Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-06-03
Saw the Cyclones Wreck,

Our young townsman, Edward g..
Broenniman, Of the flour commission
firm of G. +. Listman & Co., Chicago,
was an eye witness of the terrible
cyclone which happened at st. Louis
last Wednesday. Concerning the
great storm and the devastation and
misery left behind, Mr.. Broenniman
spoke in All interview in a Chicago
paper as follows:
IL left Chicago at 1870 o'clock We'd
nesday morning I was seated on the
side OF the train nearest the river as
we approached the doomed city. AS
we drew near to the bridge we all
noticed those peculiar green clouds
which were hanging over st. Louis.
The clouds seemed stationary, although
the wind was blowing at high rate of
speed.
lit was shortly after 5 o'clock
when the train started up the eastern
incline to the big bridge. The light
ming flashed, the thunder pealed and
it became almost as dark as night. The
train suddenly came to a StandStill.
Fortunately the engine was headed al
most directly toward the approaching
storm. Had it been otherwise, the
train might have tipped over. The
passengers fully realized their peril,
but could only wait and shiver. The
rain fell in torrents and at times it
would seem as though the train itself
would be picked up and carried away,
SO fierce was the wind.
For nearly four hours the train re-
manned i'll that same place, but from
the glare of the confagration raging
in the city we could see that ST. Louis
and East ST. Louis had been fright
fully damaged. East ST. Louis looked
like broad eXpanse of prairie, and
as the flames from the burning build
ings shot heavenward, it made the
scene most picturesque, but fearful.
"When the train finally pulled into
the Union depot about 9 O'Clock dark
ness reigned supreme, The thousands
of electric lights were out, and dim
candles lighted the corridors and en-
trance to and from the building.
Outside everything was total dark
ness. Wires crossed and intercrossed
the street at every intersection. The
pow er houses had been forced to shut
down to prevent fatal accidents while
SO many live wires were streWn about
the streets. The Union depot was
paca ed with people Malrlng To hear
from incoming trains. and others wait
ing 20 leave the WIND swept place. All
the hacks AID Gals had been turned
into temporary ambulances and dead
wagons ii aiding the rescue and re-
mOval OF the dead and dying.
Il had to nalE to the Southern hotel
where | found that the cyclone bad
Il III = cd
also been struck by lightning. The
a portion of the roof twenty feet
square was torn away. All the sky
lights and windows were shattered,
and guests flocked here and there. hud
died together in punches, moaning
for the safety Of some dear relative or
friend. as tn. news from the path Of
the tornado began TO pour in. Men
and women fought for extra papers and
eagerly scanned the list Of the dead and
injured.
"Ait nioht long we paced the CORR
doris q the hotel and early the next
moruiug ] took carriage, In company
With party of gentlemen, and drove
over the path of the cyclone and
viewed the horrible destruction that
had been done to life and property.
Here. there and everywhere dead
bodies were being hauled out from
among the wreckage. In one place no
less than ten dead and mangled bodies
were taken out while We stood beside
the crowds and watched the wOrkmen
ply their picks and shovels.
The route we covered was about
three and half miles long and Il mile
wide, and in this broad expanse every
thing MAS RACED to the ground"