The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-28
St. LOUIS A SEPINGHER
Cyclones Make Hundreds
of COrpSeS.
FIRE AND FLOOD FOLLOW.
Blazing Buildings Light the Dance
Of Death.
SEVERAL STEAMERS SINK.
Caught by the Wind
and CapSiZed.
SEVERAL STEAMERS SINK.

East st. Louis the Scene of the
Greatest Devastation and Death.
spans of the Bridges swept Away
and Communication Between the
Two cities Cut OR-The Damage
to Property in st. Louis Estimated
at 81 1,OOO,O and in East st. Louis
at $1,000, O0,OOO-severaI Other Towns
Reported in Ruins and strewn
With COrpses.
st. Louis No, May 27.-st. Louis was
struck by a cyclone of frightful fury
about o'clock this afternoon. Hundreds
of people were killed and the property loss
is beyond estimation.
At $40 o'clock the clouds that had COW
cred the city since noon broke into
furious storm. Within ten minutes the
wind had reached a velocity of eighty
miles an hour, sweeping with it dense
waves of rain. The. highest speed OF
wind previously recorded here was seven
ty-two miles an hour, in August, 1878. The
screeching of the wind through electric
wires, the crash of debris that swept
in every direction, the electric flashes
from tangled wires and crashing thunder
made a scene indescribable. The loss of
life is appalling.
At o'clock tonight the lowest estl-
mate of fatalities in East st. Louis ana
this city is placed at 800.
East st. Louis is probably the greatest
sufferer. Messengers came from there
at o'clock asking for physicians ana
nurses.
The steamer D. H. Pike, with thirty
passengers on board. bound for Peoria,
was blown bottom side up in the middle
of the river, and a number of persons
killed
The steamer Delaphin, with a crew Of
six, and twenty lady passengers on board.
was blown against the bridge pier and
Broken in two. The ladies and two of
the crew clung to the bridge stonework
and were rescued.
The steamer Lfbbie Conger, with only
Capt. Seamn, his wife and three of a
crew aboard, went adrift The wreck of
boat opposite Carondelet is supposed
Ottendes' furniture store, at Broadway
and Solard streets, was demolished, and
six men are reported killed
saloon. at No. 6,064 South Seventh
street. fell with nine men in the ruins
St. Parick's church, at Sixth and Bid
die streets, fell and the debris fills the
streets.
The electric railway line is burned out,
as we'll as the electric plant
Fourteen fire alarms were sounded with
in an hour, and three alarms were sent in
from the poor house. which building has
1900 inmates. The roof of the poor house
was blown off, and the fatalities are
great
During the last race at the fair grounds
the roof was blown off the grand stand.
The crowd had gone TO the open field for
safety and but four men were killed
The armory, at Seventeenth and Pine
Streets is being used as temporary hos
pital
At 7:S0 o'clock the rain, which had ceas-
ed for a time, began afresh and fell in
torrents. At o'clock the eastern sky
was ahame with the light of fires in East
St. Louis.
The metal ioof of the Merchants ex-
change was rolled up like a scroll and
fell into the streets.
A Louisville and Nashville east bound
local passenger train had just reached
East St. Louis when the storm struck
that city. The train was overturned, but,
miraculously, only few passengers were
injured. They were taken from the cars
by railroad yard men.
The Chicago and Alton east bound To-
cal passenger train, which left st. Louis
at O'Clock, was on the east span Of the
bridge when the wind picked the cars up
and turned them over on their Sides The
non spans and trusses held the cars from
topping into the river one hundred feet
below
The passengers were thrown into con-
fused mass. The network of wires made
rescue difficult and dangerous, but It is
.hQUght all will be got out uninjured The
cast span of the Eads bridge is so badly
wrecked that 1t will take three days to
allow trains to pass
St. Louis. Mo-, May q, p. m-The num-
Der of fatalities reported in East ST. Louis
Is hourly increasing and at o'clock it
is estimated that the loss Of life will ex-
eeed 80. 1t is impossible to cross the
bridge or river to get the particulars
Lightning struck the Standard Oil works
ana flames were soon pouring from doz-
~ buildings. The fire department was Ut
ettly poWerless 10 cope with the conda-
5I8ilon and IL is feared nearly the entire
BUSINESS and great portion of the resi-
GGenee section will be destroyed by the
names II not already destroyed by the