The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-06-04
APPALLING DISASTER
st. Louis Struck by a Cyclone,
With Terrible Results.
NETHOUSAND KILLED AND HURT

Center of the City w.ecked-Hun
dreds Drowned on the River
A Night OF Terror.
St. Louis, May 29.-Death and de
struction reign supreme in st. Loui
and vicinity tonight, as a result of thu
most disastrous storm that ever visited
this section of the country. So wide
spread is the destruction in both St
Louis and East ST. Louis that it is i'm
possible even to estimate the damage
and loss of life. Buildings Of every
description are in ruins, and as re-
suit hundreds of people are reported
dead and injured.
Reports are in circulation that sever
steamers lying at wharves both on this
and on the East St. Louis side of the
river have been sunk, with all or
board. The city is nearly in darkness
as electric lights and trolley wires are
down. With one or two exceptions all
the street car lines in the city are at 8
standstill, and thousands of people are
compelled to remain down town OF
walk home.
The storm broke out about 5 o'clock
in the afternoon, after most oppres
sively hot day, and rain began to fall.
1t soon developed into fierce thunder
storm, with the wind from the east.
A little later the wind gained velocity
of 80 miles an hour, driving the rain
before it and tearing loose signs, cor.
nices, chimneys and everything in its
way. Many buildings of every descrip.
tion were demolished, and others set on
fire by lightning and crossed wires.
The fire department. responded to fifty
four alarms.
The streets were full of people going
home from work, and panic ensued
as soon as the storm broke; men were
picked up and hurled against the build
ings; horses and carriages were sent
flying here and there, and falling wires
full of deadly fluid added to the horror
of the scene.
Suddenly the wind veered to the
west, and completed the destruction.
There are few buildings in St. Louis
that have not suffered in some way
from the storm.
Tonight the streets are in complete
darkness and travel in any direction is
dangerous by the falling of live wires
and debris.
The wagon way of the Eads bridge
on the east side, is crumbling mass
of mortar and stone, and parts of the
lower pier No. 1 were torn away.
Thousands of dollars will not cover
the damage.
An outbound accommodation train
on the Chicago & Alton was wrecked
by broken rail, but fortunately no.
body among the fifty passengers was
hurt.
A trolley car loaded with passengers
bound for the southwest side is said to
have fallen through to the railroad
track below, but with what result is
not known.
The roof of the Republican CONVEX
ton hall was blown off.
A twenty -four.foot section of the
western wall of the city Jail was blown
clear down, exposing the interior. 1t
was during the exercising hour, and
900 prisoners we're exercising in the
building. They were panic-strickeu,
and too frightened to escape. Jailer
Wagner was on the scene in a moment,
and with the aid of a number of detec-
tives and policemen, the prisoners were
placed in their cells.
The tanks of the Waters Pierce Com
pany, on Gratiot street, blew up,
spreading destruction on every hand.
Three stories of the Coe Manufacture
ing Company building, at Ninth and
Gratiot, and nearly all the Vain
wright brewery were blown down.
A. W. Becker, of the big firm of j.
P. Becker & Co., of East st. Louis,
was among the first persons to cross the
Eads bridge after the storm abated.
His family was in ST. Louis, and in his
eagerness to get home he climbed over
the debris of the bridge on his hands
and knees, over wrecked cars, dead
horses and a mass of other debris. He
informed reporter that the condition
of East st. Louis is almost beyond
description. The town is wreck for
blocks around, and the loss of life in
that region alone is estimated from 200
to $50.
The city of Bowling Green, Mo-, is
reported wrecked.
1t is evident the tornado pursued a
track many miles in length, as reports
from various railroad stations show
that nothing has been received from
any point west of here as far as Mo-
berry. Scattered bits of information
show that between Moberly and the
city, various small towns have been
wiped out and many persons killed in
them.
At the time the storm struck the
town and created such havoc, the &C.
companying noise was terrific. People
were picked mp in the streets and
dashed to the ground or against build.
ings as though they had been the
merest straw.
Three fire alarms were sent in from
the poorhouse. which has 1900 inmates
The roof of that structure was blown
off, and it is feared the number Of
fatalities there is great.
AS to the river, it is reported tina,
the magnificent steamer Grand Repub
lie was SINK with all on board. Tht