The New York herald., 1874-07-28
GREAT DESTRUCTION o. PROPERTY
Dwellings, Stores and Workshops AVlnslsd IN
Confused Mass.
HOUSES TURNED UPSIDE DOWN
Families Enguifed in the Failing
Buildings
LIST OF TILE DEAD AND MISSING

ffrrsBURG Pa, Jsy %, 1874
Last night one or the most fearful rain stOrms
ever known visted this and Allegheny CITY, and
the devastation effected IL widespread ana shock
ing. Tue ram commenced to fail about eight
O'Clock. Just when the church bells had ceased
their toiling and when wOrshppers were engaged
in religious exercises. singing hymns Of
praise 30 God. 1t seemed IA II the gates
OF heaven had opened wide and allowed
the deiuge iree scope, Tor never before
has any one in THIS neighborhoOd Witnesses sucn
an incessant and so heavy rainfall. Accurate
measurement OF the rams yesterday shows fau
OF within one-twentieth Oi hye and one half incles
more tnan twice as much as has ever been known
to fall In the same space. The thunder ana light
ming were terrific, and
THE DEATH CRY SCORES or VICTIMS
rose upon the air from dozen submer rged locali
ties The course OF .his cyclone AS vet Is not
precisely known, but seems TO be u semc rcie,
embracing the northern, western and south
western parts OF our city in It's arc
leaving the main portions unharmed. It was
not until the break OF DAY that the iull horrors OF
the mood were known, and then 1t was discovered
that the locality known as Butchers Run, III Ale
gneny City. mad suffered most seriously. This Is
pOpuous valley on either side OF which high hills
range that covered with unpretentiOus
ingmen. Tie valley at It's mouth Is probably
between 400 and 500 feet wide ana at the point
where the work OF destruction commenced it is not
more than $50 leet wide. Along this route houses
were built directly over natural water course,
cuverts being made and used IN part as rounda-
ttonsror dwelling houses.
LINE OF DESTRUCTION
followed the water course to tho river and In
volved an immense number Of houses that were
not in q line OF the culvert. When the ram COM
menced falling but little apprehension was en-
tertained, but those who lived near the head OF
the valley state that suddenly 1t seemed as
II the heavens were literally opened, and
water came down in great volumes which
soon filed the lOwIands to OvernOwing.
Rapidly the stream filled and noated on from
their foundations one more houses, wncn IN
their course impeded the free now OF water. and
thus the stream rose till there was at least u
torrent twenty five feet deep, which was ~ angry
as the sea. Houses were sucked OF their iOun-
dations IKE many jackstraws aud hurled
against each other, their occupants being crushed
or drowned IN their enorts to escape.
loss or LIFE
IL appalling ana the scene almost indes cribabe.
An eye witness, living on nigh portion OF spring
Garden avenue, able to for con side RAJ e
distance Around. The water below had risen TO
the upper stories Ot Cnc ana Wnen the
cries ior aid o the doomed inmates broke upon his
ear he at once realized their terrible situation.
Presently houses began to noat, and then 1t was
that tue air was rent with
WILD, DISTRESSING CRIES
OF mothers and children and tender babes. AT
snort intervals nash OF lightning would reveal
chastity terror stricken faces thrust from the win
dows of boating houses, and presently, when the
water began to rise higher and higher. ana build
ings began to crumble and fall 10 pieces, strug-
Cling forms of men, women and children could be
seen in the water battling for life. Then, after an
interval OF darkness. the lightning would
again reveal the place, but they had
disappeared beneath heavy Of hoat-
ing tmbers- Never for an instant did the
wild, despalrng cries cease. No sooner would the
screams of one desparing mortal cease with death
than another would burst FORTH and during the
long hours OF night they could hear tdem scream
and witness their dying struggles without power
to help. AT times they could see through the
windows OF a floating house, where a light still
burned. mothers knecling with young children IN
their arms; presently the house would IOpple and
lal with crash, but not too loud to drown the
! piercing shrieks OF the poor wretcnes Within.
rAK WORK OF RECOVERING BODIES
| commenced at daylight and continued all day long,
! aud even now men with lanterns are searching the
| debris for some one known to be missing. The
bodies recovered are for tue most part dis1gured,
! showing that the current OF waters was very vio
lent. The bodies a. soon as they were recovered,
were taken to the undertaking establishments.
AMONG THOSE REOOGNHBD wsRE
Mr. and Mrs. Metzlcr. who resided Spnns
Garden avenue.
Conrad Gentzer and his wife. sophia.
Mrs. Mary CODlon.
Mrs. John Winkier, residence on Butchers run
Jacob Schnaner residence O'Hara street.
Mrs Henry Leopold aud four children, two boys
aud two girls; the Oldest OF these children, a
little girl appeared to be about ten years OF age.
Archibald Arnold, aged twenty-eight years, who
| resided on Butchers run; the deceased was un
married.
The body OF female and the bodies OF seven
children, three boys and four glris, nave not yet
been Identified. The body OF u tall. well butt
man. dressed IN che garb Of aremsn was taken
out OF \ new building. some persons had seen
him enter when the food commenced to save
woman VINO had screamed iOr help. All the in
mates were drow ned and hIs WAS the only bod!
recovered. AT another undertaking estaD
shrnent are Mrs. Joan Schafrer an,
! three daughters one aged lourtcen anothc
| eleven, AMI baby.
Henry Nathern. hls vile and TWO ch,ldyeu.
man Bolster.
young man named Bumbard. who resided a
No. 49, Ohio street, drowned while attempting Il
rescue family on ohio street.
Emma RySon. aged nse gears, whose parents re
sided on Butche's run.
A son OF John Shearing. aged lour years iitt'
girl. apparently about ave years of age. not idea
titled.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hunnsgc, VINO resided on 0'har
street.
Hcncy Hess, policeman who was droune
while attempting to rescue some persons rom
house on Chestnut street, and the body Of no
named Huber who was visiting fsmiIy on OMAR
street. A lost woman. ound this evening, was
YOUNG MOTHER.
Close to her breast she neId her Young babe IN
grasp 40 tight that IL was several moments beio'
IL could Oe unOOsed rom her embrace. Her al
a.aA lA.xH I'LL llof fal q