River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-08-07
THE PITTSBURG HORROR.
Terrible Effects Of the Recent
Storm.
Twenty TO Thirty Miles of Country
Flooded,
2I0 Lives E0st-- Immense Destruction OF
Property.

Following are the particulars Of the
appalling calamity at Pittsburg, Pa, on
the Goth ult A severe rain storm had
prevailed all day of the Goth, increasing
in violence until evening, when IL had
reached its height. During the night
the storm continued undated, and was
the most severe and destructive TO life
and property that has ever occurred in
that vicinity. The rain came down in
perfect deluge, the water coming
down the streets leading from the hills
with fearful velocity, the current being
swelled also by water from side streets.
In Allegheny City the food was terri
BILE. A sewer on Madison avenue and
Vista streets burst, inundating the
whole upper part of the city. A num-
Der of houses were swept away on
! Spring Garden ST., the water attaining
n depth of ten feet, causing large loss OF
/ life IN this vicinity. In Butchers Run
district, at Woods Run, and at Saw
Mill Run, suburbs of Pittsburg, the
havoc was fearful.x AT the former place
80 bodies had been recovered, and IL at
the two last mentioned places.
= For more than a mile out on Spring
Garden avenue, Allegheny City, marks
of destruction are plainly visible.
! Houses are washed away, and buildings
thrown togetherin heaps. Some twenty
five or thirty slaughter houses on this
avenue were also washed away. Build
ings that We're not totally destroyed
We're greatly damaged.
The water, rising to the height of
fifteen feet, flooded the first floors of
the buildings, and in many cases the
second story.
Several houses We're swept into the
middle of the street, and others carried
a hundred yards andshattered to pieces.
A house containing two or three fami-
lies, at the rear of Center St., was de-
stroyed, and the inmates are all sup
posed to have been drowned.
In Temperanceyille and Saw Mill
Run, the elements made sad havoc
The track of the destructive flood is
marked by wrecks of dwellings, bridges,
immense heaps Of stone, large piles Of
Aoodwood, and the torn and ragged
sides Of the hills where the waters
surged aud gnawed into their very Vi
tails. Several lfeless bodies have already
been found From twenty five to thirty
persons are missing.
The Union bridge, crossing Saw Mill
Run at Main street, and five others
above were swept away.
At McKauqhlin's, about eleven miles
west, on the Pan Handle Road, eleven
persons are reported to have been
drowned: also, hundreds of cattle,
horses, sheep, etc.
The extent Of territory damaged j.
not less than % to 30 miles in diameter
and how the main portion of the city
Of Pittsburg, lying as it does in the cen
ter Of this circle, escaped without fur
ther injury, seems almost miraculous.
A prevailing theory seems to be that
the disaster was caused by some kind
of water spout. A gentleman who
watched the storm from q few miles
down the river, where there was but
little rain, says that by the fitful flashes
of lightning, he could see q huge, inky,
I blaci, funnel-shaped cloud, which over
hung the city, the narrow end being to
the west, while the dark parts gave vent
to'an almost perpetual burst of light
ming.
The north bank of the Allegheny
river, upon whose hillsides ana in
whose valleys the upper portion of the
city is situated, has, according to all
accounts, been the scene of greatestdis-
aster.
The work of destruction commenced
nj u point about two miles north Of the
central portion of Allegheny City.
Butchers Run Valley, at its mouth,
probably between four ard five hundred
feet wide, and ut the point where the
work of destruction commenced, it is
not more than one hundred and fifty
feet between north avenue and this
northerly point. Numerous rayines
empty into Butchers Run Valley.
The line of the destruction followed
the water course to the river and in
volyed an immense number Of houses
that were on the line Of the culvert
When the rain commenced falling but
little apprehensions were entertained,
but those who live at the head of the
valley, state that suddenly it seemed as
If the heavens were opened, and the
water came down as II discharged from
immense pipes. The volume was so
large that the narrow valley was filled
with raging torrent. The frame
dwellings, stables, and slaughter houses
gave way like pipe stems, and debris
from the wrecks was swept down along
the line Of the plank road, the weight
being augmented every moment. IN
the distric. lying west of Chestnut St,
and north, the water rose to height Of
fully twenty feet. In some places oc-
cupants of dwellings were unable to es-
cape in time to save .heir lives. In
many instances the force Of the water
sent the structure into sphnters. y
After taking awaya number of fences
and outhouscs, the food struck dwell.
ing occupied by II. Mallern, his wife
and two children--all drowned
Further southward was a dwelling oc-
curjed by Mr. John rhearing. MIR.
Thearing moved his family, consisting
Of his wife and twin boys, aged four
years. 10 the hillside, to what was sup
posed to be u place Of safety. The
children were sleeping somdly. One
| little fellow was aroused 10y The storm,
and rolled over an embaukmeutiuto the