Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-08-06
DOMESTIC.

During the prevalence of & heavy fog on the
9th the iron steamer Merchant ran upon a
ledge Of rocks off Racine Wis, and was sunk
in eleven feet.of water.
According to dispatches of the Goth terri
bic tornado Of wind and rain had passed over
the west end of the Southern Minnesota Rail
road, blowing down numerous buildings and
doing considerable damage to the crops.
On the night of the Goth heavy storm
passed over Pittsburgh and Allegheny City,
Pa, the rain descending in torrents and in
such quantities that it seemed rs if the clouds
had suddenly met with some obstruction and
cmpticd their conteGts in an instant In a
few minutes the streets were converted into
Waterways, ana down the steep grades an
immense volume of water rolled with terrific
force, tearing up the pavement, bursting
sewers, inundatin@ buildings and filling
cellars. The water covered the entire city
of Allegheny and the adjoining districts, but
the most serious damage was confined to
Butchers and Spring Garden Runs in the
northeast portion Of the city, Woods Run in
lie northwest section, and Saw-miIl Run in
the southwest portion of Pittsburgh. The
greatest devastation occurred on Butchers
and Spring Garden Runs These streams are
natural water-courses, but, flowing through
very narrow and thickly-populated valleys,
have been utilized as sewers, most of
the houses being built directly over
the runs. For nearly two miles both
valleys are not ever 80 feet in width,
but vast areas of hilly territory are drained
into them. The immense volume of water
which fell was too much for the capacity of
the culverts, and ina few moments the roads
leading through the valleys We're converted
into resstless torrents. Buildings, brick and
frame, were swept away as if they had been
made of sand, and the water, attaining in
some places to a depth of fully thirty feet,
carried everything before it. Dwellings,
stables, slaughter houses and out-buildings
were lifted from theiE foundations, and in
many Instances weye rolled over and
over, with their occupants and contents.
Nhole families, thinking themselves secure
under their own roofs, were in a moment
hurried INTO eternity. In other instances
chlaren were swept away from the arms of
parents, unable to make the slightest effort
TO rescue them from their waterv grave. On
the line of these two runs nearly one bun-
dred dwellings were DESTROYED, beside shops.
stables and slaughter-houses The Assoc,
ated Press report of the evening Of the 9th
states that the loss of life would be not far
from 200. Over 40 bodies had alreadv becn
recovered, and more were being constantly
brought in. The destruction Of property
was immense, aggregating it was thoupbt
considerably over $S,000,000.
\ dispatch from Eureka, Nev, gives partic
nlars of terrible storm which occurred on
the oath 1t had been raining with great
violence from early morning till noon, when
the cloud burst on a lofty range of mountains
to the east, and a vast volume of water rushed
down the canon where the town is located.
The eastern part Of the town was flooded in
ten minutes by the fearful rush of water,
which was constantly increasing in its Yios