Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-08-06
TERRIBLE FLOOD.
Portions OF Pittsburgh and Allegheny
City Desfroyed---Oyer 200 Lives Lost.

I
PrTTsBuRGn. Pa, July q, 1874.
The calamity which befel this section
/ last night was the most appalling with
which il has ever been visited, SO far as
the loss of life is concerned. On Sunday
heavy rains fell during the morning, but
/ In the afternoon the skies cleared and the
rain was thought to be over. Toward
evening, however, premonitcry flashes
of lightning were seen northeast, south
west and northwest of the city, and ON
nous, dark clouds overcast the sky.
/ About eight O'Clock the storm broke, &C
companied by vivid and continuous
| flashes Of lightning, followed by
terrific peals OF thunder. The rain
descended in torrents and In such guam
titles that it seemed as ii the clouds had
suddenly met with some obstruction and
empticd their contents in an instant. In
a few moments the streets were con
yerted into torrents, and down the steep
grades an immense volume of water
rolled with terrific force, tearing up the
pavement, bursting sewers, inundating
| buildings and filling cellars. The rain
covered the entire city of Allegheny and
adjoining rural districts, but the most
serious damage and loss Of life was con-
fined TO Butchers and Spring Garden
| Runs In the northeast portion of
] Allegheny; Woods Run in the northwest
section OF the same city, and Saw-mill
Run in the sout section of Pitts
burgh. The Press dispatch says: "Tbe
accounts Of the terrible flood which has
| deluged nearly all the suburban sections
Of this city, as they come in during the
afternoon and evening, show the disaster
to be far greater than at first supposed:
II is NOW thought the total loss of life will
not be short of 200 The loss Of properly
is proportionate The Egcning Chronicle,
in its five o'clock edition, placed the loss
at 142, and names Of missing parties are
continually coming in. The extent of ter
ritory damaged is not less than twenty to
twenty five miles in diameter, and how the
main portion of the city of Pittsburgh
| lying, as il does, in the center of this cir
Gle, escaped without further injury seems
almost miraculous. A prevailing theory
seems TO be that the disaster was caused
by some kind Of waterspout. A gen
tlcman who watched the storm from
few miles down the river, where there
was but little rain, says that by the few
fitful flashes of lightning he could see a
huge, inky-black, funnel-shaped cloud,
which oyerhung the city, the narrow ends
vent to an almost perpetual burst
of lightning. 1t is almost inn
possible for anyone not familiar
with the geography of this local
ity TO form an idea Of this disaster or
how it could possibly have occurred.
The main city of Pittsburgh, as 1t rises
gradually from the point formed by the
| junction Of the two rivers, has many
gulches in certain localities which render
a flood of this description liable to do
great damage. The part known as the
Hill region Is frequently liable to suffer
! from local foundations. The damage
here, however il this time light com
pared with other localities strictly sub
Urban. The north bank of the Ale
gheny River, upon whose hillsides
and in whose valleys the upper
portion of the city Is situated,
has, according TO all accounts, been
the scene of the greatest disaster The
work Of destruction commenced at a
point about two miles north of the cen
trail portion Of Allegheny City. Butchers
Run Valley at its mouth is probably be-
tween 400 and 500 feet wide, and at the
point where the work of destruction
commenced il Is not more than $50 feet
wide. Between North avenue and this
northerly point numerous ravines empty
into Butchers Run Valley Along this
run the houses were built directly over
the natural watercourse, culverts being
made in part as foundations for the
dwelling houses.
"The line of destruction followed the
water-course TO the river, and involved
an immense number of houses that were
not on the line of the culvert. When the
rain commenced falling but little appre-
tensions were entertained, but those
who live near the head of the valley
stated that suddenly ii seemed as If the
heavens opened and the water came
down as II discharged from immense
pipes. The volume was so large
that the narrow valley was filed
with a raging torrent, the frame dwell
ings, 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 aug
mented every moment. In the district
living west of Chestnut street and north
the water rose to height of fully twenty
feet In some places the occupants of
dwellings were unable 10 escape In time
to save their lives. In many instances
the force of the water shattered struct-
urcs into splinters.
"The course of the flood was probably
200 feet wide, and buildings, frame and
brick. fell before the devastating
element as though they had been
sand. Dwellings, stables, workshops,
and debris of all kinds mingled together
In one confused mass, making IL abso-
lutely impossible for the spectator to
discover even the street line. In some
instances houses were literally turned
upside down The loss of life was fear
full" At the time of sending the last ac-
count 142 dead bodies had been recovered,
and 1t was thought the number drowned
would considerably exceed 200, 1t is yet
too early to furnish a correct estimate of
the loss of property, but 1t Is immense,
probably exceeding $3,000,000.