of wild uncertainty and chaos. No one
knew whittier to seek safety. After
the tornado had passed it left scene
of desolation where ten minutes before
steamers had rocked quietly at their
docks. some just arrived and disuharg-
ing their passengers, others preparing
for departure.
Trucks and baggage had Eeen tossed
llither and thither. PloWss and :.gricul-
tural implements had been distributed
up and down the levee and tl,a whole
appearance was CEe of waste :,nd
wreck. Steamer ]. y. O(!ell. Of tho i!lis
nois Packet company. was blown out
from it's wharf at the foot OF Morgan
street. crashed into the second pier Of
the Eads bridge. and Stalk. Her boilers
blew UP before she disappeared. She
had Il crew OF twelve ard three women
passengers besides her captain. George
Townsend, an old river man. Three of
her crew, Jack Morrissey. Pat Milan,
and - Moore. reached land safely.
The two former jumped before the cX-
plosion occurred and caught on drift
wood. Moore was blown overheard by
the explosion and cut about the head,
but managed to swim ashore. Three
others of the crew clung to the pier
and made their way up to the bridge.
There is no way of estimating the
number of lives lost OH river claft.
Hundreds of barges We're moored all
along the river bank. In some ILL
stances as many as ten or twelve pcr.
sons were OH board when the anchor
age gave way.
Sympathy With st. Louis.
London. May 3O.-All of the morning
l. L. At