The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-24
BIG STORM IN PENNSYLVANIA
LIE AND PROPERTY DESTROYED BIZ
WIND AND LIGHTNING.

roads Delayed by I.andsiides and WASH
Outs-A Nickel Plate Train Goes Through
Bridge Weakened by the Flood.
PtTTsBURaH, May GA storm. which APP
pears to have been quite general throughout
Ohio and western Pennsylvania this afternoon.
was especially violent In the Allegheny and
Monongahela valleys. A pouring rain. accom-
panied by loud and almost continuous thunder
and sharp lightning were its features during
the brief time it wos sweeping over this city.
The storm struck Pittsburgh about o'clock.
but no serious damage was done to the old
city. In the east end however, the wind played
havoc. Houses were blown down, trees up
rooted. and small buildings demolished.
On Winebiddle avenue Ave new frame houses
we're lifted from their foundations and de-
stroyed. Another house. on Black Horse Hill,
occupied by John Miller was lifted from tho
foundations and blown q considerable dis
tance.
The family were in the sitting room at the
time. but were not injured. At loast score
more houses in the vicinity were unroofed. A
large.number OF persons received slight in
juries. but 40 far as known nobody was killed
The loss is estimated at from $4,000 to $40,-
600.
From almost every neGhborinG city and
town came reports Of damage. At Greensburg
envy, was struck and instantly killed by light
nina. Cellars were flooded and buildings dam
aged, The b. Il o. road. Pittsburg branch. has
suffered severely from landslides. washouts.
and flooded tracks. William Farman. who was
at work at an oil we'll near Washington. Pa,
was struck by lightning and instantly killed.
William Gates and two others we're badly in
jured. OIL City reports that the river there has
risen to 10 feet 4 inches the highest water
since 1888 No trains are running between that
city. Buffalo. and Warren.
At McKeesport hailstones fell as large as
wnlnuts, while the rain poured down In sheets
for half an hour The Jumps OF ice striking
horses caused number OF runaways. but no
serious damage was done. Lightning struck
several buildings.
The greatest injury was done by the water
which came down Whites hollow in stream
seventy-flve feet wide. The water was five feet
deep on Fifth avenue. below Centre street, and
q number OF houses which are below grade
were submerged. The water reached the Sec
ond story OF one house.
In Fayette county the rainfall did much dam
age to the railroads. The Southwest Pennsyl-
vania Railroad tracks we're flooded several feet
deep and trains were held several hours. The
Baltimore and Ohio is heavy sufferer
At Broadford the tracks were covered with
water. A heavy landslide occurred ut Oakdale.
and as 1t was being cleared away still
heavier one came down. blocking both tracks
The food in Mount Creek carried away many
small buildings.
At Layton Station an immense amount OF
mud. rocks. and trees came down on the d. &
o. tracks about o'clock this evening. The
east bound truck was cleared at o'clock. but
IL was again covered for long distance by
another slide.
The rain there this afternoon amounted
almost to cloud burst. Trainmen say the
streams from tho hills flowed over the TRACK
The west bound track viii not be cleared be-
fore to morrow night
At Scottdale the storm was particularly de-
structive. Cellars along all the principal
streets are nearly filled with water. and the
goods that many Of the merchants had stored
away are saturated. The creek is rising stead
lily. and two OF the railroad bridges between
Sccttda!e and Fairchance are endangered.
At oil City the ground floors in the lower
portion OF the town are flooded, including the
basement OF the OIL Exchange and the Derrick |
press room.
At Wheeling about 2E inches OF rain fell in |
90 minutes. deluGing the streets and flooding a |
number OF the cellars and first floors. Travel |
on the Elm Railroad was stopped for several |
hours by heavy landslide.
At Cory. streets were converted into rivers. |
in some places two feet deep tearing up the |
sewers and washing out the roads. The rail- |
road yards were inundated. the food washing |
out some OF the side tracks.
One time tho water between the Wells Fargo |
and American Express Offices and First ave-
nue. was six feet deep. flooding both offices
and the large platform on both sides Of the
Union depot. the water reaching the waiting
rooms.
The business men on First avenue. Main.
and Centre streets have sustained heavy losses
The railroads both east and west Of the city
sustained heavy damages. The valley from
Corey to Irvintown. q distance of twenty miles,
Is complete lake from one to three miles wide.
The loss will probably reach 100000 or more
The public highways In the surrounding coun-
try are nearly impossible. 1t will be q week
before travel can be resumed.
At Meadville the lightning put ont all the
slectric lights and several buildings were
struck. although mono was severely damaged.
several streets were flooded. and extensive
damage resulted in the lower portion OF the
lily from the rapid rising OF French Creek.
Three bridges. slaughter house. and nu-
nervous buildings and sidewalks were swept
away Tho New York. Pennsylvania and Ohio.
md Meadville and Iinesyille roads both SUI.
Near Union City. on tho former line. hole
orty feet long and twenty-five feet deep was
,cooped out under the track. This washout
vas discovered inst before the arrival OF the
chicago limited express.
ERIE. May 23.-A cloudburst at North East
covered the Lake Shore and Nickel Plato
racks and stopped all trains. This morning
. west. bound freight train on the Nickel Plate
vent through a bridge near Grayton.
The bridge was a wooden structure and was
100 feet in length and 80 feet high. The floods
lad washed out the foundations. and when
engineer Daniel Ellis struck the bridge his en-
zine and almost this entire train went down
nto the torrent. Ellis was caught under the
ubmerged engine. but was rescued badly in
ured
Tho other trainmen escaped. Over twenty
I've cars tumbled into the food. The Nickel
'late trains are running on tho Lake Shore
abroad
JOLIET May ga terrific thunder and rain
torn occurred In this region last night Tho
ain fell in torrents. On the west side two