The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-08-27
WORK OF THE WIND
TORNADO STRIKES ST. PAUL AND
MINNEAPOLIS.
Damage Estimated at Three Mill
lion Dollars Done--.Several Per-
Surrounding Country - Storm
Starts Near Fort Smelling.

OF. raul, Mlnu., aug. Sl.-Dodtu W
sixteen persons and destruction to prop
erty, both private and public, estimat-
ed i, round numbers at $4,000, 900,
rode on scorching gale which tore
down the valley of the Mississippi
about 8 o'clock last night, from
point near the confluence of the Mis-
sissippi and Minnesota rivers, near
Fort Smelling. At about that point
the fury of the elements seemingly di-
vided, and, with a roar. descended on
theT win Cities and their environs.
Beginning at a point below Fort
Smelling there is the first known evil
dence that the storm struck with dam
aging effect. 1t came from the south.
west and in its pathway to st. Paul
uprooted trees and damaged buildings.
1t tore off two spans of the high
bridge completely. This is the bridge
connecting with the high bluffs at
West St. Paul, and is $50 feet above
the river This mass of steel was car
ried to the flats below, where flying
steel girders and heavy planks fell on
several small houses and crushed them.
None of the occupants of these houses
were hurt, they having seen the storm
coming and taken refuge on the hill
sides.
The storm tore along the flats, up
roofing trees on Harriet island, and,
with deafening roar it struck the city
Theaters Destroyed.
Here was located at the bridge en-
trance, on opposite sides of Wabasha
street, the Tivoli concert hall and EN-
pire theater, both of which were fair
ly crowded with men watching the
performances. Both buildings stood
ON the edge of the bluff overlooking
the river, with sides of the buildings
open, and were wrecked.
Underneath the wreckage of the Tiv-
oil were found the bodies of two men,
one an employee and one of the audi
ence.
Nearly all of the business blocks on
Third street, beteewn Wabasha and
Sibley streets, distance Of five blocks,
were damaged. Roofs were blown off
and plate glass windows damaged.
The Minnesota club at the corner of
Fourth and Cedar streets, was damag
ed, while the Globe building, ten
story structure just across the street,
escaped with but little injury.
The Pioneer Press building, thir-
teen-story brick and steel structure, at
the corner of Fourth and Robert
streets, was literally riddled by the
wind and fly ing debris. Nearly every
window on the south side was shatter-
ed and huge skylight above the court
was dashed to pieces, the glass falling
like hail in the corridors beneath.
Wholesale Houses Unroofed.
The wholesale houses on Fourth
street suffered extensive damage. The
wholesale dry goods house Of Finch,
Young 81 McConville was unroofed and
the windows blown in. In other whole
sale shouses the stocks were badly
damaged by water.
Churches Demolished.
! The storm swept on Northeast, do
ing heavy damage at Seventh and
| Wacouta.
! ST. Mary's Catholic church at Ninth
street was unroofed. but the school
building across the street escaped with
only minor damage. st. Sigfride's
Episcopal church, a frame structure,
was leveled to the ground. The storm
at this point seems to have lifted
slightly, and for several squares the
damage done to residence property was
of minor character.
The tornado dropped again at Lafay-
cite park and swept up Lafayette ave-
nue.. the principal business street on
the East side. wrecking many business
structures aud unroofing and otherwise
damaging residence property. The
Arlington Hill Presbyterian church
was unroofed.
The Storm at Minneapolis.
The center of the storm hit the bust
ness section of Minneapolis at Nicolett
and Sixth avenues. Here the front of
the Glass block was blown out and a
huge skylight was blown off. All of
the stores in the district had windows
blown in and all suffered more OF less
damage to stock. The mammoth sky
light of the Guaranty Loan building
fell twelve stories through the interior
court and great damage was done by
water to the offices. The street car
service was tied up until noon today
trolley wires being down in all parts
of the city as the result of falling trees
The loss here is estimated to be fully
a million dollars.
The storm did great damage at ST.
Louis park, a suburb about six miles
from Minneapolis. The loss here is
estimated at $50, 900.
The country about Waconia was de-
vastated and reports ara to the effect