The Tupelo journal., 1903-08-14
THE STORM HELD
HIGH Carnival
Wednesdays Storm Struck In
Many Places With Almost
a Tornado's Force.
DEATH and DESTRUCTION
ON The WORLDS FAIR site.

- ASOuAS NV OOunhEy
Suffered to Considerable Extent
In h Destruction of Movable or
Insecurely Fastened Property,
Plate Glass, Etc.
st. Louis, Aug. THE storm that
struck St. Louis Wednesday afternoon
proves to have been general in more
or less degrees of severity over the
major portion Of the Mississippi val
ley, at many points assuming almost
the force of a tornado.
In this city it was preceded by OPP
pressive heat, accompanied by occa-
sional fitful gusts of wind. Suddenly,
about 2:45 p. M, it came with a rush,
scattering movable property OF all de-
scription in every direction, and in
many instances causing considerable
damage.
The greatest damage was done at
the Worlds fair grounds, where por-
lions of buildings in the course Of erec-
ton were stripped of their scaffoldings
and a number of workmen carried
down with the debris, one man being
killed and a large number injured,
eight seriously, some, it is thought, ia
tally.
Although subjected to a strain ex-
erted by wind blowing at a estimated
rate of 60 miles an hour, the complet-
ed and partially FINISHED exhibition
structures of the exposition were dam
aged but slightly. The velocity of the
wind in the central part OF the city
was 80 miles an hour.
The wind played havoc with tele-
graph and telephone poles and wires
throughout the western and north
western part of the city. 1t is estimat-
ed that more than 100 poles were lev
eled and the ground covered with a
tangled web of wire.
Four horses were instantly killed in
different parts of the city by stepping
on live wires.
The only serious injury to a human
being from the same cause was that OF
a little boy, who was shocked by elec-
tricity while leaning against a trolley
pole. 1t is thought he will die.
Two flags, planted 40 feet apart or
the Administration building at the
Worlds fair grounds. were blown in
opposite directions during the height
of the tempest.
The rain precipitation was .35 OF an
inch in the central part OF h city, ano
more than one inch in the west end.
-,-o1 ~ tho UQCtprU
part of the city were stripped of their
mansard roofs, several smokestacks
were toppled over, signs and awnings
insecurity fastened, ripped Off, win
dows shattered and at least n church
spire blown down. Car service on
some of the lines was temporarily
crippled, and telephones were, to
great extent, put oct of commission.
The storm lasted but a few minutes
but those were minutes of apprehen-
| sion on the part of those who remem-
bered the havoc wrought by the tor
pado of 1896, and many sought places
Of safety with greater precipitation
than dignity.
Across the river, above East st.
Louis, the storm played havoc with the
| buildings. many of which had beer
weakened by the flood. Several OF the
/ smaller houses near Madison were
overturned. At Brooklyn, the negro
settlement south of Venice, the 1nhab-
itants became panic-stricken and fled
from their homes.
At Venice the roof of the Wabash
depot was torn off and carried several
hundred yards. A large porch and
part of the front of the brick building
al the corner of Main and Broadway
were blown down.
The roof of the American steel
foundry at Granite City was stripped
of much of it's covering and hundreds
of windows were shattered.
A string of cars on the Big Four sid
ing at Edwardsville crossing was start
ed by the wind and carried to the end
of the switch and derailed. Traffic on
all of the %interurban electric lines was
i~nterfered with.
At Griggsville, ILL.,, the storm struck
while about $500 persons were in at
tendance at the Central Illinois fair.
Trees, tents, carriages, stands, and
sheds were hurled through the air,
while rain fell in torrents, creating a
temporary panic. Three persons were
seriously injured by flying debris,
while in Griggsville the roof was
stripped from st. James Episcopal
church.
Considerable damage vas done at
Alto Pass.
At Waterloo the carriages of a fu-
neral procession were overturned and
the baseball park fence torn down.
Greenfield, Jacksonville, Trenton.
Richview, Mascoutah, Springfield and
other points all report damaging visi-
tations.