Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-23
SWEPT BY A STORM.
Considerable Damage Done by Yes
terday's Midsummer Zephyr.
PART OLA BRIDGE CARRIED AWAY
Electric Car Travel Stopped by Flash Of
Lightning.
AB0LT STRIKES AN ALLENTOWN HOUSE

A severe storm from the southwest struck
this city at 5 o'clock last evening. The
wind blew a perfect hurricane and the rain
fell in torrents. For time many nervous
people were alarmed, but while considerable
damage and annoyance was caused by the
storm, no fatalities have been reported.
While the storm was at its height part Of
the false-work on the upper side of the
Smithfeld street bridge was swept away. A
lumber barge was torn from its moorings at
the Baltimore and Ohio yards and dashed
against the false-work, carrying away the
newly erected frame around the central
arch and occasioning the fall of the iron
traveller" The barge itself also sunk. The
engineers are positive that the amount Of
damage done must be nearly $4,000.
Mr.. MCGUIRE narrowly escaped being
struck by the falling Traveller" He states
that. in order to save his lite, he was obliged
to leap some seven feet on the second stage
of the false-work.
EXCITING RUMoRs.
A large crowd collected on the spot after
the accident, and the engineers found much
difficulty in keeping the throng from press
ing in upon them, while they were engaged
in cutting the hanging beams from the
bridge. This event will considerably delay
the work on the bridge.
A report had been circulated that some
one was drowned, and the excitement was
very great among the bridge passengers,
who soon collected and swelled into a crowd.
The charge of negligence is laid at the
door OF the barge owner tor not mooring his
craft sufficiently.
The large flagstaff on the front of the roof
of the Monongahela was blown down. The
flag caught in the telegraph wires, and, be-
ing wet, was charged with electricity. One
of the colored porters took hold of it, and as
he received the force of the current, the
whites of his eyes rolled up and the man was
nearly scared white. He was asked to try to
disengage the flag, but one dose was enough,
and he beat hssty retreat.
LIGHTNING's FREAKS. q
The home of man named Lighthill, in
Allentown, was struck by lightning and
considerably damaged. The upper portion
of the front was shattered, and mantels and
furniture through the house were demol-
ished. The family, however, were entirely
unhurt, but severely shocked.
There was temporary stoppage OF traffic
on the Southside Suburban Electric road
last evening. The checkage was caused by
lightning during yesterdays storm. A car
was travelling past the second dollhouse
when the lightning struck the overhead
wires and brought it to stop. None of the
passengers were injured, but the motor was
entirely disabled The lightning ran into
the power house and did some damage to the
machinery, but all was set Alright and travel
resumed in a short space of time. The dis
abled motor was replaced by another.
OUT IN LAwRENcEvILLE.
The wind did considerable damage out
Penn avenue and Butler street yesterday
afternoon. Trees were uprooted and tele-
graph poles blown down, and other damage
done. On Smallman street, between Twenty
first and Twenty-second streets, a derrick
was blown down that was being used in the
construction of q galvanizing iron mill,
owned by D. ]. Wagner. The building was
damaged to the extent of $780, On Penn
avenue, beyond Forty-fourth street, tele-
graph poles were felled by the force of the
storm, and the wires entangled in confused
mass.
The cable lines suffered considerably on
account of the storm. There was not half
the usual Sunday night travel on the roads.
In the afternoon, while the storm was at
its hight, horse attached to buggy be-
der and became unmanageable. At the
corner Of Twenty-fourth street and Penn
avenue the horse collided with a cable car,
throwing the occupants out, lady and
gentleman named Frazier. The lady sus-
tanned painful injuries about the head in
the collision. She was carried into
Stuckey's drug store, where she received
medical attention, and then removed 10 her
home on Main street.
THE STORM IN ALLEGHENY.
Vivid flashes of lightning that nothing
but the descending deluge could have
quenched, followed by heavy peals of thun-
der, raised dread apprehension among the
citizens of Allegheny last evening, when
the storm struck that city.
The fierce wind played havoc in some
places, Tall trees lining the parks bent
and swayed before the terrific gusts and were
in imminent danger of falling against the
adjoining buildings. Two large trees on
Sherman avenue, unable to Withstand the
strain, snapped and in an instant crashed to
the ground, fortunately falling in the park,
where no damage was done. The wind tore
away the awning before Kuhl's millinery
store on Federal street, but no other acci-
dents of that nature were reported.
The storm raged furiously on the Perrys-
vile road. A tall tree was blown down and
fell directly over Mr.. Milvy, who was driy-
ing along in buggy. He was not seriously
hurt, but had narrow escape from being
crushed to death.