Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-08-04
SflistdIang,
ALMOST A DELUGE.
Great Destruction OF Lives and
Property i'm Pennsylvania by
n Heavy Rain.

great destruction OF lives and property.
The following is graphic account Of il;
About $50 o'clock on Sunday evening
two great black clouds came up from
opposite points OF the compass, one 10
the southwest and one 10 the northwest.
They rose slowly. like two awful demons.
Their edges were ragged and black,
flecked here and there with patches Of
fiery cOlors. \ dozen little promontOries
julied OUT here aud there. like The heads
OF the hydra upon each, changing shape
and appearance every moment and as
Suming the appearance OF bird, beast or
mOnSseS, orcas!c0A!lY GXteGting Tar up
across the intervening space. rs though
to reconuoitpo the enemy. and then again
receding. But all this tiwc the two great
giants. swarthed in inky biackness aud
almost without line, slowly approached
each other. Suddenly noise. between
roay and grow. burst from EACH
There was no distinct defamation, like
ordinary thunder. but low. terrible and
continuous mumbling Growl. causing the
air 10 vibra;e and the very foundations of
the earth 70 shake rs though a certain
aSue had seized upon the everlasting
hills. \ fringe OF lire, ike aa aurora
bOreAliS, began 10 run along the ragged
edges. faint at iTst but growing IN in,
tenSitY every moment until it looked rs
though The demons had put on an amor
oil fire. Ga they came, nearer aud nearer,
when suddenly mighty bolt OF binding
light leaped from the cestral head OF the
demon Of the northeast, burned high up
in the SKY, AMI then fairly struck tue op-
posing demoA. \ moment. aud deaf
cnins crash divided the hot atmosphere
and made the earth 10 trcmble palp9bly.
Ba; the demon OF the southwest Wa, not
even stunned. bat paid back hi, a,s.,iiaht
with loyScd jtveliue ol sulphurous
lame.
This was the opening ol The grand
battle. The long lines OF lame, that en-
vcloped the combalan,s ceased TO daUce
and flicker, and like the borcIis gathered
into tongues oi silver aal blue iilc, and
leaPed forward simultaneously from both
directions, until The rapidly narrowing
space between them seemed 10 be- au
ocean of fire. The Two demon clouds
net directly o,er the city. ana seemed 20
rock The earth 10 lis uttcrmo,, foundation.
For u iew minutes prcyiJu, "a leW heavy
drops Of lain had been pa.icrinS down,
but when the tvO giants me, in their
death embrace. i, seemed - though
river hId been unclaimed in the heavens
and WIS falling, bodily 10 the earth below.
For hall an holr il did not rain. there
were no distinguishing drops as The term
j. geneealiy understood; itiwas tie dc
scent Of q torrent like river leaping
over precipice. In three minutes after
the terrible water spout hsd burst. moyc
than To- human beings were swept away.
Down Madison avenue in Allegheny city
came the flood il is mos. awful des,luc
uyenesS, sweeping away moro than any
dwelling houses and causing Tie death OF
seventy persons in that immediate
vicinity.
Whom the rain oommeuccd failing but
li;ils apprehension VS. enrcrtaioed, bus
those who livcd near the head ~ the eal-
ley stake that suddenly Il seemed rs if Tho
heavens were opened Water came down
. i! discharged from immense pipes
The volume was 50 great that the valley
was filed with a raging torrent. Frame
dwellings. stables and slaughter houses
gave way.liGe pipe stems. aud debris from
wrecSs was swept down along the line of
The plank road.the weight being augment.
ed every moment. In the district lying
west OF Chestnut street, and north of
line lying parallel with North avenue. the
water rose to q height of fully twcuty
feet. In some places tho occupants Of
dwellings were uneble 10 escape with
their lives. In many places the force of
the waller rem, structures into splinto.S.
Further southwark was The dwelling oil
John Sheariug. Is soon as The water
commenced rising Shcariug moved bis
faaliiy, consisting OF hi, wife and twin
boys aged wears. To tie hillside in what
he supposed place OF safety The chill.
drcn were sleeping Soundy bat one OF
them was aroused 10y the storm and rnllcd
over the embankment into the angry
flood below. The body was recovered
this morning.
Tie extensive glue works were next TO
Succumb 10 The action 1T the water uud
were totally destroyed. a short distance
below these works was a small dwelling
occupied by AuS. RiAoG and family. Gun
bracing his vale and two children. They
were unaware OF the destruction sweep.
ing down upon them. aud with The build
ing were carried down stream. Mrs.
Glkoh. bruised and bleeding. was rescued
from The torrent several squares distant.
but the remainder OF the iamily were
drowned. At the corner Of East Street
and Madison Avenue the water seemed TO
divide in 4 triangular course. ~ The in.
terSecLiOn Of these streets resided Mrs.
IanlOn and four children Alsoa Young
man named Arnold, and a cripple named
Rogers were in The house. Al were lost