Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-08-06

mated at S15O,O0O-LOss Of Life Set
Down ut 100.
Pittsburgh, Pa, dispatch of July 81 says
The rain-storm which visited this 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 prep
erty but at about 9 o'clock the windows of
| the heavens were 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
aud lightning were terrific. and the death-cry
| of scores of victims rose upon the air from
dozen submerged localities. The exact course
of the cyclone as yet is not precisely known,
| but seems to be semi-circle, embracing the
northern, western and southwestern parts Of
our ,ity in it's arc, leaving the main portion
of the city unframed. In Allegheny the
calamity is utterly appalling. not only in
the loss Of property, but In lives of human
| beings.
| The great fire. so recent within its borders,
was nothing compared to this disaster. Peo-
pie in the vicinity where the greatest destruc-
ton occurred say they could get out of the
reach of the fire, but the water overwhelmed
them and put life in as great jeopardy as
property. In all parts of the city more or
less damage was done; but great loss oc-
Cured in the bottom districts, where the tor
rents 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 Sawmll run was almost be-
yond description. The work of destruction
commenced at point about two miles north
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 immense sewer leading into Allie
gheny river. Butchers run valley, at its
mouth. is probably between 400 and 500 feet
wide, and at the point where the work of
destruction commenced it is not more than
$50 feet wide. Between North avenue and
this northerly point numerous ravines empty
into Butchers run valley. Along this route
houses we're 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 culvsrts When the rain COM
menced falling but little apprehension was
entertained; but those who lived near the
head of the valley state that suddenly il
seemed as If the heavens were literally
opened, and the immense volume of water
came down as il discharged from an immense
pipe. The volume was 30 large that the mar
row valley 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. In the district lying west of
Chestnut street and north of line parallel
with North avenue the water rose to a height
of fully 20 feet In some places the occu-
pants of dwellings, were unable 70 escape in
time to save their lives, and in N any instances
the force of the water rent the structures into
splinters. The storm continued until about
half-past 10 o'clock, and from various local
tiles the loss of life tonight is set down at
$50, distributed as follows among the different
localities: Butchers Run-Found "a; miss
ing, rs. Woods Run-Found, 81 missing,
5. Castle Shannon railroad-Found, 10 (;
missing, none. Ohio river-Found 4 miss
ing, none. Soho-Found, /; missing, none.
Charters creek-Found, IA; missing, g.
Bridgeville to Washington county-Found,
"a; missing. 3.
The brief Geographic announcements on
Monday morning, of heavy rains in and about
Pittsburgh gave no intimation of the frightful
disaster which is reported above. Pittsburgh
is 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 northwest
of the city. The hill sides are intersected at
irregular intervals with runs or gulches,
which form natural channels for any large
waterfall from above. The heavy rains OF
Sunday night filled these guches, and the
water swept down the hills with resist,ess
impetuosity, carrying death and desolation in
its course. The area over which this
flood is said to have extended is de-
scribed as from 20 to 25 miles in diameter, and
astonishment is expressed that the torrent
did not sweep down over the entire city. AS
il was, the damage done was confined maiuly |
to the less attractive suburbs of Pittsburgh |
and Allegheny City, including Temperance
vile and one or two other neighboring bor-
oughs. The devastated district was filled 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, SO great as If the |
flood had reached other and richer sections OF |
the city. But this is Insignificant as compared |
to the loss OF life. More than 100 bodies
have already been recovered: it is known that |
nearly $50 lives have been lost and it is be-
lieyed With good reason that 200 men, women
and children have persisted.
The Pittsburgh horror is one of . class over !
which we can only mourn. It seems to he
long to the category Of catastropLes which !