Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-07-31
ANOTHER TERRIBLE FLOOD.
A PEOPLE AND HORSES SWEPT AWAY
GREAT Loss OF. RIBLE

GREAT Loss OF. LIFT ERRIBLE
| SCENES.
&C., &C., &c.
A fearful disaster almost equalling the
Mill River flood, occurred at Pittsburg,
Pa, and Allegheny On Sunday. The two
cities lie opposite each other on the Ohio
river. where it is formed by the junction
OF the Monongahela and Allegheny, and
along these streams are many dwellings of
laboring people and miners. The theory
by some is that a water-spout burst above
the two cities. The Pittsburg dispatch"
says:
The weather Sunday afternoon was
SheWery, but not portentouS of unusual
elemental phenomena. Citizens attended
religious services as usual and when about
seven O'Clock the rain subsidized, and the
declining sun tinted the passing clouds
| with purple and gold, thousands crowded
| upon the streets seeking pleasure OF recre-
| alton, discussing the events of the day and
| the prospects of the morrow, which, alas,
came not to many. Thus fell the shades
OF night the people retired to rest, and
silence brooded over a still and pulseless
World''
Between nine and ten o'clock frequent
and vivid flashes of lightning in the north
ern heavens, accompanied by terrific peals
OF thunder. presaged the coming disaster.
Momentarily increasing in violence, it was
but a few minutes until the streets in
many places were impossible; water swept
down the cutters like roaring torrents
| the broadcast avenues were solid sheets of
water, while from the hill sides poured
deluge which tore rocks Of toms weight
from their foundations and gashed and
scanned the earth as if it had been riven by
an earthquake. Nothing could resist. the
awful volume OF rushing, seething water.
| Substantial brick houses crumbled when it
struck them as if they had been made of
sand; frame buildings were lifted from
| their foundations, borne along on the an
| CRY current, and dashed to pieces against
other buildings which vainly obstructed
their course In some instances founda-
lions were undermined and buildings sunk
down in sand and debris to the second
story. So resistless was the torrent that
nothing in it's path escaped destruction
houses, fences, bridges, trees, all going
down before it, and combining to consti-
| tute Il scene OF ruin such as none had ever
witnessed before, and such as we hope we
may never look upon again.
But great as was the destruction of pro-
perty, it is nothing in view Of the loss Of
human life Of those who retired to rest
on Sunday evening in the stricken districts
more than two hundred were pallid cOrpses
when the morning light broke upon the
dreadful scene. More than a score of lit
tie children. who on Sunday night, kneel-
ing at their mothers knee, lisped ''Now
lay me down to Sleep realized the full
significance of the petition ere morning
broke, their bodies when found being in
many instances dreadfully disfigured, their
delicate limbs gashed and broken, their
beautiful tresses disheveled and intermixed
with loathsome accretions. Oh it was a
spectacle to make strong men weep and
sympathetic women tremble and turn,
tanning, away. In some cases entire fami-
lies were swept from their beds, their
houses falling in ruins upon them, and all
lost together.
The scene early Monday morning sur
passes the power of language to adequate
ly describe. Thousands of people, many
OF whom had been bereaved during the
night tiocked to the scene of disaster to
the bodies of their wives, husbands, chill
drep and frienss. Hundreds OF willing
hands were soon at work removing the de-
bris, while hundreds Of others, with bated
breath, hoping against hope that their miss
ing ones had escaped, awaited the ISSUE
AS body after body was taken from the
ruins and was recognized, men sobbed and
women walled, while the spectators stood
with uncovered heads as it was borne
away.
A letter from Pittsburg, says:
Thousands of people are visiting the
scene of the great disaster to-day In
Butchers Run region it was found neces-
saly to put on duty a company Of national
guards of the State to protect property and
prevent the crowd from interference with
the workmen who are clearing away the
debris. The work of searching for the
bodies proceeds slowly, owing to the i'm
mense amount Of wrecked matter.
At noon to-day the funerals of the fol-
lowing victims took place, the burial ser
vices being conducted by st. Vincent's,
st. Peters and st. Patrick's societies -
Joseph and Louisa Schnepfer and four
children, Huber and wife, and Fox and
wife. The bodies will be buried in Union
dale Cemetery, where d lot, which hold
twenty of the victims, has been secured by
the citizens committee. Measures will be
taken to secure decent interment for all
the victims. Excavations are going on for
the four children at the head of Butchers
Run. Five bodies have been recovered
to-day, but none Of them have as yet been
identified.
During the storm on Sunday evening the
Presbyterian church at Williamsburg was
struck by lightning, and the congregation
did not become aware of the fact until
after service, when it was discovered that
the roof was splintered.
4 large meeting of citizens was held last
night for the purpose of devising the ways
and means for relieving the sufferers.
Mayor Fleming presided. He stated that
he had put a large force of men to work
repairing the streets and removing the
debris, but money ought to be obtained to
relieve the sufferers. Committees were
appointed to solicit funds The gentle
men present at the meeting contributed
largely, money and checks rolling in rap
idly.
From Charters valley further reports
have been received. On Laughlin's run
the body of Mrs. Cheat was found this
morning, with the scalp torn off and one
arm gone. Half mile above Bridgeville
VIM. Stratton, whose wife and five chill
dren were drowned, was found in the top
of a sycamore tree, where he lodged he
knows not how. Another death, that of
Issac Reamer, a coal miner, on Painters
run, is reported.
The following is recapitulation of the
bodies found up to this time: Upper AL
leghany district, 80; Woods run 8; Tenn
peranceville, 8; CHARTERS creek, II total
found, 81. The number reported missing
is still as large. From the best Informal
ton which can be obtained the total loss
| OF life will reach 150
John FL. Miller, formerly of Greenbrier
county, W. v, was killed in Colorado Ter
ritory, July Sth, by being thrown from a
wagon.