Evening journal., 1890-05-24
RAGE or III. EL..l.-a.s.
Pennsylvania Swept by a De-
structive Storm. -
LIGHTNING cLAIRs TWO VICTIMS.

bANA1NANU OliAl& 1HV At1A4A%
Towns and Cities EIoodod, Houses De-
moIished, Crops Ruined, Bridges swept
Away and Railroads Blockaded by the
Storm Kings PranIs-A Flood Feared.
PlTTsBURe, May 2A-The heaviest rain
and electrical storm known in years passed
over a large section of western Pennsyl-
vania last evening, doing great damage to
property and resulting IN the loss of several
lives. The storm struck Pittsburg about
| 3 5o'clock. In the East End the wind played
havoc Houses were blown down, trees up
rooted and small buildings demolished.
| On Winebddle avenue five new frame
houses were lifted from their foundations
and destroyed Another house on Black
| House hill, occupied by John Miller, was
| lifted from the foundation aud blown
considerable distance The family were in
the sitting room at the time, but were not
| injured. At least score Of other houses
in the vicinity were unroofed. A large
| number Of persons received slight injuries.
but as far as known at this time there were
no fatalities. The loss is estimated at from
&2oVOl 70 45O,OOO.
Baiistoncs Caused RunawRys.
| At McKeesport hailstonos az large as
walnuts fell while the rain poured down in
sheets for full half hour The heavy ice
striking horses caused number Of run
aways. The lightning struck several build
ings in this vicinity, and considerable dam
age was done The greatest injury was
done by the water which came down
Whites Hollow in n stream seventy-flve
feet wide. The water was ave feet deep on
Fifth avenue at a point below Center
street. and number Of houses which were
below grade were submerged The water
reached the second story Of the Berktolder
residence. causing great damage to that
place and also the place adjoining. It was
by far the heaviest and most unexpected
rain storm of the year.
Killed by Lightning.
| At Greensburg, Joseph Fry, the gardener
at St. Joseph's academy, was struck and
instantly killed by bolt of lightning. A
COW standing near him was also killed.
The heavy rains caused great damage by
the food In the lowlands in this vicinity.
Cellars and basement kitchens are flooded.
Lightning also struck Col Hut1's palatial
residence, the First Reformed church and
other buildings doing great damage in
every instance
Near Washington, Pa, lightning struck
| n derrick in course Of erection on the Col
Robert Miller farm, shattering it and kill
ing William Furman, single, seriously in
iuring William Gates and stunning two
others.
Railroad Tracks Flooded.
In Fayette county the rain fall was ex-
tensive and did much damage to the rail-
i In La trI u,.,1
Southwest Pennsylvania railroad tracks
were flooded several feet deep and trains
were held several hours. The Baltimore
and Ohio is a heavy sufferer At Bradford
the tracks are covered with water. A heavy
landslide occurred at Oakdale, and as it
: was being cleared away a still heavier one
came down, blocking both tracks The
food in Mountz creek carried away many
small buildings.
Almost a Ciondburst.
AZ Layton Station an immense amount
Of mud, rocks and trees came down on the
Baltimore and Ohio tracks about o'clock.
The east bound track was clear at o'clock,
but il was again covered for long distance
l. by more of the hill coming down The rain
/ there amounted almost % a cloudburst.
I Trainmen say the streams nom the hills
flowed over the track The west bound
2 At Scottdale the storm was particularly
= destructive Cellars along all the principal
. streets are nearly filled with water, and
}, the goods that many Of the merchants had
slowed away are saturated. The creek is
I rising steadily, and the safety OF two Of the
y railroad bridges between Scottdale and
!, Bairchance is endangered
!. oil City In Danger.
. A dispatch from Oil City, Pa, received
I, last evening says heavy rain falling almost
steadily since last midnight raised the
water In the river and creek 20 the highest
point since 1888 The river stands now at
IA feet o nine inches, rise Of six feet since
10 A. m. Reports from an points up the
river say it is from five TO eight inches
higher, and It is expected that It viii be at
least five feet higher here. On account Of
wlshouts no railroad communications can
., be had with Buffalo OF Warren. The ground
u floors of the lower portion Of the town are
II flooded, including the basement Of the Oil
Exchange and The Derrick press room.
At Wheeling, w. Va. about two and a
I half inches of rain fell in twenty minutes,
(. deluging the streets and flooding a number
of business houses in cellars and first floors.
5, There are apprehensions Of big river.
In Pittsburg the heavy rain is likely to
swell the rivers TO food proportions. At
Is all points along the Allegheny, Youghiou-
gheny and Monongahela rivers the rainfall
% was unusual. The stage Of water here is
% 13 feet and rising.
q Went Through Bridge.
. A special from Erie says. A cloudburst
Y in this vicinity yesterday flooded the roads
n and burst railroad culveris on all lines Of
D railroads A west bound freight on the
. Nickle Plate railroad went through bridge
at Crayton, near the Ohio state line Engi-
o neer Ellis and Fireman Nicholson, with
z | Head Brakeman Johnston, went down in
the mass OF engine and twenty-five cars.
o All came out alive, but the engineer viii
: die The bridge was a wooden structsre
$50 feet in length
-Four Killed nv Tichtni,c