Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-08-13
THE PITTSBURGH CATASTROPHE.
A Few of the Thrilling Incidents De-
veiopsd by the Flood.

related of the late HOOD at pittsburgh
and Allegheny City. Pa: Mr.. G. V. Cole,
one OF the members Of the firm Of G.
Hoeveler 81 Co, whose glue works. were
entirely wrecked, states that when the
food of water began to descend no one
had any idea that the flood would reach
the great proportions which it assumed.
Mr. Cole, who during the storm stood
outside Of his dwelling located just in
the rear of the hill at the upper end Of
the glue works, says that the hill had
the appearance of immense sheets OF
water, as outlined on the opposite bank
when lighted up by the continuous flashes
of lightning When the great clouds OF
water rushed down the run he likened
the sound produced to the roaring OF
Niagara Falls.
Mr.. Cole described the incidents at
tending the destruction of the dwelling
occupied by Mr.. Aug. Renkauf and the
drowning of little Emma, aged three
years, and Mary Renkauf, aged one year,
and the nurse-girl Miss Mating, aged
fourteen years. When the flood began
Mr. Renkauf was visiting his father on
Spring Garden Run. Mrs. Renkauf
went to her front door to ascertain the
extent of the flood, and upon opening ii
and was soon several feet deep. A num-
Der of articles Of furniture were jammed
up against the door leading to the sec
ond story, where the children were. She
found that she was unable to get up the
staircase, and then tried to get TO the
rear of the house, if possible, to save the
sleeping ones by the upstairs window.
She tried in vain to rouse them. AS she
Of ha n ia
ing the Allegheny River fell out, carry
ing her with it, She was swept down
the river about 100 yards, and was
caught on the top of some of the debris
of the glue works She clamored over
this distance of fifty feet, and had
to wade from that point to
the shore, distance of about
twenty yards, in water waist deep. Her
calls for assistance were responded to
by several men who happened to be in
the vicinity, and did what they could in
enabling her to reach the shore. She is
in delicate health, and the courage which
she displayed was remarkable. During
the time that she was being swept away,
Mr. A. V. Cole with his brother isaac
went to the rear of the house, by means
of private lane leading past it, and by
shouting at the top OF their voices en-
deavored to awaken the children, who
were imprisoned in the upper story Of
the dwelling The roar of the torrent
drowned his voice, and he was unable to
make himself heard above the tempestu-
Gus element. lie and his brother then
picked up clumps of earth and threw
them at the window, but Just then the
house was swept off and disappeared in
the flood, and the three children were
crushed To death in its crumbling ruins
Their mangled bodies were found about
100 yards below the scene of the heroic
efforts for their rescue.
Another thrilling incident which oc-
| CURED In this vicinity was the miracu-
lous escape Of the Waterman OF the glue
works. He thought the flood was a small
affair, and started upstairs to get beyond
the reach of it, just as there was about a
foot of water in the lower story. He
had scarcely reached the second story
| when the stairs gave way and he was
compelled to jump down to a coal house
which stood in the vicinity of the boil
ers. Out of this he crowded through an
aperture while the water was up TO his
chin. Fortunately he secured a plank,
and with that made for the shore, which
he reached in safety
The sudden rise of the waters in Butch.
ers' Run is well illustrated by some Incl
dents related by German family who
resided in stone dwelling opposite
Hoevelers glue works. The husband
told his wife to proceed to the cellar and
obtain some kindling for the cook stove,
as he desired tn 90 to work early on
Monday morning His wife placed the
wood in the stove, but by the time she
had completed her work the water had
reached the floor. She notified her hus-
band of the fact, and suggested that
they had better vacate the house, as
the flood threatened to destroy it.
The husband, who had retired,
jumped out of the bed into the water
knec-deep, and with his wife proceeded
TO get the children out of the upper-story
window on the ground in the rear. After
they had accomplished this the husband
returned to the bedroom to get some
clothing out of his wardrobe, but
in the meantime the water had
reached such height as to upset
1t and he found 1t impossible to get
the articles, he being compelled hastily
to vacate the apartment The Epeniag
Chronicle has the following: From
Ben Mangold, German living short
distance from Schanapperts, whose
house proved the tomb of a family of six,
we learned the particulars of this sad
episode in the history of the Butchers
Run tragedy: Schanappert's house stood
Immediately below the oil refinery of
Holdship 81 Co, and was struck by the
food with force enough to carry IL COM
| pletely from its foundations on Madison
avenue and hurl II down the torrent
Mangold, hearing shrek upon shrek
rend the air, looked out from an upper
window on the doomed house as it was
carried along within stones throw. AT
the upper window stood poor Shanap-
pert and his wife, each holding aloft u
| child over the raging water, and shrek
ing, God Almighty, help us! God save
usr In few seconds the building
reached the bend, where the flood turned
south at the foot of Buena Vista street.
Here 1t struck against slaughter house
and dissolved like pile of snow in the
| boiling waters. The shrieks were silent
and only the crash and the grinding of
| the timbers were heard.