, 1896-08-14
MANY ARE LIVES LOST.
FEARFUL CLOUDBURST IN THE
VICINITY OF PITTSBURG,
YESTERDAY.
Thirty People Were Drowned in One
Small Suburb by a Deluge That
Lasted Three Hours-WC.k men
Flee for Their Lives From Many
Big Shops.

Pittsburg, Aug. 13.-There was a
Cloudburs: at Dehaven, a small town
near the wildwood Gil well, about 6
O'Clock This morning, and six people
were drowned.
The town OF Dehaven has several
hundred inhabitants, and is situated
about six miles north of Allegheny
City. on ,:he old Butler Plank road.
Pine creek, which emItieS into the
Allegheny river at Sh%aTpsburg. run
through the town. The creek has over
flowed its banks and is a raging tor
rent. Houses and oil tanks, barns and
oil buildings, are floating down and
have lodged against the Pittsburg and
Western railroad bridge at Etna.
The water is rising rapidly, and at II
o'clock there was eight feet OF water
On the main street of the place. The
residents are moving to the upper
stories CT their houses. Others are
seeking safety on the hill sides. The
DeAaven bridge has been washed away
and the Pittsburg and Western bridge
at Sharpsburg is expected to go at any
time. The low lands OF S%harE5burg
are new under water, and the flood is
spreading rapidly.
The storm was the heavies: for the
year in this city. Within an hour there
was a rainfall of two inches. Great
damage Is reported from all parts Of
the city. but no fatalities. Every street
a line was tied up. and heavy wash
outs are reported on a number of rail-
roads entering Pi1tsburg. The water
is now falling at Sharpsburg and Etna,
and no more damage is apprehended.
Reports from the Capin creek valley
Indicate that the loss OF life from the
cloudburst will be heavy. AT 12:45 p.
m. 80 lives were reported lost. The
whole Pine creek valley, eight miles in
Length is devastated.
AT Dehaven an entire family by the
name of Appleton were drowned. How
many in the family is no. known.
Among the others who lost their lives
were Mr.. Thomas Byrnes and Mrs.
Thompson. Three bodies have been
recovered 50 far.
AT Etna the water rcse SO rapidly
Ohat the employees ait Spang. Chatfield
& Co.'S iron mill were compelled to
swim for their lives. The foundry of
Walter Watkins was also flooded and
the workmen narrowly escaped drown
ing.
WITHOUT LIGHTNING.
One OF the peculiarities of the storm
in Pine creek aside from its severity
was THAT 1t was unaccompan,ed by
thunder and lightning. 1t came very
quickly. and with no warning what
ever. The heavy rain lasted for fully
three hours. The cause of the storm
can be directly attributed to the ap-
proach OF the cool wave from the
northwest. A heavy fog. which was
MIXED with smoke, hung over the city
during the early morning. This was
an indication of approaching trouble.
The total rainfall up till II a. m.
amounted to "a inches. In one hour
the weather bureau showed that the
precipitation had amounted tt $50
inches, which is not unusual for this
year. The heavy rain seemed to keep
well north Of Pittsburg.
A LIMITED AREA FLOODED.
At the Davis island dam, the nearest
station to Ptttsburg, at 12 o'clock about
80 inches Of rain had fallen. There
must have been three or four inches OF
rain at Dehaven. while 1T lasted, to
cause SO much damage. As a result Of
the heavy rain there will be a rapid Mise
in the rivers. and to give the people
timely warning the weather bureau
has arranged to send reports from all
weather stations. The storm in Pitts
burg and Allegheny was n OF the
most severe Of the year. The rainfall
was very great, over two inches fall
ing during the forenoon. Great dam
age was done by the. water in various
parts Of the city. Streets were scatter
ed with debris. q lines were tied up
and the tracks blockaded. The storm
was especially felt at Butler street in
the vicinity of sharpsburg.
SIX BODIES FOUND.
Up to 2 O'Clock six bodies had been
recovered. They we're:
MRS. POPLETON.
MRS. THOMPSON.
MRS. ROBINSON.
MRS. THOMAS BsYRNEs.
MRS. AID.
UNKNOWN MAN.
Ten persons including a little daugh-
ter Of Mrs. Popleton were rescued from
the flood. Two members Of the Pople.
ton family are still missing and are be-
lieved to be drowned. Reports OF the
total loss of HE run from 10 to 30.
Pine creek. which ds usually 40 reel
wide. uas from oneihalf TO three-quar'
tsrs u . mile wide. Many bridges
wsrs washed away and the alleys arr
gndef water.
Dtspsedhss from Westmorelant
eopaey rspoet ut Clrtdee. Jeanstt,
- Irwin are iaundAtsd. At CiEsdg,