The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-08-01
THE CALAMITY HEAR PITTSBURG.


THE CALAMITY HEAR PITTSBURG.
Last Sunday night about 8 o'clock, after
as intensely hot y day rs we had here, terri
HE rain set IN at and around Pittsburg and
Allegheny City The Crops of rain are spo-
ken of as "thc size of goblcts," and the thun-
der was dealening and inccssant, 1t seemed
as if the artillery of heaven had been let
loose The sky during the storm bore lur-
id color, as charged thoroughly with electri-
CITY, No one believed or thought What sad
havoc this storm was doing, what devastation
and ruin it was causing, or the life 1t was TAX
ing. The rain did vast damage everywhere
within its route. Pittsburg suffered both in
loss of property and life, but Allegheny City
was far more heavily afflicted. every one
knew" says Pittsburg paper, THAT the ca
amity was great but no one was prepare to,
the scene of horror that was presen' ~, ,c,,
day. All day the undertakcr's <.,,,s have
been carting the dead bodi' 9 and the tuner
ais were taking place. Gardner McCaIlin
49,, ho,d;rg !. Soiohci my al IL
gave up hoo'hB -hqucsts at 4 O'Clock this
morning. aS me work was getting to much
ior hiih' frantic mothers were crying toi
their children, and equally anxious children
looking for their parents. Willing hands
there were found TO search the debris for bo
dies, and as they were brought to light
crowds would gather around looking iol
some relation or dead friend. AS the body
was recognized, some one would have it TAX
en- and properly cared for. There was bust
ness done today; all was turmoil and excite
mcnt."
The number of victims foots up over 200
The weight of the calamity fell upon the
suburbs OF Allegheny city known as Butchers
and Spring Garden runs, in the northeast,
and Woods run in the northwest! portions OF
Allegheny. Butchers Run Valley at its mouth
| is probably between 400 and 500 feet wide,
and at the point where the work of dcstruc-
ton commenced it is not more than 100 feet
wide. Between North avenue and this north
crly point numerous ravines empty into
Butchers Run Valley, Along this run the
houses were built directly over the natural
NulCI"tOuISp, SNiNNliS lhhN' ~ ltiN 80
foundations for TIE dwelling houses
"T'ho line Of destruction" says another pa
per, followed the watcr.course to the river,
and involved an immense number of houses
that were not on the line of the culvert. The
volume of water was SO large that the narrow
valley was filed with raging torrent, the
frame dwellings, stables and slaughtcr-h houses
gave way like pipcstcms, and debris from the
wrecks was swept down along the line of the
plank road, the weight being augmented cv.
cry moment In the district lying west of
Chestnut street and north the water rose to
height Of fully twenty feet. In some places
the occupants of dwellings were unable to es-
cape in time to save their lives In many in
stances the force OF the water shattered struct-
ures into splnters."
The course OF the flood was probably 200
feet wide, AMI buildings, frame and brick,
fell before the devastating element as though
they had been sand. Dwellings,, stables
workshops, and debris Of all kinds mingled
together in one confused mass making il
absolutely impossible for the spectator to
discover even the street line. In some in
stances houses were literally turned upside
down. The loss of life was fearful At the
time Of sending the last account lac dead
bodies had been recovered, and it was thought
the number drowned would considerably ex-
coed 200. 1t is yet too early to furnish cor
rect estimate Of the loss of property, but il is
immense, probably exceeding $3OO0,O00