The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-06-04
SWEPT BY STORM AND FLAME,
a TERRIBLE DISASTER IN ST
LOUIS,
Struck by u Tornado. Of Unusual
Scvcrity--Nne Thousand Persons
Killed and Woundcd--NIilli0n of
Property Destroyed.


One Of the phenomenal disasters Of
the century took place at st. Louis
on the 9th inst, resulting in the death
OF several hundred people and the de-
struction Of untold millions of property.
The following is the first account Of the
terrible storm, which was sent out
from Chicago, rs the wires were down
in st. Louis, and the usual lines Of
communication were cut of soon after
the tornado struck the city:
One Of the greatest disasters of re-
cont years overwhelmed tho city Of
St. Louis on Wednesday night in the
shape OF q cyclone, which began shortly
after O'Clock, aud for thirty minutes
tore it's awful way through the city,
with Il velocity OF over eighty miles
an hour. Although reports sent ont
from there were worry meagrc, owing
to the almost total destruction Of the
telegraph wires, it seems certain that
the number of dead and wounded will
amount to full 'onc thousand, and the
damage done to millions Of dollars.
The city hospital, which fortunately
survived the storm, is filled to over
flowing with manglcd men, women
and children, and the morgue within
two hours after the end Of the storm
was SO full Of c0rpses that it w;is ncces-
sary to provide other quarters for the
reception Of the dead. In addition to
those who were killed in their houses
and in the streets, hundreds Of dead
lie beneath the waters of tho MissiS-
sippi River. Of all the steamers on
the levee when the storm broke out,
but one is now aloat. All the others
have gone down, in many instances
every soul on board being lost and in
others not over two or three bcing able
to reach q place Of safety. Among the
boats destroyed is the excursion steam
er Great Republic, one of the largest
steamers on the lower river. Not
man escaped from her, and it is said
she was crowded with cXcursiOnists
when the storm came.
The centre of the city is q wreck.
Many buildings have been demolished
and others partially wrecked. The
streets are utterly impossible TO street
cars, and in many places progress on
foot is matter Of great difficulty. TO
add to the horrors Of tho night the
electric light plants were rendered in
capable of service, and the gas lamps
were also shut of, leaving the city in
total darkness. Fire also broke out in
several parts Of the city, and the fire
department was unable to mako an
effective fight, because OF the choked
up condition Of the streets, and the
large number OF iremen who were on
gag-l in the imperative work OF res
cuing the dead and wounded.
The only authentic information from
the stricken city was sent out by the
agent Of the Associated Press, who
managed to reach an outlying tcie-
graph Office, and set brief dispatch
as follows
"Tornado blowing at the rate OF
over eighty miles an hour struck ST.
Louis tonight, and ragged for half an
hour with great fury, and as a result
hundreds of lives are lost on both sides
of the river. Many buildings are
blown down and many river steamers
sunk with all on board. 1t is impos-
sible at the present time to estimate
the number OF lives lost as the hospi-
tails are filed with the in jurcd and the
morguc is filled with the slain, with
great numbers Of the dead and uaimcd
Tying among the ruins in all direc
tions. a portion Of the cast end OF the
Eads bridge is destroyed, the grand
stand at the Fair Grounds bowp down,
the womcn's portion Of the jail is gone,
and the immense Cupplcs block is par
TALLY destroyed. The Waters & Pierce
oil works are burning and other build
ings in various sections Of the city are
on fire."
The reports regarding the duration
of the storm are conflicting. About
o'clock tue operator on the Wabash
road, at small station near East St.
Louis, managed to get the operator at
Decatur, Ills, long enough to send him
word that the round house OF the
Wabash road was blown down and that
the freight house Of the Vandalia was
wrecked, and thirty-livc men were
killed in the ruins. After he had told
this much the wire failed him.
Shortly after o'clock the Wabash
operator at Decatur reported to the
main dispatchcr's Office at Forest, ILL.,,
that a cyclone had just passed through
the country to the south OF Decatur
and it was reported to have done much
damage. In a few rlinutcs he sent
word that u second storm had passed
through the country almost exactly in
the track OF the first, and he was un
able to get any more information re-
garding it, but that it was thought to
have done great damage in the country
lying east OF East ST. Louis.
The operator on the Alton road was
unable to get any information from
their men in the ncighborhood Of st.
Louis, but reported that ust before all
their connections with that city were
broken OF, they had received word
that there had been severe cyclone
at Rush Hill, Mo-, which is II small
town on the Alton road not far from
Mexico, Mo.
The dispatchor's Office Of the Illinois
Central was unable all night to get
any information from any point on
their line south Of Ccntraia. 1t was
reported to them, however, that a cy
clone had swept through all the coun
try south Of that point
uAt east ST. Louis, the destruction
seems to he greatest. II. G. Rice, the
Western Union manager at tho relay
depot, on the cast side, climbed across
the demolished bridge, and made his
way to ST. Louis. He reports that the
National Hotel. the fremont House,
Martolle House, DeWolf Cafe, the
plant OF the Hcxcl Milling Company,
Horns cooper shop and IL great num-
Der Of other buildings are blown down.
Many dwellings arc wrecked and many