The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-31
Number of Dead in st. Louis
Hourly Growing Greater.
BODIES UNDER THE RUINS
Seven Thousand Homes Are
Uninhabitable.
THE CITYlN GREAT NEED OF Hell F
Seven Injured Persons Died Yesterday
and 25 Bodies Are Known 10
be Under the Wrecked
HospitaI,
Hospital.

St. Louis, Mo-, May 30.--By slow de
grees st. Louis is recovering from tn,
business paralysis caused by the awfu
storm. Some of the principal thor
oughfares that were choked Will
wreckage have been opened and a few
OF the street-car lines have been start
ed, but the telephone system of the
town is practically useless. 1t viii
require weeks to restore some of the
streets to their normal condition.
The number of dead is hourly grow
ing greater as the work of restoring
the ruins progresses.
The ruins where at first it was not
thought there We're any dead bodies
are now yielding them up.
At least 25 patients are under the
ruins of the City Hospital, where it al
first was supposed there had been nc
loss of life. There is great demand
for houses and fats for the homeless
and real estate men think there are not
sufficient vacant houses in st. Louis
to supply the needs of the people. II
is estimated that 1000 homes were SC
damaged as TO render them uninhab-
liable.
The storm has attracted to st. Louis
an enormous crowd. The streets are
thronged with strangers night and
day. The hotels are taxed almost to
their utmost capacity to care for
guests.
Last night the entire first regiment
of 450 men patrolled the western dis
trict, halting all passers-by to de-
mand explanation of their presence.
The list of dead was increased by
seven last night. They were unfortun-
ates who died in the hospitals of in
juries during the storm.
The burial of bodies still continues
and every kind of vehicle in which a
coffin can be placed, rs being used to
carry the bodies to the cemeteries.
There are many people missing in
st. Louis and anxious Eelatiyes and
friends are beginning to nioslrn them
as dead, as no information as to their
whereabouts has been obtained as vet.
The first mail to arrive in the city
since the storm broke was received
Friday, coming South. Until this time
there had been no communication
with the outside world.
Reports continue to come in from
points within a radius of 300 miles oi
this city showing that Wednesday :
storm was widespread.
A special from Bowling Green, Mo-
says: This city was not swept of the
earth. as reported. by the storm, but has
suffered great loss of property and an
jury to property. Two miles west OF
Bowling Green, residences and barns
were blown to atoms. A house was
picked up, with its occupants, and
carried over the tree tops and set down
again in one instance without INJURY
to the family. In strip of country, a
mile wide and extending from here to
Curryville, eight miles, almost every
house is damaged and many are utter
Iv demolished. At Curryvilde, not q
single house escaped damage,
In most places the wind was a
tornado. but at others it took on q
rycIonic feature, twisted off elm trees
three inches in diameter, and whirleo
houses around on their foundations
Inside of 30 minutes the rainfall was
.ih incehs, and from 3 to 6 o'clock il
registered seven inches. No saeh rain
or wind storm was ever seen 1ns Pike
county. Almost every bridge on the
St Louis & Hannibal Railroad, from
Hannibal to Gilmore, is gone.
Reports received from other storm
visited places outside of St. Lonis, ado
to the number of dead and injured
and tell of great destruction OF pro
perty. The section of Missouri thai
suffered is northeast from st. Louis
while in Illinois. the tornado moved
almost directly east.
Two more of the wounded at New
Baden, H., are dead. New Minden
H., is practically swept away. Five
are dead and a score or more badly in
iured.
The destruction of the telegraph ia
c;lities here caused an enormous ac
cumuation of messages, and after the
wires were repaired. it was impossible
to deliver these messages save through
| the mails. SO 10000 were so disposed o
| Friday.
Friday night nearly 100000 word,
| OF special kilograms were sent by thes,
correspondents. Commissioner Lee
said: Il have very thoroughly explor
ed the ruined district with the Chic
| Of Police and Vice-Presdent of the
/ toIiEt DOdFu. anu KNOW tildi the eSll
| mates which are made of the damage
| by the Press are not exaggerated.
If the damage is 100000 GOO, whicl
| is about the lowest estimate made, ans
under the absolutely necess:tous condj
| tions. such as positive lack Of food
| clothjngs and shelter. it will require
half a million dollars 10 relieve them
| the absolutely necess; tous conditions
such as positive lack Of food clothing
and shelter, it will require half a mil
"St, Louis does need at present al
| the aid she can get. Our own people
where they can afford to do 50, wil
| help and heir aid will be libereaI. hat
| | claim that no sums smaller thar
| half million dollars will be adequate
/ to relieve the absolute lack of food
clothing, household equipments anC
shelter.
ut should be remembered that hun
dreds Of manufacturing plants have
been destroyed aud many thousands
| of people are out Of employment iol
several months. Who, therefore, dares
10 take the responsibility ofsaying tha1
| st. Louis can and will take care O