The herald., 1896-08-14
} AWFUL WEATHER
IN EASTERN STATES
Deadly Heat Supplemented
by Storms
LIFE and PROPERTY SACRIFICED
The Railroads Blockaded Or
Washed Away
PITTSBURG AND VICINITY
Visited by q Storm Which Resembled
q Cioudburst
Numerous Little MlaIag Towns Suffer Very
Serious Damage
New York Reports Some Mitigation q the
Heat But Deaths by Sunstroke Con.
tinue-Lats Reports From
Various Places
PITTSBURG AND VICINITY
Visited by q Storm Which Resembled
Cloudburst
Numerous Little MlsIsg Towns Suffer Very
Serious Damage
New York Reports Some Mitigation sf the
Heat But Deaths BY Sunstroke Con.
tinue-Lats Reports From
Various Places
Associated Pres, specia, wira.


at o'clock this city and vicinity was
visited by one of the heaviest and most
persistent downpours of rain that has
been seen here for. years. 1t carried
death and destruction with 1t and as
a result six lives were sacrificed and
thousands of dollars worth of prop
erty laid waste. The dead are:
Mrs. Susan Aud. widow, aged "a.
Mrs. Ellen Poppleton. widow. aged 70.
Mrs. Florence Robinson, her daugh-
ter, aged 34.
Martin Cochran, infant.
O'Neill Schaefer, aged 10 years.
Unknown man.
The storm was preceded by dark and
threatening clouds. which obscured the
sun and enveloped the city in almost
Stygian 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 raned without ceasing.
Up to noon "a inches had fallen, Is of
this being precpitated during the first
hour
In the immediate city little damage
was done, but the suburbs and small
towns near this city suffered. De Hav-
en-, small oil town on the Pittsburg
and Western railway, about ten miles
from here, had to bear the brunt of the
storms fury and it was there that most
of the lives were lost. The little town
of 800 inhabitants Is situated in VAL
ley just at the junction of two creeks,
and every heavy storm fills these creeks
and fills portions of the place. When
the storm burst the house of James Rob-
inson was made the place of refuge by
ten people. or this number three wom-
en- were drowned. The storm partook
of the nature Of a cloudburst and filled
the streams to overflowing with wonder
full rapidity. A torrent of eighteen feeet
came rushing down and struck the Rob-
inson residence with terrific force, car
lying 1t from its foundation and top
plng it over into the swirling flood. The
house collapsing as it was carried along,
was lodged against some willows along
the bank and the occupants who had
clung with desperation to the ruins
were enabled to make their escape to
land, all except the three women men,
toned above, who were drowned, and
their bodies washed down the stream.
Little Martin Cochran was in bed sick
with scarlet fever when the flood struck
his fathers house. The shock and ex-
posure brought his life to an end with
in an hour or two. ONeill Schaefer
was standing on the Pittsburg and
Western bridge at Sharpsburg with
thousands of others watching the high
waters. He attempted to catch piece
of driftwood, lost his balance and was
caught by the current and whirled into
eternity in an instant. The other vic
tim was an unknown man whose body
was seen floating down Goarhead
creek.
Along Pine creek, from its mouth at
Sharpsburg to DeHaven, every foot of
level ground was under water for sever
al hours, and miles of gardens and lit
tie truck farms were washed out. The
west end of Sharpsburg and Aetna We're
Hooded, and the water was four feet
deep in Shang & Chalfant's mills. put
ting out the fires and compelling the
workmen to abandon the building. some
having almost to swim out. The firms
loss will be about $4,000. The Pittsburg
and Western railroad has been block
AIDED nearly all day. The loss at Aetna
will amount to between $75, 900 and $780,
Irwin. thriving town on the Pennsyl-
vania road, about twenty miles east OF
here suffered great property loss. At
noon word was received that the Fort
Pitt dam at Jeanette had burst and the
water was rushing toward Irwin. Warm
Ing was Immediately given people living
in the lowlands on the west of the rIv-
er. but before they could get away tho
flood came rushing down Brush creek
The carshops of the Westmoreland Coal
company were the first to suffer. the
employees being compelled to flee for
their lives, many having to wade
through water to their shoulders. The
women and children living in the houses
near the carshops were forced to the up-
per stories and roofs. Rescuing parties
were formed and the imprisoned ones
were taken down in boats and, where
the water was lower, on the backs of
men. When the waters of Brush creek
had reached it's height the Pennsylva-
MIA Plate Glass company's dam, which
had been partially repaired since the
other flood, burst again, and it's waters
came rushing through Tinker Run,
nooding on their way the Parr Wagon