Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-08
A Cloudburst Up the Monon-
gahela Valley Causes Con-
siderable Damage.
BRIDGES SWEPT AWAY.
All Business Is Suspended in the
Towns Along the River.
M'KEESPORT A HEAVY SUFFERER.
Buildings Swept by Lightning and Many
Washed Away.
THE TEMPEST COVERS A WIDE AREA

The appearance of the heavens in thi
vicinity yesterday afternoon caused consid
erable apprehension OF a cloudburst O.
something of that nature. The heavy cop
per-colored clouds seemed to gather from
all points of the compass and massed jus
south Of the city. Visions of the Johns
town flood and the more recent Titusvill'
disaster troubled those who witnessed
the strange phenomena Happily th'
heavier clouds passed off to the south. The
storm king, however, seemed to have only
been centering his forces here for an on
slaught on the prohibItory district known a.
Washington county. @
About o'clock the storm suddenly burst
in all its fury, especially in the
neighborhood OF Monougahela City, and the
rain poured down in torrents until between
Z and 8 o'clock, when something like 6
cloud-burst occurred. Pigeon creek, which
passes through Monongahela City, became a
raging torrent which swept everything be-
fore it.
Carried on Railroad Bridge.
The great bridge of the Pittsburg, vir-
| ginia and Charleston road, which crosses the
creek here, was torn down in an instant,
and the flood spread over the entire lower
| portion Of the town. Streets were impassa-
BILE until late tonight, when the water be-
| gan gradually to recede. One of the piers
of the new heavy bridge which crosses the
Monongahela river at Monongahela City was
| washed away and the bridge Is in danger
Gus condition.
Great piles of wreckage were observed
passing down the river from Pigeon creek.
| Dismantled barns and sheds were seen, but
| SO far nothing is known of the actual dam
age up the creek. 1t was reported last
night that boy was drawn into the flood
at a ford up the creek and drowned, but
nothing definite can be learned until day
light. The loss will be principally in
bridges and flooded business houses and
residences. 1t is reported that nearly a
dozen country bridges have been washed
away, and the damage to farming districts
and crops is very large
Later reports from up Pigeon creek were
to the effect that several houses bordering
on tine banks had been washed away. Late
last night household furniture and portions
of buildings began to go down, and it was
feared that people living along the line of
copal church was struck by lightning and
badly damaged, as were other buildings in
the district. The railroad bridge was
complete wreck here, and the passenger
bridge over the Monongahela river was be-
ing badly washed. The loss to railroads
alone will run far up in the thousands.
Excitement on the South.id,
, The news of the cloudburst reached the
Southside last night about $50 o'clock.
Everyone was at once thrown into state of
excitement, and preparations were made
promptly for the safety of people who
lived in the low districts. The news was
extremely indefinite, but people were un-
willing to take chances on passing through
such experiences as the people of Johns
town, Oil City and Titusville.
Ike Kiefer, OF South Twenty-second
street, owner of Little Ike, the sandboat,
received telegram at $3.50 from friend up
the river, containing the intelligence that
terrible cloudburst had occurred above
Monongahela City; that the river was rising
at fearful rate and all boats would be in
danger of being swept away. In quick sue
cession several other rivermen were noti-
fed by the police officials and in short
time there was lot of busy men along the
river fastening the boats and barges
to their moorings. AT the request
of one of the large boat owners,
The police officials at the Twenty-eighth
ward station house notified Captain Matt
Felker and John p. McCleary, in charge of
the docks at Williamsburg, to secure every
thing possible that would be in any danger
of being swept away.
The report of the rise spread like wild
fire. Captain Stewart notified all the police
to warn the people in the low dis
tricts to prepare for a flood. AT
1890 o'clock he received word that
the river was rising very rapidly
at points between Monongahela City and
McKeesport, and high stage might be ex-
pected here. Bridges and barges were re-
ported as being swept away, and mills in
great danger. 1t was expected that the rise
would reach the city at or about midnight,
and the officers on all the beats along the
river from Williamsburg to the West End
kept sharp lookout
Disastrous Storm at McKeespor..
At McKeesport the rain fell in binding
sheets for half an hour. There was very
few of the cellars in the lower part of town
that escaped being flooded by the
water Trees were blown down and in sev-
eral instances small buildings went down.
Along Fifth avenue and Walnut street, the
two principal thoroughfares. the water SUBJ
merged over 100 cellars, causing a great
deal of damage to merchants who had goods |
stored. On Centre street the water flowed |
in torrents. The street at Fifth avenue |
passes up White hollow between two |
hills, and when there is a heavy rainfall |
the water rushes down the street along |
Fifth avenue. In some Of the stores and |
houses the water was four feet above the |
first floor The storm for the short time it |
lasted was the most severe ever seen there. |
Telephone, telegraph and fire alarm wires
were mixed up. Street car traffic was
stopped for a time. Out in Crooked Run
the flood was great and it did considerable |
damage. The foundations of several build
ings were washed out
Reports from Versailles township say that
the fine residence of A. Y. Shaw was struck
by lightning and seriously damaged. The
damage done by the storm at McKeesport
will foot up to S25, 900. The house of Charles
Swanson on the hill above Coursin street
was struck by lightning and the roof cut in
two, but no one was injured. When the
water rushed down White hollow the foun-
dation of the house owned by Captain John
Rhodes was undermined.
At Duquesne the White Electric Traction
cars are tied up. All along the line damage
was done by the hill caving in and the
tracks were covered. The first floor of so
houses on White street were under water
and fears were entertained for loss of life.
The Riverton bridge was in danger, and it
was feared that the Duquesne hill would
slide down.
Braddock Mills In Danger.
The rain and thunder storm at Braddock
made it seem as it veritable cIoudburst
had occurred there and in few moments
The streets Of the borough and hundreds of