Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-03-31
TORNADO AT PITTSBURG
CHURCHES WRECKED AND MANY
woRsHIPERs HURT.
Storm Came Up Suddenly and Lasted
but Few Minutes-other
Points Visited.

A dispatch from Pittsburg last night
says:
One Of the fercest wind storms ever
known in this section struck the city today.
just before noon, and did almost incalcu-
liable damage to property and injured many
people, some Of whom may die from the
effects of their wounds. Scores Of houses
were unroofed, many trees were blown
down, mill stacks toppled over and tele-
graph and telephone wires generally dis
abled.
The most serious accident reported up to
0 o'clock tonight was the unroofing of the
Knoxville Presbyterian Church. in Knox
willie, suburb of this city. The church at
the time was filled with an Easter congre-
cation, numbering about 600 persons. While
the minister was in the midst of his sermon
a particularly strong gust of wind blew
over the large chimney and lifted portion
of the roof off the building.
The bricks from the chimney crashed
through the rosf and carried a huge piece
of the hardwood ceiling, measuring forty
by twenty feet. down upon the worshipers
In the pews An indeScribable panic en-
sued, and frantic rush was made for the
doors and windows. The excitement was
soon quieted and the work Of rescue begun.
At least forty persons were caught by the
Wreckage and more or less hurt OF this
number five may not recover.
The towboat Belle MCGOWAN was blown
over in the Ohio river, opposite the mill
run, and completely wrecked. Her crew
narrowly escaped drowning, but all were
finally rescued by harbor boats.
Jones & Laughlin had fourteen Of their
furnace stacks blown down, necessitating
the shutdown of a portion of their plant
for weeks.
AS Rev J. w. English pastor Of the Rob-
inson Run Union Protestant Church. near
Mcdonald was raising his arms to pronounce
the benediction, lightning struck the church
spire, and 1t topp1ed upon the roof, crush
ing it and injuring number Of worshipers,
two of whom will die.
The spire and part of the roof of the U.
P. Church at Mcdonald was torn off and
the building considerably damaged. but no
one was injured. The Noblestown Presby-
terrain Church was also unroofed. but the
congregation escaped injury.
The Forest Oil Company had between 200
and 300 derrfcks blown down in its McDon-
aid region, and considerable damage was
sustained by its pipeage system.
The offices Of the Monongahela connect
ing railroad on I'd avenue this city. were
destroyed by fire during the afternoon, be-
cause no alarm could be turned In either by
telephone or telegraph. The Armstrong
Cork Company plant on Liberty avenue
between 25th and 26th streets. was I'M
rooted. and much damage done to machin-
cry and stock.
Reports from the different railroads to-
night show that all suffered more or less
service. All. however, were in good shape
and trains running by o'clock.
The base ball park in Allegheny lost one
of its fences and portion Of the grand
stand roof. More than $500 lights of glass
in the Phtpps Conservatory in Schenley
Park were broken, and much Of the gor-
geous Easter flower display ruined.
The Montana apartment house, at Penn
avenue and Farmont street. East End,
and the Idaho building. which adjoins it,
were partially destroyed The roof of the
big force plant at Rankin was lifted off
and carried many yards away
The damage in the Monongahela and Tur-
tie Creek valleys will reach thousands of
dollars, but no specially big individual loss
is reported. Almost the entire east end
district Of this city is in darkness tonight.
the electric lighting system having been
put out of commission by the storm. The
downtown portions were repaired early in
the afternoon.
The storm. which came upon the city very
suddenly, came up through the Ohio val
ley and passed on eastward. 1t lasted
about thirty minutes, only five minutes Of
which was the velocity unusually high. In
that five minutes practically all Of the
damage done was accomplished.