Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-03-31
WIND AND hail IN PENN5YL-
VANIA.


P ttsburg, Pa, has experienced in years
broke over the city yett 'rdsy. 1t
lasted only seven minutes, out 10 that
time q tow bott was sunk 10 the Ohio
river, the roof OF church was wreck.
ed aud forty worshippers were burt,
four of them MORALLY, roofs were lifted
oh houses, chimneys we're blown down,
aud damage aggregating $500 600 had
bse0 iUf cted.
10 tle Presbyterian Church 10 Knox.
vile, suburb of Pittsbarg, coogreRa
uon OF 500 had j0lt listened to o ser
mon by the Rev. w. A. Jones, the
palt)r. Mr.. Jones bad announced the
Easter 81 them TO close the services
when the storm broke. The hymn
was euDg by the choir amid the roaring
Of the storm aud tle rattle OF hail
aeaiOtt the Window.
Suddenly q crash was heard, end
brick chimney at the end Of the church
was blown on the rocf. The weight OF
the bricks caused the roof ID collapse
and the end OF the ceiling broke from
the oiets and for q minute swsyed up
An0 down.
The congregation orouohed under
the pews when the ceiling, bearing the
wsigi of the slate roof aud the bricks
aud mortar of the chimney, fell upon
the worshippers.
The wreck fell 10 such wsy that one
edge of 1t rested against the inner wall
OF the church above the heads OF the
hrf aaf fal n
tI the body OF the churc1 IL ired forty
men, women. and children.
The panic net followed wss quickly
alleged by the half.dozsn doctors IN the
congregation, who organZ d a rescue
party. Tne wounded were lifted out
Of the ruins aud carried TO neighbOrinR
houses, = hicD were used as temporary
hospitals
Tue Belle McGOwan, a towb0at, was
caug t sideways by the wind in tn.
@ lio river and was upset. As the boat
turned gradually the crew climbed up
90 the hull. The accident happened
ius5 at the Junction OF the Allegheny
and Monongahela rivers, and the WaV ?
were 81 bish that no one ventnred out
IN skiff4 u Til the boat had drlfted
quarter OF mile down stream and was
near the shore None OF the crew was
lost.
The entire roof OF the Montana apart
met house was lit ID of, the roofs OF
row of ten fue houses we're TIPPED
of and thrown IL II the street, and the
roof of a covered bridge crossing the
Allegheny was torn of and pieces OF
the sheet iron were blown over houses
q qusrterloi q Emile away. Pat OF the
fence surrounding the baseball park
and part of the grsndstsnd wers de-
molished.
Reports came in lsst night OF much
damage done TO mills and houses 10
surrounding towns.
As Rev. J. w. English, pastor OF the
Robinson Run Union Prote, t IDt Church
GEAR Mcdonald, was raising his arms TO
pronounce the beDediC ton, lightning
struck the church spire, and it t)ppled
upon the roof, crushing It and iniuriOg
number OF worebipers. two OF whom
will die.
The spire and part of the roof of the
II. P. Church at McDJoald was torn
OF and the building considerably dam
aged, but no one was injured. The
NobIestown Presby srisn Church was
also unroofed, but the congregation es.
capped injury.
The Forrest OIL Company bad be-
Reen 200 and 800 derricks blown down
10 it, Mcdonald region, and consider
able damage was sustained by its pipe
age system.
The Easter service being held in the
UOited Presbyterian Church ct James
tIwn, six miles north of Greenville,
came to a tragic cad 1t II O'clock yes
terday.
The sky became overcast and fun
1sl.sasped cloud was seen approaching
from the northwest. The tail dipped
t. tue ground just before the church
was reached. The congregation be.
came uneasy, but the pastor, Rev. J.
M. Jsmison, col tinned the services.
| Suddenly there was terrific roar and
part of the south end Of the church
crashed IN. burying the minister be-
nes bricks and timber.
The men of the congregation rushed
to the pulpit and when the stricken
minist r was removed from the debris
it was found he had received fftll iu.
j1ries. His jaw was broken aud the
temporal bone crushed.