The Springfield herald., 1904-08-26
A DEADLY STORM
BRINGS DEATH TO ST. PAUL
The Tornado Kills Fifteen and Causes
Immense Damage to Two Cities.

Immense Damage to Two Cities.
st. Paul. Aug. 22.-Death to fifteen
persons and destruction to property,
both private and public, estimated in
round numbers at $4,000, 600, rode on
screeching gale which tore down the
valley Of the Mississippi about o'clock
Saturday night from point near the
confluence of the Minnesota and Mis-
sissipi rivers, near Fort Smelling. or
this amount St Paul suffered to the
extent of $1000.000, Minneapolis dam
age is estimated at $1,5O0,000, while in
the outside districts it is feared that
100000 will not cover the damage done
to crops and farm property.
AT about that point the fury OF the
elements seemingly divided. and with a
roar, descended on the Twin Cities and
their environs.
Beginning at point below Fort
Smelling is first known evidence that
the storm struck with damaging effect.
1t came from the southwest and, howl
ing in its fury. uprooted trees and de-
molished buildings in its pathway to-
ward st. Paul.
1t tore off two spans of the high
bridge completely. There the bridge
connected with the high bluffs at West
river. This mass of steel was carried
to the flats below where flying steel
girders and heavy planks fell on sew
eral small farm houses and crushed
them.
None of the occupants of these
houses were hurt, all having seen the
storm coming and taken refuge in the
caves in the hillside.
The storm tore along the flats, up
roofing trees on Harriet island, and
with deafening roar and the hiss and
splash of falling steel it struck this
city. Here were located at the bridge
entrance on opposite sides of Wabash
street the Tivoli Concert Hall and En-
pire Treater, both of which were fairly
crowded with men watching the per-
formance.
Both buildings stood on the edge of
the bluff overlooking the river. with
sides Of the buildings open, and were
wrecked. The full force Of the tor
nado struck them. The buildings be-
gan to sway and rock and the audi
ence became panic-stricken.
Men and boys rushed over each 9TH
er for the exits. Lights went out. and
the sheet lightning flashes. one fol-
| lowing the other with gun-fire rapid
ity, illuminated scene Of pandemoni-
um which was intensified by the
crash Of glass and the tearing of tim
bers as the frame structures gave way
before the tornado.
Sections of the roof were blown
through the air and landed in Third
street. block distant.
Underneath the Tivoli were found
the mangled bodies of Loren F. Ho-
kinson. one of the employees in the
concert hall. and George Kwenton, one
of the audience.
On the storm rushed. to the north
east, over the wholesale district, and
every building facing the south. from
Wabasha street for blocks east on
Third street had scarcely a whole pane
of glass in any window, while many
on the opposite side were also
broken.
Roofs on several buildings were
rolled into bundles and dropped into
the street, flying plate glass mixed
with the rain. battered everything
which stood before 1t. and horses and
carriages were swept along the streets.
which, In an incredibly short space of
time, were filled with water.
Wires were torn down and a part of
the city was in darkness. The high
buildings reaching skyward above the
smaller ones in East Third street were
shaken to their foundations. The fine
large plate glass windows were blown
in and in several the skylights were
blown out.
In the path of the wind stood the
large freight houses of the Omaha
railroad. and the small section of the
east end, about fifty feet, standing at
the extreme east side, was blown
away.
Telephone service between the
Twin Cities was cut for three hours
while telegraph communication was
cut off entirely except through the me-
dunn of the Associated Press.
Nearly all of the business blocks on
Third street between Wabash and Sib-
ley streets. a distance of five blocks.
were damaged. Roofs were blown Of,
plate glass windows shattered.