New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-29

il is stated that 100 more persons
are missing. Reporters who have travelled
over the districts devastated by the storm say that
not less than 25 lives were lost and Others state the
number with confidence at 2l9. There is absolutely
no means of estimating the value of property de
strOyed. but rough estimate places II at SeOOOOO,
which is probably in excess of the real figures
THE BEGINNING AND PROGRESS OF THE
FLOOD.
TIE FIRST REPORTS SHORT OF THE WHOLE TRUTH
THE EXTENT OF THE DISASTER NOT FULLY
CONPREHENDED YET-A DESCRIPTION OF TIE
GORGE THROUGH WHICH THE TORRENT PoU RED.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.l
PITTSBURGH. July 2s.-Although the news Of the
terrible calamity which visited Allegheny City on
Sunday night reached Pittsburgh with the proven
bal speed of evil tidings unlike such news gen5r
ally il fell short of rather than beyond the truth
II was soon known that certain streets had been
flooded that several lives had been lost and that
much property had been destroyed or impaired IN
value but 1t not until the next day that
the extent and nature of the disaster were
nj all comprehended. and even now the former
Is not fully determined. There was hard rain In
Pittsburgh on Sunday, and on the evening of that
day the streets were flooded, but more than they
have been before, and not enough to excite the ap
prehensions of any but the closest observers. Nor
was there in Allegheny City any alarming Fremont
tion Of the deluge but few miles nOrthward one
OF those water-spouts of which everybody has
heard. but which so few have seen, descended N
fearful reality. The clouds discharged their con-
tents in one vast sheet upon the range of hills over
looking the cities of Allegheny and Pittsburgh, and
wearing deep gules in the steep hilsides, found in
the valley a natural channel resembling IN many
points the narrow gorge down which swept only
few weeks ago the food from Mill River dam on It's
way to Williamsburg.
In tins instance the gorge lies between what
seems 10 be known as Troy and Butcher Run Hills
Ia 1t, as 1t approaches the city, were two narrow
streamlets. heretofore so harmless that they have
not even been bridged, and which the streets
hitherto crossed OF followed without danger Of over
flow Indeed the names Spring Garden Run. and
Butchers Run have been applied 10 the streets
than 10 the insignificant streamlets which run II
the same direction. Woods Run was. perhaps
larger than the others but 1t was never considered
stream Of either dignity OF power. But swollen by
the contributions from the hiltops Sunday even
ing they all expanded into torrents Of fearful
width, speed. and strength. Butchers Run first
manifested ITS dangerous tendency the house of
Mr. Frank Metz. about p miles from OhiO-st.. and
Immediately afterward it struck and dashed to
pieces a new frame building IN which lived the fam
ily of a Mr.. Mattern. Then gathering new strength
as il ran it burst upon Mr.. Remkept's house and
swept il away with the lives of four Of It's inmates
Nj Rernkept and his three small children.
considerable distance further on, Madison-ave
and Easiest come together and the stream, dividing,
ran down each, with depth and width enough to
flood all the cellars, and with strength enough TO
lift houses from their foundations and either dash
them 10 fragments or carry them bodily tar from
their original location. Meantime men, women, and
children were drowned as the water reached them,
and every dumb animal IN the path of the torrent
shared the same fate. East-st. lost SIX or seven
houses with their contents but Madlson-aye. be-
came the bed Of the new river and mere was
wrought the greatest destruction. The pavement
and soil of the were scOoped out to adepth OF
about Il feet while the houses were either flooded,
overthrown. or wrecked-but many Of the people
uuaccountahly escaped-until Vista-st. was reached
nv the flood. Below this, Butchers and Spring
Garden Runs flow together and 20 on toward the
Allegheny, aud in this vicinity, TO judge from the
disoriered and shapeless of dels, the greatest
damage 10 property was done, although much OF the
debris here to he seen was probably brought down
from above The local papers state that mere also
was the greatest loss Of life.
have not traced the career of the Spring Garden
Run because although the incidents We're different
II rose in the same and its course ana gen
era results were about the same. The track Oh eaeh
stream was marked By terror and devastation ana
as they came together devastation seemed TO reach
IT. climax Many occupants of houses struck by the
food escaped BY fleeing the second stories, or get
ting on the roofs but II the house went 10 pieces or
fel over the fate of these fugitlves was better
than that Of those who were drowned on the ground
floor OF while blindly rushing INTO the street for
safety. The flooding of Woods Run produced the
same general results described above. The course
of this torrent was mile long beginning at the
junction of Westerp-ave. and the Beaver-road and
ending only at the rver, which is about mile be-
low. There was not, however great destruction OF
life in the region thus flooded. probably because 1t
was sparsey settled; still. many persisted Here as
elsewhere men, women. and children are gathered
to mourn their dead OF TO rake over the wreck III
the vain search for property destroyed or swept oi
ever beyond their reach.