Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-28
and all parts of this city and East st.
Lon felt ITO affaofc

Louis felt Its e1SctS.
The greatest damage on this side of the
river was inflicted within three-mile
strip along that mighty stream. Many
buildings totally collapsed from the force
of the wind, others were unroofed, while
very few in the city escaped some injury.
Signs and cornices were torn Off, shade
trees and everything else suffered from
the strength of the wind.
Hours of depressing sultriness puffs of
wind coming by turns from all points of
the compass piling up in heavy clouds
around the horizon, the flying hither and
thither Of light, mist-ike formations
across the dull dark-colored masses, these
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 with
in the citys limits. In the west a thunder
storm developed The early mutterngs in
Dictated nothing more alaSming than a
downpour, with the ordinary electrical
compartments. This rain cloud came up
slowly at first from the west. beyond For
est Park. AS the black rim mounted high
er above the horizon, its 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 a
lower current. 1t raised the rain cloud and
brought it forward faster and faster. Sud
denly the wind stopped blowing from the
east, and there swept from the northwest
terrific gale. which made the best build
Ing structures tremble. With the hurri-
cane, for that was the first form the storm
took when it broke over the western part
OF the city, came deluge Of rain.
For half an hour. from few minutes
before 5 until 80 this hurricane blew from
the northwest. Then there came a lulI
The current shifted. In the southwest
there came into existence a storm cloud
with the essential features Of the tornado
the funnel shape.
This second storm hurst rpop the cItv
from the southwest 1t 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 a north
easterly course. 1t wrought such havoc as
VIII long leave traces in that part of the
city which lies east of 9TH street and north
or Cerre street to the Eads bridge. The
boats at the wharves We're torn from their
mornings and capsized or sent adrift
The clo'd crossed the river and demolisa-
ed the upper work at the east end of the
bridge and then it wreaked its fury on
East ST. Louis
Shortly after 6 o'clock with the sun mona
than an hour above the western horizon,
mere came upon the city clouds so dense
that daylight quickly gave place to the
darkness of midnight. That was the pre-
cursor OF the tornado from the southwest
Inc hurricane from the northwest gave the
western portion Of the city it's severe shak-
ing up. The tornado from the southwest
which is responsible for the loss of life
and untold destruction among the levee
district and in East St. Louis, followed the
hurricane by about half an hour.
What must be charged up to this double
visitation only time can tell. Health Com
missioner Starkloff, two hours after the
tornado had passed. believed that the dead
would reach 300. and that not fewer than
1000 persons had sustained serious in
juries.
How Any Escaped n Mystery
The damage was done In few minutes
time and how any person in the path of
the cyclone escaped is a mystery to all
who passed over the devastated portion
The wind struck the levee just north of
the East ST. John elevator about 5:3O
The west half Of the Virgins ferry was
the first to suffer and 1t was thrown far
upon the levee.
After this partial jump it seems the
wind again turned, tearing up the VAN
dalia freight house. killing all inside.
Huschle's butcher shop. the Douglass
School, Sticks House. Sullivan's and all
buildings south of Crooks street as far
down as the koehler mills and east to the
slough We're leveed.
The four square blocks were absolutely
swept away, and many of the inmates are
beneath the ruins. Freight cars stand
in all shapes and forms about the yards Of
the dwellings as well as the railway yards.
and several were carried beyond the Van
dalia embankment and thrown into the
slough.
The Lake House, Gree's building, the
fremont Hotel Martel House, Vandalia
round house, twenty dwellings around 1t,
the Howe Institute, the watch tower.
Menge's building. Lynch Boards ali
near the dyke, were demolished.
None of the railroad yards escaped, from
the Cairo Short Line up to the Wabash,
and hundreds of cars stand in all shapes
far away from their proper places Two
engines In the Nandalia yards were thrown
down an embankment and destroyed Far
down along the levee. from the bridge,
wrecks of steamboats, are found.