The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-07-28
TERRIBLE STORM.
Fearful Loss of Life.
Immense Destruction of Prop
erty.
TTelegraphed to the Bulletin. |

in show that the disaster is far greater tina
, was at first supposed. 1t is now thought tn
total loss of life will be two hundred and tn
loss of property will be proportionate
The evening Chronicle, in its five O'Clock edi
ton, placed the loss at one hundred and forty
two, and the names of the.missing parties ar
continually coming i'll.
The extent of territory damaged is not les
than twenty to twenty-five miles in diameter
and how the main portion Of the city o
Pittsburg, lying rs it does in the centre o
this circle, escaped further injury, appears
almost miraculous. A prevailing theory i
that the disaster was caused by some kind o
a water spout. A gentleman who watched
the storm from point few miles down The
river where there was but little rain says tina
by the itful flashes Of lightning he could see
a huge inky-black tunnel-shaped cloud whicl
overhung the city, the narrow ends being low
est while the dark parts gave vent to al
almost continuous burst of lightning.
1t is almost impossible for any one moi
familiar with the geography Of the locality to
form an idea Of this disaster, or how it could
possibly have occurred. The main city OF
Pittsbnrg as it rises gradually from the point
formed by the junction Of the two rivers has
many gulches in certain localities, which I'M
der flood OF this description, are liable to dc
great damage, and the part known as the Hill
region, is frequently liable to suffer from local
foundations. The damage here, however, is
at this time light, compared with other local.
ties directly suburban.
The north bank Of the Allegheny, 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 point about two miles north Of the central
portion OF Allegheny Getty Butchers Run
Valley at its mouth is possibly between four
and five hundred feet wide, and at the point
where the work of destruction commenced, it
is not more than one hundred and fifty feet
wide, between North Avenue and this north
erly point
Numerous ravines empty into Butchers
Run Valley. Alongt this run the houses were
built directly over the natural water course,
culverts being made and used in part as foun-
dations for dwellings. The line of destruc-
ton followed the water courses to the river,
and involved an immense number of houses
4; that were not on the line Of the culvert
When the rain commenced falling but
little apprehension was entertained, but those
who lived near the head of the valley state,
that suddenly it seemed as if the heavens
were opened, and the water came down as
| if discharged from immense pipes.
The volume was so great that the valley was
filed with raging torrent /; the frame dwell
ings, stables and slaughter houses gave away
like pipe-stems and the debris from the
wrecks were swept down along the line of the
plank road, its weight being augmented every
moment in the district lying west of Chestnut
street, and north Of line parallel with North
Avenue. The waters rose to height of fully
twenty feet. In some places the occupants of
dwellings were unable to escape in time to
save their lives
In many instances the force Of the water
rent structures into splinters. After taking
away large number of outhouses and fences
the flood struck the dwelling occupied by
Henry Mattern, wife and two children all
were drowned. The next house was that of
John Winkler, who found the food endanger-
ing the barn and stock. With his brother he
started out to the horses. Mrs. Winkler re-
manned in the house, and in less than five
minutes all the lower rooms were filed with
water
Mrs Winkler called for assistance but be-
fore it could reach her, the building gave way
and she was engulped. Further southwark
was the building Of John Shearing; as soon as
the waters commenced rising, Shearing moved
his family, consisting of his wife and twin
boys, aged years. to Hillside, in what he
supposed to be place Of safety. The chill
dren were sleeping soundly, but one of the
little fellows was aroused by the storm, and
rolled over an embankment into the angry
food below.
His body was recovered this morning. The
extensive glue works were the next to succumb
to the action Of the water, and were totally de-
stroyed. small distance below these works
was a small dwelling, occupied by August
Rikoff and family, embracing a wife and two
children They We're unaware of the destruc-
finp that %ha,,
with the building were carried down the
stream. Mrs. Rikoff was rescued, bruised
and bleeding, from the torrents, the remainder
of the family were drowned.
AT the corner of East street and Madison
Avenue the water seemed to deviate. In a
triangular house at the intersection of the
streets named resided Mrs Coulon, with four
children, also young man named Arnold and
a cripple named Rogers were in the house.
All were lost except Neil Coulon. Young
Arnold had gone into the house to arouse
some of the inmttes, but fell victim to the
destroying elements.
About block below at the intersection of
Madison Avenue and East street, the torrent
again united and swept down with redoubled
violence to the low lands, embracing Concord,
D Hara and a portion OF Chestnut streets The
course of the food WAS probably two hundred
feet wide, and buildings frame and brick) fell
before the devastating element as though they |
had been sand. Dwellings stores workshops !
and debris of all kinds mingled together in one |
confused mass. making it impossible for the
spectators to dscov- r even the street lines.
In some instances houses were literally !
burned upside down. On OH ira street, the /
dwelling OF Aid IN Bolster was reduce to /
its original elements, and one of his children
WAS drowned; the rest of his family escaped
On the same street family consisting of Ja-
cob Fuchs, wife, one child, and Joseph, a
brother Of Mrs. Fuchs, and adionin; the
lonse containing jacob Meter, wife and two
children: all except one child were lost. The
bodies We're found this N orning.
On Chestnut street, at the intersection Of
spring arden Avenue, the wlter attained
tepth OF IT, j. twenty feet, but tho buildings
vlthsto" q force batter, AMI in olly one
nsf serious damage done. A large
Ting, occupi d as beer hull, WAS
no lNSll its foun lIlo1s AMI tlolte1 di-
ec,----..,~ q the street. completely Distract
sr,s.psy. 1t is estim tie that in this dis
rl (: f1ip htty dwellings We're destroyed, but no
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