Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-06-27
P|1ISBURG VISITED BY
ANOTHER HEAVY STORM.
FORTY-sIx HUNDREDTHS OF AN
INCH OF RAIN FELL IN
TEN MINUTES.
LIGHTNING KILLED WOMAN,
STRUCK MANY BUILDINGS AND
CAIs-D PANIC IN PICNIC
PARTIES.

PITTSRURG, Pa, June 26.-Tke
storm which struck Pittsburg and vi
entity this afternoon was short, terrific
and disastrous. The lightning was
continuous for thirty minutes. the wind
attained tairty miles an hour aad 46
inches of rain fell within ten minutes.
The temperature fell "a degrees within
an hour.
One woman was killed instantly by
lightning, ard several other persons
may die from the same cause. number
less houses and churches were struck
by lgnLniiag and seyena. picnic parties
We're panle-slricken
In the city proper no fatalities are
reported, but in homestead Mrs. Alice
Lester, aged "A, was struck by light
ming and fnstanCly killed. Her husband
is steel worker employed at New Nas-
tie,i-a.
Miss Grace Jackson, aged 10, OF
Homestead, was struck, and her recoy-
cry is doubtful.
Rioaard Fucker, also of Homestead,
was frightfully burned ~ the electric
fluid, and will hardly recover.
Rev. John Saulton and Clay Fands
were badly shocked, but will recover
The waters rushed down the hills
around Homestead ana literally en-
gGlfed the town. The damage there is
the worst in the history OF the town,
and will reach thousands OF dollars.
Besides the numerous houses that were
partially wrecked, four iron bridges CT
the Monongahela street railway We're
cured between Pittsnurg and Halle
wood. and street car travel was sus-
pended for over an hour.
At South Avenue lark, at the end OF
the suburban traction company's line,
a picnic party composed of 200 per-
sons, 700 of whom We're children, gath
cred 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 pie
nickers were palic-strieken women
tainted, children screamed, and even
the men in the party gave way to their
fright. Fortunately the heavy rain ex-
tinguished the flames. and though a
large numDer of the party were more or
less hurt in the panic, none was seri-
ously injured.
similar panic ensued at st. Joseph s
paroohial school on Mt Oliver, WIRE
commencement exercises were being
held. The hall was filled with children
and their parents when lightning struck
the building. tearing 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 II.
Phillips glass house at Nineteenth and
Mary streets had its sheet roof picke
up bodily and carried across the street,
the South Side Presbyterian Church was
struck by lightning and numerous
houses suffered the same fate.
Sarah street from 'fwenty-ninth to
Thirtieth was filed with water, as was
also Arlington avenue to Amanda ave-
nue., Knoxville. Castle Shannon tunnel.
On the Beltzhooyer side. caved in and
tran was suspended for the day. A
heavy landslide at Twenty second
street, South Side, covered the tracks
of the Pittsburg. Virginia & Charleston
railroad to the depth of fifteen feet and
trains were blocked all afternoon.
The East End and Williamsburg suf-
fered. Sewers overlooked. filling cell
lars and making creeks OF the streets !:
roofs were carried away and much mi
nor damage was done, but no person
Was seriously hurt.
From all surrounding towns reports
are coming in telling Of the widespread
damage done by the storm. all the cor
respondents uniting in saying it was
the geyerest known in years.