Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-24
AN ELECTRIC STORM.
Fearful Weather in Western
Pennsylvania.
The Elements Rage with Ex-
ceeding Fury.
Widespread Destruction Caused by
Wind, Flood and Lightning.
Portions of Ohio, West Virginia and Ken
lucky Also Visited-A Number of
Portions of Ohio, West Virginia and Ken
lucky Also Visited-A Number of
Fatalities Reported.
Associated Press Dispatches. |

PrrTsBURG, May pa severe rain
and electrical storm passed over large
section of Western Pennsylvania this
evening, doing great damage to property
and resulting in the loss of several lives.
East of and in this city houses were
blown down, trees uprooted and small
buildings demolished. A house on Black
Horse hill, occupied by John Miller, was
lifted bodily from it's foundation and
blown a considerable distance. The
family escaped with slight bruises. At
least score OF other houses in the
vicinity were unroofed. A large number
of persons received slight injuries, but
so far as known there are no fatalities.
At Mckeesport hailstones as large as
walnuts fell, while the rain poured down
in sheets for half an hour. Lightning
struck several buildings and consider
able damage was done. The greatest
injury was done by water, which came
down Whites hollow in stream IS feet
wide. The water was 5 feet deep on
Fifth avenue, and a number of houses
below grade were submerged.
At Greensburg, William Fry, gar
dener at st. Joseph's academy, was
killed by lightning. Heavy rains caused
great damage in the low lands in the
vicinity. Lightning struck number of
fine buildings, doing damage in every
instance.
Near Washington, Pa, lightning
struck derrick on the Miller farm,
shattering it and killing William Furman,
seriously injuring William Gates, and
stunning two others.
In Fayette county the rainfall was ex-
tensive, and did much damage to rail
roads. A heavy landslide occurred at
Oakland, and as it was being cleared
away a still heavier one came down,
blocking both tracks. The flood in
Mountz creek carried away many build
ings.
AT Layton station an immense amount
OF mud, rocks and trees came down on
the Baltimore and Ohio tracks. The
rain there amounted almost to cloud
burst.
At Scottdale the storm was particu-
larly destructive. The cellars along the
principal streets were nearly filled with
water, and goods in the stores were
saturated. The creek is rising steadily,
and the safety of the bridges between
Scottdale and Fair Chance is endangered
A dispatch from Oil City, Pa, says
There has been heavy rain falling almost
steadily since midnight, raising the
water in the river and creek to the high
est point since 1888. On account
of washouts there is no COM
munication with Buffalo or Warren. The
ground floors in the lower portion of the
town are flooded
At Wheeling, w. Va, two and a half
inches OF rain fell in twenty minutes,
deluging the streets and flooding num-
ber of business houses.
There are apprehensions of big rise
in the river in Pittsburg. The heavy
rain is likely to swell the rivers to food
proportions.
A special from Erie, Pa, says: Long
continued rains have caused great deal
of trouble on the railroads in this section
of the state, and today there were many
washouts. The west-bound freight on
the Nickel Plate went through bridge
near Crayton. Three trainmen were
severely injured. Twenty-Five cars went
down into the flood.
CLEVELAND, Ohio, May ga rain
storm much in the nature of cloud
burst swept over Northwestern Pennsyl-
vania this morning, doing great damage.
AT Cory the streets were converted into
rivers, in some places two feet deep, tear
ing up sewers and washing out the
roads. The railroad yards are COM
pletely inundated. The merchants also
sustained heavy losses. The valley from
Cory to Irvingtown, distance of twenty
miles, is a complete lake of water from
one to three miles in width. The loss
will probably reach 100000 or more.
The public highways in the surrounding
counties are nearly all impossible.
At Meadville, lightning struck several
buildings, although none were severely
damaged, Several streets are flooded
and extensive damage resulted in the
lower portion of the city from the rapid
rising of French creek. Three bridges, a
slaughter house and numerous small
buildings and sidewalks have been swept
away. Reports from all directions indi-
cate that the damage in this vicinity is
very heavy. The railroads also suffered
from washouts.
ALLIANCE, Ohio, May 23.-George Bat
terson, wife and two children, of Saline
vile, were killed by lightning while
standing under tree during storm
this afternoon.
CINCINNATI, May 23.-The northern
counties of Kentucky and southern por-
tion OF West Virginia were swept tonight
by terrific wind, thunder and rain
storm. Great damage was done at many
points, the full extent of which cannot
be learned until tomorrow. No fatalities
are reported, but number OF persons