Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1902-04-05
Tremendous Damage Caused in
Pittsburg, Pa, By ViO-
lent Wind Storm.
LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INJURED.
Tndescribable Panic in Church, During
the Easter Sermon. When the Wind
Blew Over the Chimney and Demolished
Part of the ROOf-At Least Forty Per-
aons Hurt

just before noon, and did almost in
calculable damage to property and in
jured many people, some of whom
may die from the effects of their
wounds. Scores of houses were un-
rooted, many trees were blown down,
tall stacks toppled over and telegraph
and telephone wires generally disa-
bled.
The most serious accident occurred
to the Knoxville Presbyterian church
in Knoxville. The church at the time
was filed with an Easter congrega-
ton numbering about six hundred
persons. While the minister was in
the midst of his sermon, particular
ly 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 roof and carried a huge piece of
the hardwood ceiling, measuring
about 4Ox20 feet, down upon the wor-
shippers in the pews. An indescriba-
BILE panic ensued. and frantic rush
was made for the doors and windows.
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 the Ohio river, and com
pletely wrecked. Her crew was res
cued.
Jones & Laughlins had IA of their
furnace stacks blown down, necessi-
tating the shutdown of portion of
their plant for weeks.
AS Rev. ]. w. English, pastor of the
Robinson Run q. P. church. near Nc
Donald, was raising his arms to pro-
nounce the benediction, lightning
struck the church spire, and it top
pied upon the roof, crushing it and
iniuring a number of worshippers,
two of whom will die
The spire and part of the roof of
the church, at Mcdonald, was torn
off, and the building considerably
damaged.
The Noblestown Presbyterian
church was also unroofed.
The Forest Oil Co. had between 200
and 800 derriclxs blown down in its
Mcdonald region, and considerable
damage was sustained to its pipeage
system.
The offices of the Monongahela Con-
Meeting railroad in this city were de-
stroyed by fire during the afternoon
because no alarm could be turned in
either by telephone or telegraph.
Belated reports from nearby towns
up to midnight show that the wind
played havoc at every town in its
track
At Mingo Junction, o., the wind
caught the big structural ore bridge
of the National Steel Co.'s plant, and
whirled it along the tracks until it
was stopped by another ore bridge
which was sent spinning to the end
of the track where it fell a shapeless
mass of iron. The bridges cost $780,
900, and will take five months to re-
build.
At Belle Vernon, Pa, thousands of
dollars viii be required to repair the
storm damage. The American Win
dow Glass Co.'s plant was un-
rooted, several smokestacks blown
down and a wall blown il. Several
blocks of houses belonging to the
company were also wrecked.
At Greensburg, Pa, the damage
was considerable. Nearly nine thou.
sand feet of roof of the Keely & Jones
plant was carried away and cast into
a fish pond, third of a mile distant
The churches had just dismissed their
congregations, and while many of the
worshipers were lingering about the
First Presbyterian church doors wait
ing for the storm to abate, the great
cupola of the edifce was caught by
the wind and toppled into the street
Curiously, heavy fragment of the
. steeple was carried over several
houses and across a vacant lot and
cast through window of lions
Lutheran church. Fortunately, no one
J was hurt.
At Jeanette, Latrobe and New Al
exandria number of houses were un.
rooted, but no great damage done.
At Washington, Pa, the new ban
mill of the Griffith Tin Plate Co. was
blown down, entailing a loss of $40,
600. The plant was completely
: wrecked. Five houses owned by Will
lam Campbell, were blown down ant
the Roman Catholic and the Third U
P. churches were partially wrecked.
Preacher Caught in the Wreck.
i, Greenville, Pa, March sO.-The Eas
ter services being held in the United
, Presbyterian church at jamestown
this county, six miles north of here
came to an abrupt ending to-day
The sky became overcast, and fun
: nel-shaped cloud was seen approach
: ing from the northwest The con
} gregation became uneasy, but th,
pastor, Rev. ]. NJ Jamison, continued
/ the services Suddenly there was |
5 terrific clash and part Of the soutl
end Of the church crashed in. bury
. ing the minister beneath bricks an'
timsbrs. He ives fatally injured.