The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-31
Broke on Telephone and Telegraph
Poles, Tangled Wires and Left
Places in Darkness.
DISASTER IN WEST VIRGINIA
GABLE OF CHURCH BLOWN IN AND
TWO wORsHIPERs KILLED.
Preacher Was Concluding Sermon
on the Resurrection, and He
Was Seriously Injured.

PITTSBURG. March 90.-One OF the fierc-
est windstorms ever known in this section
struck the city to-day before noon and did
tremendous damage TO property and injured
many people. some of whom may die
Scores of houses were unroofed. many trees
were blown down, mill stacks toppIed over
and telegraph and telephone wires generally
were disabled. The most serious accident
reported up 20 o'clock tonight was the
unroohng of the Knoxville Presbyterian
Church. The church was filled with an
Easter congregation numbering about six
hundred persons. While the minister was
lf-the midst Of his sermon a particularly
stx6ng gust OF wind blew over the large
shl>Sney and lifted a portion of the roof
" the building The bricks from the Chin
aey crashed through the roof and carried
a huge piece OF the hardwood ceiling, meas
oring about 4ox2O feet down upon the peo-
ole. A panic ensued and rush was made
for the doors and windows. The excitement
soon subslded and the work of rescue be-
gan. At least forty persons were caught
by the wreckage and more or less hurt. or
this number five may not recover. The
more seriously injured are:
DIR. r.. j. PHILLIPS. aged forty years.
conclusion OF brain; may die.
CURTIS RAY M'KNIGHT. four years, in
ternal Injuries, both legs crushed, probably
fatal.
CLARENCE MNULTY. aged seventeen,
internal Injuries, badly crushed may die
FLETCHER BYRON, fracture at base of
brain; serious.
DAVID SMITH. thirty-two. arm broken,
head cut and badly battered; serious.
JOSEPH ADAMS.
ALBERT SMITH.
JOHN MEYER.
THOMAS MECHLIN.
EVAN JONES.
MRS. RACHEL SCHULTZ. all badly
bruised and cut.
PREACHER FATALLY HURT.
A dispatch from GreenviIle says: "The
Easter services being held in the United
Presbyterian Church at jamestown, this
county. six miles north of here. came to an
abrupt ending at II O'Clock to-day. The
sky became overcast and a funnel-shaped
cloud was seen approaching from the
northwest. The tail dipped to the ground
lust before the church was reached. The
congregation became uneasy. but the pas
tor. the Rev. j. NJ. Jamison. continued the
services. Suddenly there was a terrific
crash and part of the south end of the
church fell in. burying the minister be-
meath bricks and timbers The men of the
congregation rushed to the pulpit and when
the stricken minister was removed from
the debris 1t was found he had received
fatal injuries. His jaw was broken and
the temporal bone crushed. He can hardly
live through the night. The storm the
worst that has occurred in this section for
years. and IL is thought tomorrow will
bring reports OF great damage from the
country districts.
As the Rev. j. w. English pastor of the
Robinson Run United Brethren Church.
near Mcdonald. was raising his arms TO
pronounce the benediction. lightning struck
the church spire and il toppled upon the
roof crushing IL and injuring a number of
worshipers. two of whom will die. The in
jured are:
ROBERT PATTERSON. aged ten years.
skull fractured: will die
LEON AVERILL. aged eleven years.
skull fractured: will die.
MRS JOHN PATTERSON. mother of
Robert. severely lscerated and bruised
about body.
MRS. MARY PATTERSON. arm broken
and badly bruised.
MISS MARY c. WALLACE, badly
bruised.
MRS ANERILL, mother OF Leon, head
and arms cut and bruised.
The spire and part OF the roof Of the
United Presbyterian Church at Mcdonald
was torn of and the building considerably
damaged but no injured.
The Noblestown Presbyterian Church also
was unroofed but the congregation escaped
injury.
DERRICKS BLOWN DOWN.
The Forest oil Company had between
30 and 800 derricks blown down in its Nc
Donald region and considerable damage
was sustained by its pipeage system
The Offices Of the Monongehela Connect
ing Railroad on Second avenue. this city.
were destroyed by fire during the after
noon because no alarm could be turned IN
either by telephone or telegraph. The rail-
roads though they sunered more or less