New-York tribune., 1901-06-23
ELECTRIC STORM IN PITTSBURG
HEAVY DOwNPOUR OF RA1N-THREE Lives
LOST-DAMAGE BY FLOOD AND
LIGHTNING

Ptttsburg. June 22-Pittsburg and vicinity was
visited to-day by CT the hercest storms Known
since the United States Weather Bureau has been
established Within forty-eight minutes 1ls inches
OF rain fell and oil that time the light and thunder
were almost continuous. The wind accompanying
the storm was not high. except in path tew
hundred feet wide. which swept like a tornado
from McKees Rocks. through Allegheny. por-
ton OF the East End OF Pittsburg' on 10 "lifnefo-
ing and Turtle Creek.
Three lives are said 10 have been lost In the
storm but up TO midnight only one victims name
has been learned. He was Charles Marcus an
italian. who was working IN a sewer Ut oent'e
and Euclid aves. When the rain came the sewer
uas n raging torrent in n moment. and Marcus was
torn away from his fellow workmen and probably
carried through 10 the river. Great damage was
done In the two cities and the suburbs east but
nothing like accurate figures be given tonight
Conservative estimates place the loss at S2Vooo.
The tornado when Il reached Allegheny. struck
the grandstand OF the ball park and carried away
bodily 100 feet of that structure and moved from
its foundation the entire stand Great beams with
portons OF the roof OF stand were carried from
one hundred TO three hundred feet 20 the park
lodpinP on the roofs OF houses. In one instance
two of the beams ploughed through the roof or
house In Robinson-st, going from the eaFret 10
the first floor. carrying away portion OF the oed
in which James Williamson was asleep 1t is
miracle that no lives were lost in Allegheny In
the Butchers Run district the famous flood OF 1914
was outdone except the loss OF life. Fortunately
to-day the inhabitants OF that district anticipated
the trouble and when the torrent came which
clogged the sewers and overfowed the streets ana
submerged the houses all of the occupants had nec
In Pittsburg as Is usual in heavy rains. Firth
ave and Forbes-st in the Soho district. were COM
pleely blocked with great of dirt and stones
washed from the hill and all streetcar service 10
and from the East End was suspended tor about
two hours Going eastward. the storm carLIeu sI
destruction in its wake. doing damage which Will
aggregate thousands of dollars. The POINT bTeeze
PRESBYTERIAN Church was struck by lightning anu
the steeDle together with portion or the root OF
the edfce was wrecked The Presbyterian Church
az Williamsburg was also struck by lightning Dut
the damage done was not heavy; ,,.A .ha,
At East Pittsburg Turtle Creek was hlsher man az.
ever known before, but the inhabitants alohS Tvs
banks warned by a Bessemer engine SOii.s
over the route whistlinE and ringing It's pell !et-
ting the people know Of the danger Inc ehliie
business portion OF the town OF Turtle creek Is
under water tonight The creek in It's rampage
flooded great works OF the WeStlng house Flee
tric and Manufacturing Company. at East t1tls-
burg So far as can be estimated at present no
damage was done the building, but the ma
floor which was covered by water will be in
tured more or less. The immediate result VIII De
a delay in TIE completion OF some or the machines,
which will probably have to be taken apart and
rebuilt. The Westinghouse officials expect 10 nave
the works running usual in a few days. They
were not prepared 10 give an estimate OF the
money value of the damage done, as the exact
amount cannot be ascertained until the water shall
have gone down.
syivania Railroad track at Stewart station turn
ing them completely over and blocking three OF the
four tracks for several hours. Reports from all
the surrounding districts tell the same tale