The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-08-20
A TERRIFIC RAIN STORM Sc
VERELY DAMAGES LIFE AND
PROPERTY.
STREAMS FILLED 70 OVERLOOKING.
With Mad Torrents, Carrying Away
Houses. Bridges Etc.-A Number of
Persons Drowned-All Neigh
boring Towns Suffer.

pttsburg. Pa, Aug. ia great rain
storm burst over this city and vicinity
this morning at s O'Clock, deluging
bridges and sending score or more
lives into eternity. The storm came
from the northwest and great dark
clouds hung over the city, turning day
into darkness and striking terror to the
hearts of the inhabitants. Suddenly the
clouds fell asunder and the rain fell in
sheets. The greatest damage is reported
from Pine Valley, II few miles north of
this city, but reports of loss of life and
property are coming IL slowly. The first
report placed the lives lost at six, bur
it is believed that not less than thirty
persons have persisted in the flood.
Pine creek has overtlowed the bank
and from the little hamlet of De Haven
in the wild fields of New Haven he
greatest damage was reported.
At noon today aIormation was re-
ceived ut the coroner's Office that six
lives were lost 1T De Haven, but no
names were given. De Haven is an
oil town of several hundred inhabitants.
The bridge across Pine creek at this
point was carried away by the flood
and the creek was soon filled with oil
tanks and other drift, which indicated
heavy total loss to the neighborhoOd
The creek flows through Etna, another
suburb. and ut this point Main street
was flooded to Il depth of six feet. Res
idents along the banks were forced to
flee from their homes and to the hill
sides for safety.
A family named Byrns was flooded
out. Mr.. Thomas Byrnes was caught in
the food and drowned.
Shortly after 10 O'Clock the body of
Mrs. Thompson of Sharpsburg was re-
covered from the river.
One of the peculiarities of the storm
along Pine creek. aside from its severity.
was that it was unaccOmpanied by
thunder and lightning. 1t came very
quickly and with no warning whatever.
The heavy rain lasted about three hours.
The cause of the storm can be directly
attributed to the approach of the cold
wave from the northwest. Clouds, mix
ed with smoke, hung over the city dur
ing the early morning. This was the
indication of approaching trouble. The
total rainfall up to noon amounted to
2.24.
As result of the heavy rain storm.
to give the people timely warning, the
weather bureau has arranged to receive
reports from all the stations.
The storm in Pittsburg and Allegheny
was one of the most severe of the year.
The rainfall was very great, over
inches falling during the forenoon.
Great damage was done by the water
in various parts of the city. Streets
were spattered with mud and debris.
Car lines We're inundated and tracks
blocked and houses were flooded and
rendered unsafe.
The storm was especially q. felt at
Sharpsburg. Up to = p. m. six bodies
had been recovered. They were:
Mrs. Poplcton.
Mrs. Thompson.
Mrs. Robinson.
Mrs. Thomas Byrnes.
Mrs. Aide.
Unknown man.
Ten persons including little daughter
of Mrs. PopletOn, were rescued from the
creek. The members of the Popeton
family are still missing and are believed
to be drowned.
Reports of the total loss of life runs
from ten to thirty.
Pine creek. which is usually forty feet
wide. was from half to three-quartcrS
of Il mile wide Dozens of bridges were
washed away and all the towns along
the valley are under water.
Dispatches from Westmoreand county
state that Clear Ridge jeanette and IT.
win are inundated. At Clear Ridge the
water rose to the second floors and the
occupants were rescued with difficulty.
The storm came from the southwest
preceded by dark and threatening clouds
which obscured the sun and enveloped
the city in an almost Egyptian darkness
AS the gloom began to dispel, the rain
came in torrents and for an hour the
downpOur was terrific. 1t then let up
slightly. but for three hours longer it
rained without ceasing. The suburbs
and small towns near by suffered Sc
verely. New Haven. a small oil town
on the Pittsburg and Western road. had
to bear the brunt of the storms fury,
and it was there most of the lives were
lost. The town is situated in a valley
every heavy storm fills these creeks and
floods portions of the place. When the
storm burst the house of Jas. Robinson
was made the place of refuge by ten
people OF this number three women
We're drowned. The storm partoOk of
the nature Of a cl0udburst and filled the
streams to overlooking with wonderful
rapidity. A torrent of eighteen feet
came rushing down and struck the Rob
inson residence with terrible force. car
rying it from its foundation and top
ping it over into the creek The house,
collapsing as it was carried along was
| lodged against some willows along the
bank and the occupants, who had chung
with desperation to the ruins. were en-
abled by superhuman efforts to make
| their escape TO land, all except three
women. who were drowned ana t n
bodies washed down the stream. ine
inha bitants of the southside will lose
hundreds upon hundreds of dollars
worth of furniture.
At Manor and Penn the loss to the
| residents will be immense. as about sixty
houses i'll the two towns are almost sub
merged.
The mining village of Clafidgo. in the
Manor valley. near GreensbtirE. was az
most wiped out by the cloudburst; Dul
no lives are reported lost. The Manor
Glass and Claridge Gas company
mines are flooded. 49,.
Tonight's indications are that the loSS
Of life is not so great as nj hrst IT,
ported. The known dead are:
Mrs. Susan Aud, aged "A.
Mrs. Ellen popleton, aged %; 49,,
Mrs. Florence Robinson. her daughter
aged 81. ....
Martin Cochran, infant. q,
ONeil Schaffer, ~ years
Unknown man. ii
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