The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-05-30
||l|H|oqHER SAD I|.|: DISASTER
st. Louis and Vicinity Torn Up in q
Sg;''# n nost Horrible
sl.5.5.,. s Manner.
OVER 1000 IERr SUDDEN DEATH
The Host Terrible. Storm That Ever
- Visited That Sec
$500 ss'-'atssSA+'5s
,t, ton.

st. Louis, May 2s.-Death and destruc-
ton reign supreme in St. Louis and VI
cinity last night, as result of the most
terrible storm that ever visited this sec
ton of the country.
So widespread is the destruction in
both ST. Louis and East st. Louis that 1t
Is Impossible TO even estimate the
amount of damage and loss Of life.
Buildings of every description are In
ruins, and as a result hundreds OF peo-
ule are reported dead and injured, but
until daylight comes and order is re-
stored 1t will be impossible to make any
definite statement. Reports are in cir
culation that seven steamers lying at
wharves on this and the east SIDE OF the
river, have been sunk with all on board.
The city is nearly in darkness, as the
electric light wires are down. With one
Or two exceptions all the street car lines
in the city are at a standstill ard thou
sands Of people are compelled to remain
down town or walk home.
The storm broke about 5 o'clock in
the afternoon after d most oppressively
hot day. and rain began to fall. 1t soon
developed into fierce storm with the
wind from the east. A little later the
wind had gained the velocity Of so
miles an hour driving the rain before
it and tearing loose signs, cornices,
chimneys, and everything in its way.
Many buildings 5of every description
were demolished and others were set on
fire by lightning and crossed wires. The
fire department responded to Ii alarms.
The streets were full of people going
home from work and q panic ensued as
soon as the storm broke. Men were
picked up and hurled against the build
ings, horses and carriages were sent fly
ing here and there, and falling wires
full of tho deadly fluid were added to The
horror Of the scene. Suddenly the
wind veersd around to the west and
COMPLETED THE DESTRUCTION.
1t is asserted by some of those who
have traversed the downtown part of
this city that there are but few buildings
In st. Louis that have not suffered in
some way from the storm. Tonight the
streets are in complete j, darkness and
travel in any direction is dangerOs be-
cause Of fallen live wires and debris
lying everywhere. The wagonway OF
the Eads bridges on the East St. Louis
side is crumbling mass Of mortar and
stone. Parts OF the tower and pier No.
passengers was hurt. trolley car
loaded with passengers bound for the
West Side is said TO have fallen through
The railroad track below, but with what
result is not known.
The roof of the Republican conven-
ton hall was blown Off and a 24-foot
section OF the western wall OF the city
iai1 oYnnCinr inter-
ior. 1t was: during the exercise hours
and 200 prisoners were exercising in the
building and were panic stricken. They
wer too frightened to try to escape
JGiler Wagner was on the scene in a
moment and with the aid Of a number
OF detectives and policemen the prison
ers were placed in their cells. The tanks
of the Waters-Pierce Oil Company, on
Gratoit street, blew up, spreading de-
struction on every hand.
Three stories OF the Coe Manufacturing
Companys building, Ninth and Gratiot,
and nearly half of the Wainwright brewery
was blown down. The Summer high
school, Eleventh and Spruce. McDermott's
saloon, Eleventh and Chestnut, the Cen
trail Emigrant on the opposite corner, Jere
Sheehan's livery stable, Eleventh and
Walnut, were unroofed. The engineer of
the Aetna Iron Works, Twenty-first and
pappin streets, was almost instantly
scalded to death by steam.
The Consolidated Wire Works, Twenty
first and Pappin streets, was almost totally
wrecked. Seven people are known to have
been injured by this wreck and many more
are said to have been hurt by falling walls
The two-story building of the c. H. Saw
yer Manufacturing Company, 1919 Clinton
avenue, was demolished. John Sawyer,
member of the firm, and Emma CLANCY
and isabella FIamden, typewriters, were
crushed to death under the walls H. H.
Sawyer, member of the firm, was in
jured fatally. -
The St. Louis Refrigerator and Wooden
Ware Company's factory at Second street
and Park avenue, was completely de-
stroyed by fire, caused by lightning. Loss
100000.
A runaor was runduly circulated that gas
tank near the Consolidated Wire Works,
at the south end of the TWenty-frst street
viaduct, had been blown over, and crush
ing in the wire works building, killed four
men, to a certainty, and possibly more.
The cyclone broke at Is minutes after 5
o'clock, coming directly from the west, de-
stroying first in the city proper, then cross
ing the Mississippi to East st. Louis, and
there, after raging for half an hour, disap-
] We're also torn away An outbound
accommodation train on the Chicago G.
Alton road was wrecked by broken
rail, but fortunately nobody among SO
pearing in the direction of Alton.
There was little warning for the help
less people in the streets, the thousands
on their way home for work. or the in
mates OF the great mercantile establish
ments Of the city who had not yet left
their posts Of duty.
Temporary hospitals abound in every
part Of the city. The arnory at Seven
teenth and Pine streets has been opened
for the care of the wounded and many
injured have been taken into private
houses. ,,s,-
The city authorities at midnight, were
sending mounted police through the city
in an effort to ascertain, if possible, what
the loss Of life and the number Of injured
really is. So far as absolute facts are con-
cerned nothing definite can be learned be-
fore tomorrow.
Among the houses known to have been
destroyed are the furniture store, at the
corner of Broadway and Sonlard streets, in
the southern part of the city, where six
men are reported killed; saloon at 604
South Seventh street, where nine men are
reported in the ruins; st. Patrck's church,
at the corner OF Sixth and Biddell streets.
One thing that binders the work Of TAX