The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-08-14
Many Persons Lost Life by a
ClOudburst at De Haven,
Pennsylvania.
Houses, Oil Tanks, Barns and
Other Buildings Floating
Down the Torrent.
Eight Feet of Water in the
Streets of Etna- Bridges
Washed Away.

FITTSBURG, Aug. l4.-A RTeat ralH
storm burst over this city and vicinity |
at o'clock a. m, deluging territory !
of several miles in extent, swelling |
streams, tearing away bridges ana
buildings and sending score or more
of lives into eternity. In the southwest
great banks Of dark angry clouds hung
over Pittsburg and surrounding coun-
try, turning dawn into darkness and
striking terror into the hearts of the i'll
habitants. Suddenly the cloud burst
asunder and the rain fell IN sheets
The greatest damage is reported from
the Pine creek valley, few miles
north of this city, but definite reports
of the loss of life and property are COM
ing in slowly. First reports placed the
number of lives lost at six, but it is now
believed that
No Less Than Thirty Persons
have perished in the food. Pine creek
has overfowed it's banks, and from the
little hamlet of De Haven, in the Wild
wood oil fields, the greatest damage is
reported At noon, information was
received at the cOroner's office to the
effect that six lives were lost at De
Haven, but no names could be learned.
From other sources come reports OF
fatalities along Pine creek, but con-
firmation of these is difficult. De
Haven is an oil town of several hundred
inhabitants. The bridge across Pine
NJ hi int
the food, and the creek soon filled
with oil tanks, houses, barns and other
drift, which indicated heavy total of
loss to the neighborhood. The creek
flows through Aetna, another subarb,
and at this point. the main street was
flooded to depth Of 8 feet. Residents
all along the banks Of the creek were
forced to fee from their houses to the
hillside for safety.
Whole Family Wiped Out.
A whole family named Appleton,
occupying house OH the banks of Pine
Creek was wiped out.
Mrs Thomas Byrnes was caught in
the food and drowned. The station at
Aetna is submerged. Shortly after 10
o'clock the body of Mrs. Thompson of
Slarpsburg was recovered from the
river.
The water completely submerged
Spang & Chalfant's mill, and rose so
rapidly that the men who were at work
at the time were compelled to swim for
their lives The men in the foundry of
Walter Walker& Co. also had great
difficulty in escaping. All work was
suspended. One Of the peculiarities of
the storm in 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 rain lasted fully three
hours.
The Cool Wave Responsible.
The cause of the storm can be di
rectly attributed to the approach of the
cool wave from the northwest.
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 to IL O'Clock amounted to "a inches
In an hour the weather bureau showed
that the pre- cipitatiOn had amounted t.
l.lS inches which is not unusual fo
this year. The heavy rain seemed t.
keek we'll north of Pittsburg. At tn
Leavis island dam, the nearest station
to Pittsburg, at II o'clock but 80 inche
of rain had fallen. There must hav
been or inches at De Haven, while
lasted, to cause so much damage. AS
result of the heavy rains, there will
a rapid rise in the rivers, and to Civ
the people timely warning, the weathe
bureau have arranged to receive thre
afternoon reports from all the weathe
stations. The storm in Pittsburg an
Allegheny was one Of the most sever
of the year The rainfall was yer
great, over 2 inches falling during tn
forenoon.
Great damage was done by the wate
in various parts of the city. Street
were scattered with mud and debris
car lines were tied up and their track
blockaded, and houses were flooded al
rendered unsafe The storm was e
pecially felt at Butler, in the vicinit
of Sharpsburg.