Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-06-01
A THOROUGH SCARE.
Another Dark and Threatening
Storm Alarmed the Stricken
People Of St. Louis.
NO MORE DEAD REPORTED
The Ruins are Being Cleared
Away in a Downp0ur Of
Rain, To-Day.
BUSINESS ATTENDED TO

DOOlNGOO Al ENGEO
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, June 1.--Shortl
btfore O'Clock this morning, the pee
Pile who were awake, and there wer
many of them in the two stricken cite
OF st. Louis and East st. Louis, re
ceved a thorough scare. Anothe
heavy storm came up from the south
west, accompanied by low rumbling Q
thunder and almost binding and con
iinuous lightning. Then few min
utes later big black clouds appeared IL
the northern horizon. Even the brav
est men were visibly nervous, and the
terror that came to the helpless and
homeless poor along the river shore
was most pitiable. However, while the
wind was considerable, there was nc
more damage done, as it at no time
approached hurricane or tornado.
The elemental disturbance lasted for
nearly an hour, and then began slow,
drizzling rain, which increased to a
down pour at 10 O'Clock this morning.
The work of clearing away the ruins
is being carried on in systematic
manner to-day, but the heavy rain that
is falling makes the work all the more
difficult. A lack OF men to do the
work is being experienced, though
many laborers have come in from
neighboring cities. The full city force
OF scavengers, teamsters and street
men have been set to work to clear the
streets at places where they are block
AIDED by debris. This force OF men
and teams is also augmented by the
street car companies street service de-
partment.
Professor Bauman, the expert insur-
ance adjuster of Chicago, arrived in
this city Friday, and after looking
over the field carefully, gives it out
that the total loss will foot up to over
$4,000, 900. Professor Bauman is the
man who adjusted the losses caused by
the Louisville tornado about five years
ago, and his estimate then was found
TO be very near correct.
A mass meeting of the citizens has
been called for o.morrow afternoon,
for the purpose OF considering the ad-
Visibility of appealing for outside aid;
for the relief of The storm sufferers
Many people have opposed this on the
gtound that St. Louis is perfectly able
to take care Of herself, but others say
that nearly every business man in the
cltJ suffered some loss and the burden
would be too great to call upon them
for aid for the hundreds OF destitute.
One peculiar feature of the storm is
that besides the dead, and wounded,
there ase up until this morning, 124
re, sons reported missing at the police
headquarters. Telegraphic service is
still inadequate to the demand that is
being made, and the mail service,
while working Admirably, is hardly
equal to The task. Trans are all rum
ming, and the street car service is now
good, except en- few streets.
There is considerable fear in the de-
partment Of health. that an epidemic
Of disease will break out among the
homeless and poor, near the river.
ssseoaylng animal and vegetable matter
is seadjng pestilential clouds through
the debris ard the warm wet weather
adds to this, and the sufferers from
weakness and exposure are in no con-
dition to battle with malaria. Another
pee ,liar problem is the almost unanl
Inons refusal of the sufferers to leave
their belongings and to go { ut and oG-
rnpy military tents, pitched at Brigh-
ton. q suburb. about four miles out on
/ he Missouri Pacific railroad. Here
they wonid breathe the fresh air, and
their comforts would be looked after.
lin spite OF the presence Of the militia,
in whose care their property would be
absolutely safe, they refuse to leave
their belongings unprotected.
Chief Of Police Ganey has taken ex-
treme precautions to prevent yandal-
ism, though it IS sad to relate, there
has been considerab.ai of this, and this
i50 tramps were rounded up
and driven out of town, in a manner
which it will likely notsbe necessary to
repeat.
Up until 10 o'clock this morning
there are no-additions to the reported
death list.
BUSINESS NOT DISTURBED.
President Board of Tr1de: