Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-08-24
SWEPT BY A STORM.
Fifteen Persons Killed in the
Vicinity of st. Paul.
Property to the Value Of 5000, 900 De-
stroyed-The Wind For Time
Blew at the Rate Of Ninety
Miles an Hour.


st. Paul, Mimi, Aug 22.-Death to
10 persons and destruction to property
both private and public estimated in
round numbers at $4,000 900, rode on
screeching gale which tore down the
valley OF the Mississippi at 9 o'clock
Saturday night. at point somewhere
near the confluence Of the Minnesota
and the Mississippi rivers near Fort
Smelling. At about that point the fury
Of the elements seemingly divided and
with roar descended on the Twin
Cities and their environs.
st. Paul suffered to the extent of
about $1,000, 600; Minneapolis damage
is estimated at $1,500,0O0, while in the
outside districts 1t is feared that $780,
COO will not cover the damage done
to crops and farm property.
Beginning at q 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 bowling in its fury uprooted
trees and demolished buildings in it's
pathway towards st. Paul. 1t tore
Off two spans of the High bridge COM
pletely. There the bridge connected
with the high bluffs at West ST. Paul
and it is $50 feet above the river.
This mass of steel was carried to the
flats below where flying steel Orders
and heavy planks fell on several small
frame houses Of the fiat jewellers and
crushed them. None Of the occupants
of the houses were hurt. they having
n
In the caves in the hillsides.
Located at the bridge entrance, on
opposite sides of Wabasha street. are
the Tivoli concert hall and Empire
theater. both of which were fairly
crowded with men watching the per-
Torrance. 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 other for the
exits. The lights went out and the
sheet lightning flashed a scene of pan.
demonium which was intensified by
the crash Of glass and the tearing of
timbers as the frame structure gave
away before the tornado.
Sections of the roof were blown
Third street, block distant
Underneath the debris of the Tivoli
were found, when the storm had pass
ed, the mangled bodies of Lorain F..
Hokenson, one of the employees in the
concert hall, and George Kweton. 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 whole
pane of glass in any window while
many on the opposite side were also
broken.
Tin roofs on several buildings were
rolled in bundles and deposited in the
street. Flying plate glass mixed with
the rain battered everything which
stood before it and horses and car
riages were swept along the streets
which in an incredibly sfrort space of
time were filled with water.
Wires were torn down and part of
the city was in darkness. The high
buildings reaching skyward and sew
eral of the smaller ones on East Third
street were shaken to their founda-
tons. The fine large plate glass win
dows were blown in and several sky.
lights were blown out.
In the path of the wind stood the
long freight warehouse of the Chicago,
Milwaukee and st. Paul railway and
a section of this building about 400
feet long was cut out of the middle
end. the small section Of the end about
so feet standing at the extreme east
side.
In Minneapolis the wind blew at the
rate Of 90 miles an hour. Three storms
from north, west and cast gathered
and broke over that city. Hundreds
OF buildings were badly damaged, all
the great wire systems were paralyzed
and thousands of beautiful shade trees
uprooted. The street car service was
tied up until noon Sunday. trolley
wires being down In all parts OF the
city as the result OF falling trees.