The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-04
PATROLLED BY MILITIA.
Precautions Taken in East st. Louis to
Prevent Thievery.


East st. Louis, May 29.-Two compa-
mics of the Illinois state militia of Bell
vile in all about 100 men. patrolled the
levee district of East st. Louis all day.
Dead lines were established md no one
was allowed to pass without n permit
Il wired Governor Altgeld yesterday
10 take this action" said Mayor Baker
today. 1T was done in order to protect
the exposed property, for our force was
insufficient to properly guard it. In a
case of this kind the criminal element
come in very quickly for the purpose of
pillage, and they frequently resort to
incendiarism. although we have not been
troubled much as yet. 1t was done as
II measure of protection and TO prevent
Il beginning of thievery. | telegraphed
10 Chief-of-Police Harrigan in st. Louis
to prevent as much as possible the influx
of thugs. This he has done and has
sent number of detectives and officers
TO help. He has also stationed men on
the other side, and unless a man appears
all right he is refused permission TO cross.
There is nothing, however in the report
that martial law has been declared
The effect of these stringent measures
was seen today in the greatly decreased
number of people in the devastated dis
trict. Over sixty suspects have already
been arrested and were sent out of the
city or locked up. Several picIpockets
and confidence men have also been ar
rested. In addition to the militia and
police force, Chief-of-Polic Caney swore
in fifty deputies. who were placed in
different parts of the city.
The property loss is hard TO estimate,
but S2,OO0,O00 or S3,OOO,OOO are COLI
sentative figures.
Late figures rather tend to "educe the
estimates of the number of killed. and
the probabilities are that it will not run
much over $50.
Farrell were recovered from the ruins of
the Nandalia offices last night. and this
morning an unidentified body of a middle
aged man was found by the workmen
while removing the debris from the loca
ton of the old fremont House. One
more corpse, that of George Lucky, was
found about noon.
One feature of the storm, and one of
the after-effects which was somewhat
feared, was the large number of horses
killed. On every side could he seen the
mangled bodies of these animals. The
police department was busy all day re-
moving the carcaSSeS, and none too
soon, for the warm weather of the past
two days had already started decompOsi-
ton.
The railroad yards are gradually being
cleared OF DEBRIS, rendering the moving
of trains once more possible. though it
will be weeks before anything like order
will be restored. At least 400 freight
cars We're overturned, and either wholly
or partially demolished. and as many of
these were loaded with merchandise. the
work of clearing the tracks will neces-
sarily be slow.
A ladies relief corps has been organ
lied of which Miss louisa Cross of
East st. Louis is president and Mrs.
Sweet of East st. Louis vice president.
Committees have been appointed from
all churches of the city and are actively
engaged in relief work, and are meeting
with success. The new library building
has been the general relief headquarters.
The tickets will be distributed to the
needy ones for food. clothing and shelter.
Mayor Baker estimates that at least
500 families are left entirely destitute
and will need immediate assistance.
Many have not sufficient clothing.
Among kilograms of sympathy re-
ceived by Mayor Baker is the following:
Chicago, May 29.-The members of
the Hamilton club tender their heartfelt |
sympathy to the people of your stricken
city in the awful calamity that has
visited them and we offer every aid and
help in this hour of affiiction. Let us
know what is needed.
HAMILTON CLUB,
IF. G. MOTION. President
A message of the same import was re- |
ceived from President Freiborg of the |
Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce.
H. D. Sexton, vice president of the