The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-29


on and the flag ripped into shreds. The
east roof OF the building was blown or.
The flying boards shattered windows
within radius OF l50 feet The plaster
on the roof was carried away. This
caused many holes and creviCes. through
winch the water poured and submerged
the floor Of the building There is not
much left of the roof at best, and il VIII
have TO be replastered and repapered
A couple OF roof 1oists went through the
south wall Of the building, tearing in
and this was not through windows, bur
the solid portion of the walls. These
and were removed after the storm had
abated.
The storm was most destructive I'm force
when ii crossed Seventh street from the
east The eddying currents OF wind again
and again returned TO make that street a
wilderness. AT least forty people were
Killed along this thoroughfare and the
streets Immediately adjacent. House af-
ter house was totally demolished and the
wonder grows with extended Investigation
that the number Of dead Is not far in eN-
cess of what it now appears to be.
Naly's saloon at South Seventh street
was a total wreck. When il fell. it was
fun of men who had taken refuge there.
ana from ntteen 10 twenty We're killed.
one poor fellow has been taken out dead
ana ten others seriously injured. 1t Is
thought others are still in the brick-chok-
ed basement, and gang of men is busy
dlsglng into the debris. The force of the
wind was so frightful along here that
Ine iron trolley supporting poles of the
southwestern electric line are bent ovcr
the ground. They did not break, but bent
like copper wire.
OF course all the telegraph poles are
down, many Of them snapped i'm twain
with the top-heavy heads hanging over the
street held alOft by the wires, which still
cling 10 them.
At the Vermont marble works. 1t25 South
seventh street, the wreck was complete.
Harry Hess, a driver for the concern, was
buried peneath blocks Of stone. Here had
boarding house of Frederick Mockenheim-
er IL was occupied by twenty families.
the full number Of souls reaching at least
When the .=orm struck 1t it went up like
dry pun ball, buryng the inmates. No
one knows how many dead it's ruined
prick and mortar conceal. Eleven persons
nave Deen taken out dead and
ess 4s' injured nSd Company a241a more OF rer or
men was assigned to the work of rescue.
across the street on the southwest cor
ner, the wreck was as bad, but the num-
Der OF the people in the building was not
50 large. Several dead bodies and a half
dozen sorely wounded have been removed
and others are thought to be there.
Inc Soulard market was blown to pieces.
And so 1t ran along this ill-starred street.
The anxiety was relieved at $50 o'clock
this morning when the steamer Grand Re
public anchored at the foot of Olive
street; The big triple-deck passenger
boat left here yesterday afternoon with
about 900 women and children on board.
1t was feared she was lost, and her safety
caused general rejoicing.
The destruction of property in East St
Louis Is estimated at over $2000,0O0
The burned district embraced five blocks
The telegraph wires are all down, and the
treight trains have all been side-tracked
80 as to minimize the chances for col
lisions and accidents to the passenger
trains.
All the north-bound and west-bouna
roads which can go south by western
outlets are passing over the Merchants
bridge, which remains practically un-
harmed. But the Louisville and Nash
vile, baltimore and Ohio. Cairo Short
Line Mobile and Ohio, Illinois Central
Wabash, Eastern, Louisville, Evansville
ana St Louis, the Big Four and all the
roads running east or south are entirely
blockaded. Not only is the Eads bridge i'm
passable but the railroad yards in East
st. Louis and the relay depot the whole
network of tracks and switches from the
Mississippi river east, northeast and south
as far as Pinckneyviue, are impossible
for traii1c and Will probably remain so
for several days.
It is. reported that over dozen heavily
loaded passenger trains coming here from
the east and south were caught last night
and this morning in the cyclone and ruin
Whlch II caused, and are ditched or block
aueq from three to ten miles out on the
praireS of Illinois
Almost a reign of terror prevails in East
81. Louis tonight. Save for a tug and a
rev row boats placed at the service Of
newspaper men and others whose duties
peen cut off from communication with
this city since last night, a section of The
upper or railroad portion of the Eads
Drldge having been carried away, while
guards were stationed at each end to
prevent pedestrians using the footbridge
The thieves and toughs of the city. how
ever, reinforced by scores from the coun-
try surrounding, started in this after
noon to pillage the overturned trucks in
We slreerS ana the Irelght cars on the
sldings which were filed with valuable
merchandise, groceries and provisions.
The small police force had been detailed
10 aid the injured, and assist in the task
of searching the ruins, and realizing that
they were poWerless to preserve order,
or prevent the piuaging, Mayor Bader
called upon Gov. Altgeld for aid. He
quickly responded by ordering two com
panies Of militia to the scene. The first
company arrived from Belleville at 8
O'Clock, and the second is en- route from
Greenville on special train
and will be on the ground at a. m. The
governor himself arrived late tonight and
the various properties TO be protected.
Prior to his arrival a meeting of leading
citizens was held in the First National
bank building in response to a call hur-
redly issued by ex-Congressman w S.
FOrman and others, and after a full dis
cussion of the situation it was decided to
issue the following appeal and the South
ern Associated Press was requested to give
il circulation: '"TO the People of the
United States: The city of East St. Louis
has been visited by one of the most terri
BILE and destructive tOrnadoes in the his
tory of the country. AS a result of its
fearful work at least 200 lives have been
lost, while the number of manned and
wounded we are unable as yet to deter
mine, but it would run into the thou
sands. The amount of damage to proDer-
ty is very great, and it is Impossible at
this time to ascertain, but it is safe to say
that at least 600 families are rendered
homeless. A great number of these must
depend upon charity for shelter
"Whle the loss appears to fall upon
the poorer classes of people. almost ev-
cry citizen has directly or Indirectly suf-
fered damage. While we regret exceed
ingly to call upon the country at large
in this extremity, we feel utterly unable
TO supply the absolute necessities of these
afflicted people. although our own citizens
are putting forth every effort and are
contributing as literally, and, indeed
more literally than their means allow
We therefore appeal to the generosity Of
our sister cities and our communities for
help in this hour of trouble. We will be
pleased to receive subscriptions and as
sistance IN any form which may be deem
ed advisable. The executive committee
has appointed Paul w Abt, president OF
the First National Bank of this city.
treasurer to whom all contributions can
be sent. H. f. Bader, Mayor"
St. Louis. Mo-, May 2S. 1850 p. m.-Tho
dc