The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-07-31


Pittsburgh the Scene of an Awful
FIood-The Damage to Property Esti-
mated MT I5O,OOO-LOss of Life Set
Down AT $50.
A Pittsburgh (Pa.) dispatch, July q, says
The rain-storm which visited the city yester-
day and last night was the heaviest known to
the oldest inhabitants, and the result the
most disastrous in the history of this city.
The storm of the morning only inflicted some
damage on the sewers and individual prop
erty; but at about 9 o'clock the windows Of
the heavens We're opened and the deluge was
fearful. Solid masses Of water flung them
selves in angry volume upon every square
foot of the town and country, the thunder
and lightning were terrific, and the death-cry
OF scores of victims rose upon the air from
dozen submerged localities. The exact course
OF this cyclone as yet IL not precisely known,
but seems to be a semi-clrcle, embracing the
northern western and southwestern parts of
our city in its arc, leaving the main portion
of the city unframed. In Allegheny the
calamity is utterly appalling, not only in
the loss Of property but III lives OF human be-
ings.
The great fire. 30 recent within its borders,
WAS nothing as compared with this disaster
People in the vicinity where the greatest des-
truction occurred say they could get out Of
the reach of the fire, but the water over
whelmed them and placed life in as great
jeopardy as property. In all parts of the city
more or less damage was done but great loss
occurred in the bottom districts, when the
torrent swept from the hills. In these the
greatest distress prevailed Families, in the
peace and quiet of the Sabbath evening, were
compelled to their uttermost exertion to save
their lives The devastation along the line
of Butchers and Sawmill run was almost be-
yond description. The work of destruction
at W. mi
of Ohio street. The valley proper COM
mences at point just above the line
of North avenue where Spring Gar
den run and Butchers run unite and
flow into an mmense sewer leading into Al
leghenv river Butchers run valley, at its
mouth, is probably between 400 and 500 feet
wide aud at the point where the work OF
destruction commenced it Is not more than
$50 feet wide. Between North avenue and
this nortberly point numerous raVlnes empty
into Butchers run valley. Along this route
houses were built directly over the natural
water course TO the river, and involved an
immense number of houses that were not on
the line Of the culverts. When the rain COM
menced falling but little apprehension was
entertained; but those who lived near the
head of tho valley state that suddenly 1t
seemed as if the heavens were literally opened,
and the water came down as if discharged
from an immense pipe. The volume was 80
large that the narrow valley was filled with the
raging torrent. The force of the water
was irresistible. The frame dwellings,
stables and slaughter houses gave
way like pipe-stems, and the debris
from the wreck was swept down along the
plank-road their weight being augmented
every moment. la the district lying west of
Chestnut street and north Of a line parallel
with North avenue, the water rose to height
of fully 20 feet. In some places the occu-
pants of dwellings were unable to escape in
time to save their lives, and in many instances
the force of the water rent the structures
into splinters, The storm continued until
about half-past 10 o'clock, and from various
localities the loss Of life tonight is set down
at 150 distributed az follows among the diff
ferent localities: Butchers Run-Found,
"a +; missing, 76. Woods Run-Found, 5;
missing 5. Castle Shannon railroad-Found,
10 missing. none. Ohio river-Found,
missing none. Soho-Found, l 4; missing,
none. Charters creek-Found, ii missing,
g. Brdgeville to Washington county Found
"a missing, 8.
The brief Geographic announcements on
Monday morning, of heavy rains in and about
Pittsburg gave no intimation Of the frightful
disaster which is reported above. Pittsburg
il situated at the confluence of the Mononga-
hela and Allegheny rivers, with steep hills all
about it. Allegheny City is on the opposite
shore Of the Allegheny river, to the north
west of the city, The hill-sides are intersect-
ed at irregular intervals with runs or guches,
WHICH FORM natural cnAnneIs Tor any large
waterfall from above. The heavy runs of
Sunday night filed these gulches and the
water swept down the hills with resi-tless
impetuosity. carrying death and desolation
in it's course. The area over which this
flood is said 20 have extended is de-
scribed as from 20 to 25 miles in diameter and
astonshment is expressed that the torrents
did not sweep down over the entire city,. As
it was, the damage done was confined mainly
to the less attractive suburbs of Pittsburgh
and Allegheny City, including Temperance
will and one two other neighboring Dor
oughs The devastated district was filed up
with slaughter-houses, small manufacturing
establishments, and the homes OF the work
ing classes. The value of the property de-
stroyed is not, therefore, 80 great as il the
food had reached other and richer sections of
the city. But this is insignificant az compared
to the loss of life. More than 100 bodies have
already been recovered it il known that
nearly $50 lives have been lost; and it is be-
lieved with good reason thai 200 men, women
and children have persisted.
The Pittsburgh horror is one of class over
which we can only mourn. II seems TO belong |