Evening journal., 1896-08-14


lowed a Terrific Downpour of Rain.
Suburbs of the Smoky City Inundated.
Horses and Cattle Drowned.
PITTsBURG Aug 14.-This city and
vicinity has been visited by one OF the
heaviest and most persistent downpours
of rain that has bton seen here for years
IL carried death and destruction with It,
and as a result six lives we're lost and
thousands OF dollars worth of property
laid waste. The dead are;
Mrs. Susan Aud widow, aged "a.
Mrs. Ellen Poppleton, widow, aged 80.
Mrs. Florence Robinson, aged 81.
Martin Cochran, infant.
Omiel Sohaffer, 10 years old
An unknown man
The storm came from the southwest
preceded by dark and threatening clouds,
which obsoured 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. It then let up
slightly, but for three hours more it rain
ed without ceasing. Fully ?. "a inches had
fallen.
In the immediate city little damage was
done, hut the suburbs and small towns
near by suffered severely.
Dehayen, a small oil town on the Pitts
burg and Western railroad, about ten
miles from here, received the brunt OF she
storms fury, and it was there most of the
lives were lost The little town of 600 in
habitants is situated in 4 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, tho
house of james Robinson was made
place of refuge by ten people OF this
number three women wore drowned.
The storm partook Of the nature Of q
cloudburst and filed the streams TO over
flowing with wonderful rapidity. A tor
rent OF 1S feet came rushing down and
struck the Robinson residence with terri
bic force carrying It from its foundations
and toppling IL over into the swirliDg
flood. The house. oollapsing as it was car
ried along, was lodged against some will
lows along the bank and the occupants,
who had olung 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.
Boy Killed by Shock.
with scarlet fever when the flood entered
his fathers house. The shock brought his
life TO an end within an hour OF two.
Omiel Schaeffer was standing on the
Pittsburg and Western bridge at Sharps-
burg, with thousands of others, watsning
the high waters. He attempted to catch
a piece of driftwood, lost his balance and
was caught by the torrent and whirled in
to eterulty in an instant, while the on
lockers were powelless TO help.
The other victim was an unknown man,
whose body was seen floating down Goar-
head creek past Dohaven.
Pine creek, from its mouth at Sharps-
burg 60 Dehaven, is a sorry looking speo-
taole Every foot of level ground was un-
der water for several hours, and miles Of
gardens and little truck farms were wash
ed out.
The west end of Sharpsburg and Etnn
were flooded, and the water was feet deep
in Spang, Chnlfant & Co. s MILL putting
out the fires, compelling the workmen to
abandon the building, some having almost
to swim out The firms loss will be
about $40, 600, and new furnaces will have
to bo built.
The Pittsburg apd Western railroad was
blockaded practically all day, and consid-
erable loss will result.
The loss at Etna will amount to between
$40, 600 and 500, GOO, divided principally
between Spang, Chalfant & Co, Allie
ghany Salt works, Pittsburg and Western
railroad and the residents of Main and
Bridge streets
At Bowerstown the greater portion Of
the town was under water. The heaviest
loss Is to the farmers. Live stock was
| drowned, and crops were rnined.
People at Evergreen Jared badly. Trees
were blown down, stables wrecked and
small outbuildings torn from their founda-
tions. The huge volumes Of water rush
ing down the roads resembled rivers.
Foundations Of houses being built were
weakened
Irwin, "a thriving town on the Pennsyl-
vania railroad about 20 miles east of here,
also suffered much property damage but
no lives were lost
Word was received that the Fort Pitt
dam at Jeannette had burst. The water
was rushing toward Irwin.
Fled For Their Lives.
Warning was Immediately given people
living IN the lowlands on the west side Of
tho railroad but before they could get
away the flood came rushing down Brush
creek, carrying railroad ties, telegraph
poles and debris Of all kinds
The carshops Of the Westmoreland Coal
company were the first to suffer, the en-
ployees being compelled to flee for their
lives, many having 20 wade through wa
ter TO their shoulders. The women and
children living in the houses near the
shops were forced to the upper stories and
roofs Rescuing parties were formed, and
the inn eriled ones were taken down IN
boats and, whore the water was lower, on
the backs of men. When the water in
Brush creek had reached its height,
the Penn Plate Glass company's dam,
which had been partially repaired since
the other flood. burst again, and its waters
came rushing through Tinker run food
ing on its way the Parr Wagon works, the
II IfpirQaunffI fonrsN-ts .pI ,.,.rt.g.... 49,.