Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-16
RAINFALL
Was Undoubtedly the Cause Of the
Recent Disastrous Floods.
AN AVERAGE OF EIGHT INCHES
Fell Over an Area Of More Than 1900
Square Miles in the State.
NEARLY 7,oOO,OOO,OOO TONS In WEIGHT
nrxcrAL rxLrenAn TO THE prsrArcH. !,

ESPECIAL TxLkeRAh TO THE DfsrArcH.i
HARRISBURG, August 15.-Secretary Of
Internal Affairs Stewart has issued report
relative to the recent floods in Pennsylvania,
caused by the rainfall of May 80 to June L.
1t was, says the report, gigantic rainfall,
amounting to an average of eight inches in
depth of water, falling on an area of more
than IL, 900 square miles, and covering the
mountain plateau and its eastern declivities
from Johnstown to Harrisburg, and extend
ing northward from Somerset to Mexican
and Tiogs counties.
This area OF rainfall was oval in form,
Susquehanna. Around this central body of
flooded country the quantity fell off rapidly
to six, four, and two inches, although the
highlands in Maryland and Virginia, at
the south, and in northeast Pennsylvania
and southern New York had flooded rains
OF three to five inches in depth.
LITTLE RAINFALL IN PIrTsBURa.
At PIttsburg there was only one and
half inches, although in Ohio, Michigan
and Indiana, nearly three inches of rain
fell on the 29th and 30th of May. There
were flooding rains at the same time in
Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia.
In the southern counties of this State the
rainfall was light, from half an inch to an
inch only, although the southeast gale
was more violent there, and it swept Della
ware and South Jersey with great iorce on
May 81.
The appalling losses of life at Johnstown,
of course, could not have resulted from any
storm, however great the rainfall, yet it
was apparent at Philadelphia on the after
noon of May 30, and during all the follow
ing day, that the great heat and violent gale
indicated heavy rainfall in the interior Of
the State.
Taking the entire area visited by heavy
and general rainfall May % to June 1,
there is
NO RECORDED EXPERIENCE
approaching it in magnitude. In Eastern
Kansas and over much of Missouri it
reached an average of inches. In Illinois
and all the States intervening to Pennsylva-
the observers of the several States weather
systems reporting very fully. All their
reports have been received and consulted, in
writing and paper.
The States southwark, including Tennes-
see, had general and heavy rains nearly
equal to those just referred to. And, while
in the Ohio Valley and vicinity of Pitts
burg there was less rain, the first mountain
Gus elevations eastward were deluged with
rain, the southern border having several
destructive local storms or cyclones, such
as are characteristic of the southern border
Of an area Of general disturbance
WEIGHT OF THE WATER.
The vast weight of water falling is shown
by calculation based on the weight of a |
cubic foot, 35 feet being ton. In the sur
face of sc-ere mile there would be &c, ,377 |
tons for En- inch in depth. 531 ,016 tons for a |
depth of eight inches. The quantity falling
on II 900 square miles, at this rate, is 732,-
DAG, 900 tons. The force exercised by vast |
bodies of water in motion is irresistible. In |
the report says:
I'm all respects the conditions were the |
most remarkable and peculiar Of, those |
known to attend general rainfall, and the |
rast masses of water thrown down over the |
surface of several States other than Penn
'ylvania, only add to the difficulty Of ex-
planning the origin of the storm, or the
source from which SO great body of water
,an have been derived"