St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page B004

scatteringofcitylotsthathave beenvacantsincepost-tornado demolition. Buttosurvivorsofthathar- crispandunpleasant. ROOFSRIPPEDOFF Afterintroducingitselfnear nadoskippedthroughWarson andtrees.At8503FlorenceAv- suctionforceexplodedherroof. Sheawokeunhurttowindand anangrysky.Afranticneighbor rousedhersonbyphonefrom hisapartmentnearForestPark. souththroughpeacefulneigh- roundedbybricks.Inthedark- ankle.

Minewasanunceremo- nowlivesinArnold. PansyettaFleenerandtheir13- theKTVItower.TheFleeners awoketoawildrattlingoftrash cansoutside. Myhusbandrantotheliv- ingroomwindow.Iwasbehind himatthedoorwaytotheliv- ingroomwheneverythingfell saidinarecentinterview. The towersmashedthroughthefront windowandallthewayoutthe backofourapartment.Jimwas Comehelp kenbrickinhercrib.Pansyetta helpedfreeherhusbandand grabbedthebaby.Theywentto riswheelattheoldForestPark smashedwindowsatSt.Louis behindtheSt.LouisCathedral, itstruckMcAuleyHallat325 aresidenceforCatholicbusi- nesswomen.Afallingchimney crushedtwomaintenancemen. cerTheronEasterlyutteredthe a.m.

Atreejustwentthrough hisradiomike. radiusaroundOliveandBoyle. and34wereinjured.Thestorm destroyedroofsandtopfloors withdebris. roominghousecollapsed.Fire- oftheeightwhodiedtherewere MildredCampbellandfiveof hersevenchildren.Firefighters foundhersurvivingdaughters, televisionset. tornadogotbusyagainjustwest ofNorthGrandBoulevard.In thatneighborhoodoftwo-story werekilledand31injured.

HallieHarrisandherhusband, quelineandDenise.Inanother andgrandmother.Theirhome wasasecond-floorapartment at3754CoteBrillianteAvenue. HallieHarriswassixmonths pregnant. Whatwokeusupwasthe ceilingandawallfallingonto ofthetornadosite. Ithought thewoodandstuffawayand TheHarrisesgottheirchil- drenoutsideandwalkedintoan upside-downworldofshredded screamingpeople.Abovethem tree. nadokilledtwomoreinthe 2700blockofBaconStreetand anothernearHydeParkbefore liftingup.Itdamagedroofsin GraniteCityandwasgone.

SLOWTOREACT ousdamage.Fireandpoliceof- cityCivilDefenseagencyuntil about4a.m. foundawaydowntheinterior dowandrescuedthem.Anam- CityHospital. coveredinsoot.Thewhitepeo- plelookedblackandtheblack ettaFleener. HomerG.PhillipsHospitalfor observation.TheHarrisessal- vagedonlyanoldtrunk.They toaRedCrossshelter. Thewholeneighborhoodwas destroyed.Ididn’trealizeuntil thenextdaythatsomanyother HallieHarrissaidinarecent interview.

Itisnotapleasant memory.Really,Idon’tliketo temperaturehaddroppedto31. Threedaysafterthetor- dognamedTrixiefromthecol- lapseofthethree-storybuilding at4269Olive.Newspapersran photosofTrixielickingAnthony himback. Inspectorstotalledthedam- less.Citizensdonated$240,000 totheRedCross.Estimatesof lion. ance50yearsagohelpedspur thebuddingentertainmentdis- asGaslightSquare.Itflourished asajazzmeccauntiltheearly cayoverwhelmedit. AfterFeb.10,1959,publicre- spondersdidsomesoul-search- ing.TheWeatherBureaustood behinditsdecisionnottocallfor ceivedbetterradar.MayorRay- mondTuckersuggestedusing retiredGen.FrancisHardaway, wouldproducewarscares.

TheSt.Louisareawouldn’t beginusingsirensforweather monthsafterthreepeoplewere killedbyatornadothatstruck northSt.LouisCounty.Since bytornadoesinSt.Louisand surroundingcounties. Thedebateovertheutility ingsystemsaremoresophisti- catedtoday.Andagoodthing 23tornadoeseachyear. NewsWatch B4 TheremainsoftheKTVItelevisiontowerlieacrossOakviewPlaceonFeb.10,1959,withthedam- agedArenaandotherbuildingsnearby. 1959St.Louistornadochangedlivesandremadecity’slandscape The1959tornadodamagedthisbuildingandcarat928Sarah Street. fromTrixieonFeb.14,1959, afterthedogwasrescued fromtherubbleoftheirhome.

TORNADO.