The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-14
Thunderstorms That May Cool the
Torrid Temperature OF Atlantic
Coast Cities Predicted for To-day.
MANY DEATHS IN NEW YORK
YESTERDAY sIxTY-FoUR WE'RE
CHARGED To THE HOT SPELL.
Eleven Fatalities and Thirty Prostra-
tions Reported mt Philadelphia
Seven Deaths at Jersey City.

PITTSBURG. Aug. 13.-This morning at
O'Clock this city and vicinity Wis
tied by one of the heaviest and most per-
sistent downpours of rain that has been
seen here for years. 1t carried death and
destruction with it, and as a result six
lives were sacrificed and thousands OF dol
lars worth of property laid waste. The
dead are:
MRS SUSAN AULD, widow, aged sew
MRS. ELLEN PoPPLEToN. widow.
MRS. FLORENCE ROBINSON. her
daughter. aged thirty-four.
MARTIN COCHRAN, infant.
O'NEIL SCHAFFER, ten years.
UNKNOWN MAN
The storm came from the southwest,
preceded by dark and threatening clouds.
which obscured the sun and enveioped the
city in almost Egyptian darkness AZ
the gloom began 10 dspel the rain came
in torrents and for hour the downpour
was terrific. 1t then let up slightly. but
for three hours longer 1t rained without
ceasing. Up to noon 22f inches had fallen.
l-s0 of this being precipitated during the
first hour. In the immediate city little
damage was done. but the suburbs and
small towns near by suffered severely
De Haven, a small town on tho Pitts
burg & Western railroad. about ten miles
from here. had TO bear the brunt of the
storms fury and it was there most OF tho
lives were lost. The little town OF GOO
Inhabitants is situated in e valley just at
the junction OF two creeks and every
heavy storm fills these creeks and floods
portions OF the place. When the storm
burst the house OF James Robinson was
made the place Of refuge by ten people.
OF this number three women were
drowned. The storm partook OF the nature
OF cloudburst and filled the streams to
overnowing with wonderful rapidity. A
torrent OF eighteen feet came rushing
down and struck the Robinson residence
with terrible force. carrying il from fts
foundation and topping IL over into the
swiriing flood. The house collapsing. as IL
was carried along, was lodged against
some willows along the bank and the occu-
pants. who had clung with desperation to
the ruins, were enabled by superhuman
efforts TO make their escape to land all
except the three women mentioned above.
who were drowned and their bodies
washed down the stream.
Little Martin Cochran was I'm bed sick
with scarlet fever when the flood entered
his fathers house. The shock and expos
pre brought his iife 70 an end within an
on the Pittsburg a. Western bridge at
Sharpsburg with thousands OF others
to 'p reach az a piece of drl.twood' @ piss lost his
and whiried into eternity eternity II n an an instant.
help The other victim was an unknown
man whose body was seen floating down
Goar Head creek past De Haven.
Pine creek from it's mouth at Sharps-
burg 10 De Haven. is sofry-looi<ng spec-
tacle. Every foot OF level ground was un.
der water for several hours and miles of
gardens and little truck farms were
washed out.
LOSSES WILL BE HEAVY.
The west end of Sharpsburg and Etna
were flooded and the water was four feet
deep in Spang a chalfants mill. putting
out the fires and compelling the workmen
to abandon the building some having al
most to swim out. The firms loss will be
about $1,000 and new furnaces viii have
to be built. The Pittsburg & Western
railroad has been blockaded practically all
day and considerable less viii result The
loss at Etna will amount 10 between 1900
and $4,000. divided principally between
Spang, Chalfant & Co.. the Allegheny salt
works. the Pittsburg & Western railroad
and the residents Of Main and Bridge
streets.
| the town was under water The heaviest
| loss is to the farmers. Live stock was
| drowned and crops ruined
Evergreen people Jared badly. Trees
were blown down. stables were wrecked
| fouudations The huge volumes OF water
|. rushing down the roads resembed rivers.
| Foundations of houses being built were
weakened Irwin. a thriving town on tho
| Pennsylvania railroad. about twenty miles
| east OF here. also suffered much property
AZ noon word was received that the Fort
pitt dam at Jeanette had burst and the
water was rushing towards Irwin warn
| ing was Immediately given people living In
| the low land on the west side OF the rail-
road but before they could get away the
ma sh X.
| rying railroad ties, telegraph poles ana
| debris OF all kinds The car shops OF the
| WestmOreland Coal Company was the nrst
| TO suffer the employees being compelled 10
fee for their lives. many having 10 wade
through water TO their shoulders Inc
| women and children living IN the houses
neaE- the shops were forced 10 the upper
stories and roofs. keScuing parties were
formed and the imperilled ones were taken
! lower ON the backs OF men
When the waters OF Brush creek had
reached It's height the Penn Plate Glass
| Companys dam which had been partially
repaired since the other flood, burst again
and it's waters came rushing through Ilnk-
works the Hockensmith foundry and ma
chine shops and planning mill and lumber
! damage AT the machine shops viii run into
thousands OF dollars. The depot OF the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company the
1 large platform used for receiving freight
was carried away. together with several
hundred dollars worth of freight ready for
| Shipment The railroad brioge OF the West
/ noreland Coal Company. at Larlmer was
taken away and about two hundred yards
| OF their track washed out. The waters or
Tinker run and Brush creek meet at the
| west OF town ana the combined waters
rushed upon the inhabitants of South Side.
/ flooding their homes and carrying away
hundreds OF dollars worth OF household
furniture. At Penn and Manor the loss
10 the residents VIII be immense. about
sixty houses I'm the two towns are almost
submerged.
The mining village OF Claridge. on the
Mahor Valley railroad. near Grecgsburg.