Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-07-31
FURY OF THE STORM.
MANY LIVES ARE LOST IN THE PENN
sYLVANlA olLFlELos.

Wind, Rain and Lightning Desolate Many
Places In the Keystone stste-ereat
Destruction of Property--Ocoupants Of
boarding House Swept to Death.
PIFTsBURs, July 90 -Dispatohes from
all points report heavy damage from the
storm
Eleven people are now known to have
lost their lives In the storm, and 26 were
injured, some of them fatally.
In this city Jacob Affelter was instant
ly killed in Greenfield avenue by falling
fence
At Sugar Grove camp John Figus had
his skull crushed by a falling tree and died
from the effects of the injury.
At Boston William Rose, gardener,
was drowned while attempting 10 ford
Long run. His body was recovered in the
Ohio river three hours later at Avalon, 2S
miles from Boston.
At Bllwood, Lawrence county, the
pumping station was struck by lightning,
and Charles MITCHELL the engineer, was
paralyzed. His condition is critical.
At Turtle creek, new house was
struck by lightning and demolished.
Four children, who had sought shelter
in the house from the storm, escaped in
jury.
In Fayette county seven bridges were
washed away between Connellsville and
Uniontown.
At West Newton the building of the
West Newton Ground Cement and Lime
company was crushed like eggshells by
falling debris from the overbanglng cliffs.
The loss will amount to several thousand
dollars
At Penn Station two story house be-
longing to Johu Driestadt was completely
demolished. The family was not hurt
The greatest damage, however, was in
Washington county, which was the scene
Of a oloudburst, where eigbs people lost
their lives in an oil camp. The dead are;
Mrs. Samuel Mckinney, so years old
Margaret Mckinney, 80 years old,
daughter.
james Mckinney, years old, son.
Clyde Beatty VI years old, oil we'll
pumper, of Slstersvllle, w. Va.
G. G. Higgins, 40 years old, oil well
pumper, OF Bradford, Pa.
Vincent Wilkinson, 25 years old, oil
we'll employee of Vowlnkle, Forest ooun-
ty, Pa.
Jennie Holmes, 1s years old, daughter Of
a Cecil coal miner.
John Wright, colored, II, employee OF
a liveryman at Carnegie.
Samuel Mckinney kept boarding
house at Ceoil for the accommodation OF
oil men and miners. The house was sit
uated on the banks of Mlller's run. a
tributary Of CHARTERS creek Ordinarily
the run, which flows through a valley
banked by high and steep hills, would
scarcely float chip, but oloudburst filled
in its closely confined quarters to such an
extent that everything along Its banks
was endangered.
Thrilling Experiences.
There were 18 people in the Mckinney
house when the water commenced to rise
| but no serious danger was apprehended
The men busted themselves carrying the
household goods to the second floor, and
the female portion OF the household con
tinued their dressing for the dance which
was being held in a neighboriDg hall
| Suddenly the house, a two story frame
was washed from Its foundation into thu
seething waters and rapidly carried dowf
stream. 1t was then too late for any on,
In the house to escape. Below the site o
the house, about 200 yards, stands an olC
fashioned country bridge which spans th'
stream. The house crashed against thi
structure, the roof was torn off, and tn
rest Of the building was crushed like OF
egg In being forced under the bridge Hig
gins died there, but Whitner made mos
miraoulcas oscape. Those on the seoont
floor were badly squeezed. Just below tn
bridge the wreoksge of the house stuck oI
a sand bar, with those of the party VIII,
were still alive olinging TO the pieces, witt
scarcely hope Of being rescued. Thoma
Hayes, Vincent Wilkinson and other
formed resouing party. Whitner was res
oued while fast in the wreokage by vii
kinson, who also dragged the dead bod!
of Higgins from It's lodgment Samue
Mckinney was also saved by Wilkinson
After assisting in other resoues Wilkinson
heard cry for help from the opposite sid
Of the stream, and notwithstanding tn
extra hazard attached to the attempt tn
brave fellow made an effort to swim acros
with rope. When about half way over
log struck him on the head and brok
his neck. His body was found several hun
dred yards below, lodged in tree.
Clyde Beatty was another hero Of tn,
disaster. He made strenuous efforts to sav
Margaret Mckinney, but was unsuocess
ful and lost his own life.
Through the Washington and MoDon
aid oilfiolds hundreds of bridges have heeI
washed away, and an enormous amount o
oil was lost through breaking Of pipe line
and destruction Of tanks.