Semi=weekly graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1895-1902, 1896-05-30
East st. Louis.

!
900, which will be. he says. almost 1
7 total loss owing to the lack O
cyclone insurance. Other estimates
range from $4,000. 900 to $50 .0O0. 900
but the majority are close to that
made by Col. Wettmore.
When the sun rose on St. Louis
and vicinity this morning it showed
scene OF terrible ruin and disaster
Wind, rain and fire had combined
in mission of destruction.
Two hundred lives were lost In this
city and as many more were killed
in East st. Louis, while thousands
were injured. Many of them so
severely that they cannot recover.
The exact number will not be
known for many days. and perhaps
never, for the debris of ruined build
ings all over the city cover hundreds
of Luman beings.
The damage and destruction OF
property will aggregate many mil
lions OF dollars, but the exact
amount cannot he estimated with
any degree OF certainty
The terrible tornado that caused
this destruction struck the city yes
teroay afternoon at 5:15 O'Clock and
all parts OF the city and East st.
Louis felt its effects. The greatest
damage on this side OF tie river as
inflicted with q three-mile strip along
the mighty stream. Many buildings
totally collapsed from the force of
the wind; others wese unroofed,
Willie very few in the city escaped
some injury. Signs and cornices were
torn off. shade trees and every thing
else suffered from the strength of the
wind.
Hours of depressing sultriness.
puffs OF wind coming by turns from
all points of the compass, the piling
up of heavy clouds around the hori-
zon, the flying hither and thither of
light mist-like formations across the
dark-colored masses-thesc were the
characteristics of an afternoon which
brought to st. Louis the most dis
astrous storm in the city's history.
For hours the currents shifted, the
wind blew hot and cold and the
storm center developed. The fury of
the elements was borne within the
city's limits. In the west q thunder
storm developed. The eatly mutter-
Jugs indicated nothing more alarm
ing than down pour with the ordi-
nary electrical accomplishments. This
rain cloud came up slowly at first,
from the west, beyond Forest Park
AS the black rim mounted higher
above the horizon, it's arc embraced
more territory to the north and
south. A strong wind from the east
began to blow right in the face OF
the storm. 1t was lower current
1t raised the rain cloud and brought
it forward, faster and faster Sud-
denly the wind stopped from the east
a terrific gale which made The best
built structures tremble. With the
hurricane, for that was the first form
the storm took when it broke over
the western part of the city, came a
deluge of rain. For half an hour,
from few minutes before 5 until
nearly $50, this hurricane blew from
the northwest. Then there came a
lulI. The currents shifted. In the
southwest there came into existence
Il storm cloud with the essential
features of the tornado-the funnel
shape.
This second storm burst upon the
city from the southwest. lit came in
on the south side OF Lafayette Park,
struck the City Hospital and from
there tore its way through the city
to the river by n northeasterly
course.
1t wrought such havoc as will long
leave traces in that part OF the city
which lies east of Seventh street and
north or Cerre street to the Eads
bridge.
The storm cloud crossed the river
and demolished the upper work of
the east end of the bridge and then
it wreaked it's fury on East St Louis.
Shortly after o'clocl., & it'll the
sun more than an hour above the
horizon, there settled upon the city
clouds so dense that daylight quick
Is gave place to the darkness OF mid
night. That was the precursor Of
the tornado from the southwest.
The hurricane from the northwest
gave the western part Of the city Il
severe shaking up.
The tornado from the southwest,
which is responsible for the loss OF
J life and untold destruction along the
! levee district, and in East st. LOUIS
followed the hurricane about hall
an hour.
/ Henry Ward Beecher once said:
"In the United States every worthy
citizen reads q newspaper, and owns
the newspaper which he reads. A
newspaper is window through
! which men look out on all that is