The news boy., 1896-06-06
Fire Added to the Nights Horrors
In the Destruction of Het-
zers FIGURING Mills.
The East Approach to the Great Ead's
Bridge is Nothing But
Ragged Wreck.
The Shore Strewn With the Wrecks
Of River Graft.

cyclone that struck st. Louis first did
not seem to gather its full strength
until it reached the city across the
river. Then the havoc wrought was
terrible.
Fully hundred lives, it is estimated,
have been lost. The manner in which
the worst.
The destruction was all accomplished
within a few minutes. The force of
the storm struck at $3.50 o'clock. Ten
minutes later hundreds were dead,
many hundreds were injured and the
entire remaining population was on
the streets looking for relatives and
friends.
The scenes were those of desolation.
No section of the city entirely escaped
the winds work
The city was terrorized Women
tainted and mel lost their senses.
Finally, when their reason returned,
hurried provisions for caring for the
dead and injured were made.
Many buildings were turned into
hospitals, and others were used as re-
ceptacles for the dead.
Every physician in East St. Louis
was pressed into service.
Hundreds of willing women, whose
families had escaped injury, and whose
homes had not been destroyed, assisted
in caring for the injured. Many of
these were taken to hospitals. Others
were removed to their homes.
ENTIRE FAMILIES KILLED.
In several instances men rushed to
their homes to find them gone and
their families either killed or injured.
The scenes following Immediately
after the storm had wrought its horr:-
BILE work were of the most narrowing
character.
The city was left in darkness. Every
electric plant hal burned ont, and the
gas works were paralyzcd. Under such
conditions the work of finding the
dead and caring for the injured was
extremely slow.
WHERE TIE STORM STRUCK.
The storm struck the levee near the
lig elevators. The Virgins ferry
wharf was destroyed and two or three
tug boats with their occupants were
turned over into the disturbed waters
of the river.
Every house on the levee was either
completely demolished or badly dam
aged.
A Louisville & Nashville and an Al
ton train standing on the bridge were
overturned.
The east approach of the bridge wa.
given wrench, twisted and blowr
from its mooriugs, and is at present ar
impossible wreck.
The Vandalia freight house wa.
next torn to pieces and everybod,
within is supposed to have been killed
EVERYTHING LEvELED.
Every building south of old Cool
street was leveled to the ground. II
all of these there were persons killed
or injured.
Early during the storm the water
works were destroyed. Lightnin,
struck in a number of places, and th,
horrors of fire without means to com
bat it were added to the other awfu
conditions. IIetzel's mill was burned
at loss of $4,000 and threatened tn
entire business portion of the city witt
destruction. Bucket brigades wer
formed, and they fought nobly, contin
ing the fire to the mill.
JUDGE FoULKE KILLED.
The center of the tornado seemed t
be between st. Clair avenue and tn
viaduct. Many dwelling houses i
other parts of the city were demol
ished, but in this district there wer
few buildings that escaped. A la,
case was being tried By Judge Foulk
in the courthouse The jury had hear
most of the testimony, and accordin
to usual custom, were not suppose
to be allowed to depart excer
in the custody OF bailiff. When tn
storm clouds began to gather the for,
man of the jury implored the judge [
discharge them. The courthouse a
that time was being shaken by til
wind. Every moment its destructio
was threatened. Judge Foullse &
length decided to let the jurymen e,
Five minutes after they departed fc
their homes tl.at portion of the cour
house in which they had been sittin
was torn away.
Timbers and bricks were piled O
each other, and it is highly probab
that had it not been for the for
thought of Judge FoullSe every jul
, man would have been killed. Jude
} Foulke himself succeeded in maxim
his way to the Relay depot, where !
was struck by timber that was blow
through the air and killed instantl
In the confusion that prevailed h
body was allowed to lie on the pla
form for several minutes, men we
too intent on ascertaining the fate
their own loved ones.
0 The corps of reporters which crosse
: the bridge at daylight gazed upon Il
= most appalling spectacle.
Crawling through the shapeless ma
of masonry and iron that impeded the
, progress ON the bridge, they can
: shortly into the thick Of this carniv
: of the elements carnage.
On every side lay the bodies of de-
horses, overturned freight cars, d
mantled homes with blear-eyed. daz,
a with sorrowfnl hpman beings gropil
U about, sobbing aud moaning IN 8
y sitter paralysis ot thopsAt