The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-27
LIKE A G[OUDB|JRSI
WAS THE FURIOUS STORM THAT
STRUCK PITTSBURG YESTER-
DAY AFTERNOON
LIGHTNING STROKES DEADLY
ONE INSTANTLY KILLED AND TWO
OTHERS PROBABLY FATAL
LY INJURED
DAMAGE BY FLOOD HEAVY

PITTSBURG, Pa, June 26.-The storm
which struck Ptttsburg and vicinity this
afternoon was short in duration, but ter
rife in power and disastrous in effect
The lightning and thunder was practically
continuous for about thirty minutes.
The wind attained a velocity of thirty
miles an hour, and As inches of rain
fell. In two minutes of the time .15 of
an inch of water well, which would rep
resent three inches an hour. The tenn
perature fell twenty-tour degrees within
an hour. One woman was killed instant
ly by lightning, and s9y eraI other persons
may die from the same cause. Number
less houses and churches were struck by
lightning, and several picnic parties were
panic-stricken.
In the city proper no fatalities are re-
ported, but in Homestead Mrs. Alice
Lester, aged twenty-four. was struck by
lightning and instantly killed. Her hus-
band is a steel worker, employed at New
castle.
Miss Grace Jackson, aged nineteen. Of
Homestead, was struck, and her recovery
is doubtful
Richard Rucker, also of Homestead.
was frightfully burned by the electric
fluid and will hardly recover.
Rev. John Saulton and Clay Fands
"OAO De'Nly DuI Will recover.
Inc waters rushed down the hills
around Homestead and literally engulfed
the town. The extent of the damage
done there is the worst in the history of
the town and will reach many thousands
OF dollars in property loss Besides the
numerous houses that were wrecked, four
iron bridges of the Monongahela street
railway were washed out Dozens Of
WashoUts occurred between PittsburR
H9ZPIDnn6 nd efr
was suspended for over an hour.
PICNICKERs IN A PANIC.
At South Avenue park, at the end of
the Suburban Traction company's line, a
picnic party composed Of 1900 persons, 700
OF whom were children, gathered in the
dancing pavilion for shelter from the
storm. Lightning struck a tree within
eight feet of the pavilion and set fire to
the structure. The picnickers were panic
stricken, women tainted, children scream
ed and even the men in the party gave
way to their fright. Fortunately the
heavy rain extinguished the flames and
though large number Of the party were
more or less hurt in the panic, none were
seriously injured.
A similar panic ensued at St. Joseph's
parochial school on Mount Oliver, where
commencement exercises were being held
The hall was filed with children and
their parents when lightning struck the
building, tearing a portion Of the roof
away. Pandemonium reigned for time,
but no fatalities resulted.
All through the south and west ends
the storm carried destruction with it.
Phillips glass house at Nineteenth and
Mary streets had it's 1,000-pound sheet
roof picked up bodily and carried across
the street the South Side PRESBYTERIAN
church was struck by lightning and nu-
merous houses suffered the Same fate.
Sarah street from Twenty ninth to Thir-
tieth was filed with water, as was also
Arlington avenue to Amanda avenue.
Knoxville Castle Shannon tunnel, on the
Beethoven side, caved in and traffic was
suspended for the day. A heavy land
slide at Twenty-second street, south side
covered the tracks of the Pittsburg Vir-
ginia & Charleston railroad with mud
and stones to the depth of about fifteen
feet, and trains were blocked all after
noon.
The east end and Williamsburg suffered
equally with other sections of the city.
with the exception Of fatalities. Sewers
overfiowed, filing cellars and making
creeks of the streets; roofs were carried
away and much minor damage was done
but no person was seriously hurt
From all surrounding towns reports are
coming, telling of the widespread dam
age done by the storm, all the reports