The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-12

The Pittsburg Dead List Still Growing-The
characteristics of the Storm.

Inc fitISDurg DEAD LlSt sui UfOWinS-Aho
characteristics Of the Storm.
PITTsBURG, Jan. 11.-Forty-eight hours
have elapsed since the terrible disaster that
brought sorrow to SO many homes in this
city, and the work of uncovering the VIC
tins has not yet been completed. For two
days and two nights one hundred men and
fifty teams have been constantly at work,
and up to 10 o'clock this morning the man.
gled remains of fourteen persons had been
taken from the ruins. Four more are known
to be still buried under the debris, and six
others are missing. Of the injured three
have died since removal to the hospitals,
four others are in o critical condition,
and will not survive. The remain
ing thirty-two are all doing well and
will recover. During the night the bodies
of Charles McEwen and two unknown
wOrkmen were recovered, and at daylight
the remains eff the venerable DR.. Reed, who
was In Weldon,s store when the accident
happened, were found on the first floor of
the building, frightfully crushed. DR.. Reed
was eighty years old and prominent resi-
dent of Allegheny City.
Speaking of the meteorological phenom-
ena attached to the storm of Wednesday,
Signal Officer Stewart said: The signal
service fully anticipated the extent and
character Of the storm visitation. The
storm center was in Chicago, where the
lowest barOmeter-nearly 20 degreeS-ex-
listed, with wind velocity of eighty miles
to the hour: The wind always blows in the
however. is liable to shift. which
happened on Wednesday. In no storm
since the signal service has been in opera
tion has the storm center moved with such
rapidity. The storm was extraordinary.
The atmosphere is most dense at the storm
center, and the humidity of the atmosphere
forces the surface wind upward just as the
gradients affect the wind in traversing the
country. Thus, as the storm center passed
slightly DOrth of this city, the unusual de-
wind to descend furiOusly upon us, causing
the accident.
The changes in the Thermometer were
marked. At 12 o'clock Wednesday the
showing that the cold wave travelled di-
rectly in the track of the gale. The barom-
eter fell rapidly also. At s o'clock 1880 was
registered, and at IL o'clock it had dropped
to 29:0S, the lowest figure ever known
here. The fall indicated the advance of the
as the wind. The condition of cur atmos-
phere was so depressed that the wind
rushed downward in the air toward MS.
much as water would a declivity. Our
then, the cause of the great blow, as the
storm center was SO small and moved so
fast that the wind was drawn from the
southwest with great force. The wind was
remarkable for its sudden generation and
the rapldity of its subsistence. The violent
gale had some of the characteristics of a
tornado, and its path was about two miles
widen
The funerals of four of the victoms, Thomas
Jones, Charles Fritch, George Mason and
Samuel Stringer, took place from their late
homes to-day. The others will be buried
tomorrow. The damage to property by the
accident is estimated at Sl25, 900. The
coroner's jury began it's investigation at 10
o'clock this morning. A verdict is not ex-
pected before tomorrow.
The work of clearing the ruins was not
completed tonight as expected, but by
morning it is thought the debris will all be
removed. Late this afternoon the body of
Richard Carroll was discovered in the cell
lar of of the Weldon building, and no bodies
have been found since. The police arehope-
ful that there are no more in the wreck.
The two bodies taken out this morning
were identified as those of George Blend
niger and Leonard Shiffhauer, two of the
missing brick-layers.
The coroner's Investigation was begun
to-day, but after short session an adjourn
ment was taken un oil Monday. All the in
jured are doing well, and all but two will
rac0vnr