FEARFUL FLOOD IN PENNSYLVANIA.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 78, 31 August 1874, Page 4

FEARFUL FLOOD IN PENNSYLVANIA.

We quote the following particulars from our files of the great flood which has visited Pennsylvania, by which 200 lives have been lost, 22 miles of country devastated, and 1,000,000 dollars worth of property destroyed . Pit’isburg, July 27. A most destructive storm swept over this city last night. The rain poured through the streets from the neighbouring hills, and the Union Depot was inundated with water from three to four feet deep. Pan Handle tunnel was filled with water, and rendered impassable. Much property was destroyed on Liberty and Smithfield-streets. From all aide streets leading from the hill, boulders were rolled from their position and hurled to the level below, while in many other places freat holes were opened up in the streets, n the Fourteenth Ward the streets are terribly cut in. In Alleghany City the flood was terrible, A sewer on Madison Avenue and Mista street burst, inundating the whole of the upper part of the city. A number of houses were swept away on Spring Garden street, the water attaining a depth of_ ten _ feet, causing a large loss of life in this vicinity. It is reported that fifty-five bodies have, so far, been recovered. The destruction to property cannot be estimated. The damage to property on the south side is great. A large number of stables and buildings were swept away.

Thu loss of life by the flood has been appalling. Thirty-eight bodies have been recovered in the Butchers run district, Alleghany County, and as many more are missing, and supposed to have been lost. The havoc at Wood’s run was fearful, and the place was a perfect sheet of water. Several houses were swept away. Nine bodies have been recovered, and five or six are still missing. On the south side, in the Run district, eight bodies have been recovered, and thirty-seven are still missing. Whole blocks of buildings are swept away in this district. It is thought over 130 persons perished in the flood. For more than a mile in the Spring Garden Avenue, Alleghany City, the marks of destruction are plainly visible. Houses are washed away and busings thrown together in heaps. Some or thirty slaughter-houses orfTnis avenue were also washed away. Buildings that were not totally destroyed were great'y damaged. The water rising fifteen feet, flooded the first floors of all the buildings, and in many cases the second storeys. Several houses were swept into the middle of the street, and many others carried hundred of yards and shattered to pieces. A house containing two or three families at Bear Centre was destroyed, and the inmates are all supposed to have been drowned. In Temperanceville the elements made great havoc. The fierce torrents of rain that descended swelled every little tributary to Sawmill run into a boiling stream, and the accumulated water rushed with maddened irresistible fury down the vallev, sweeping everything before it. The track of destruction of the flood is marked by wrecks of dwelling houses, bridges, immense heaps of stones, large piles of floodwood and,torn and ragged side-hills. Several lifeless bodies have already been found, and from twenty-five to thirty persons are missing. The iron bridge crossing Sawmill Run, at Main street, and five others were swept away. At McLaughlin’s, about seven miles west, on the Pan Handle road, eleven persous are reported drowned ; also, hundreds of cattle, horses, and sheep. Pittsburg, July 28. The following is a recapitulation of the losscf life so far reported:—Butcher’s run, 14 bodies found, 76 missing; Wood’s run, 5 bodies found, 4 missing; Castle Shannon, 10 bodiesfoundjChartier’sNeck, 14 bodies found, 8 missing; Bridgeville, 24 bodies found, 8 missing. Total number of bodies found, 132; raising, 96. The total number of buildings destroyed, was 147. Twelve miles of country were devastated. At Batcher’s run the flood was severe and terrible. Men are engaged in removing piles of boards, bricks, and other debris, under which dead bodies are supposed to lie. Ruins of a square of buildings lie over them. The undertakers’ establishments are full of corpses awaiting recognition. At Saw Mill run the bridge at the mouth near Woods’ Mill is gone, and just above, the trestle-work of Little Saw Mill run railroad. The new iron bridge, built by the city, and which cost over 11,000 dols is gone. The gas tank of the West End Gas Company is washed away. The Salt Works of W. C. and J. M. Taylor, built on a small island almost level with the stream, are nowhere to be seen, the works having been washed away with the building lately erected. Their loss is from 20,000d0l to 25,000d01. Pike Bridge and a small bridge at the head of Walnut street are both washed away. Part of Locust pavement on Walnut street is torn up. By a burst of a sewer, a part of the stable and horses belonging to J, Hami.ll were carried to the opposite side of the river ; five of the horses were recovered, and three were so badly injured they had to be shot. William Seigler, groceries and dry goods, loss, 9,000d0l on goods which were swept away. Brooks, Ballantyne and Co, oil refiners, lose three tanks, two stills, one condenser, two worms, and are otherwise damaged ; loss not known. The body of Mrs D. Sample, wife of Stephen Sample, was washed out on the pavement. Mr Sample, wife and children, were in the house when it gave way. His wife told him to hold on to the children, which he did, but never saw his wife again alive. Among the buildings swept away are Yanicker’s dwelling, J, O’Connor’s house, and William Stevenson’s house, Sample’s house, George Alsop’s, Miner’s Hall, W. Archibald’s, and two slaughter-houses, Patton’s block, George Gray’s two houses, Gray and Bell’s blacksmith and carpenter shop and fifty cars. Mr Gray says his loss, in tools and machinery alone, will be 100,000 dol. The Little Sawmill Run Railway lost all their trestle work, estimated at 50,000d01. On Federal-street, above North Avenue, all the cellars were flooded as far as Sampson-strcet. The new buildings being put up in the burnt district were considerably damaged. The bodies of four persons were found floating in the Ohio river this morning. The persons are supposed to have been lost in the flood above. Pittsburg, July 29. The latest from the scenes of the flood not only confirm previous despatches, but make

the work of destruction much greater than at first reported. The deluge was not confined to two cities, as first supposed, but stretched out to Shannon Castle, 22 miles, laying in waste every part of property that lay in its path. In addition to the destruction in Butchers’ and Sawmill runs, it did terrible work on Palmer s run. and Beck s and Chavtier’s Creeks, sweeping off houses, barns, stables, and property of every description, and human beings by dozens were carried off without a moment’s notice to their watery grave. On Chartier s Creek 14 were known to have been drowned ; between Bridgeville and Little London 15 bodies have been recovered ; and between the latter place and Cannonsburg 116 bodies more ; on the line of Castle Shannon ten more bodies have been recovered : Every hour to-day added fresh horrors ; the districts most suffering by the havoc were filled with crowds of people, many attracted by curiosity. Searching for bodies continues, and numbers attracted to the scene work with a will among the debris searching for remains. The results in Butcher’s run grow more fearful hourly ; commencing with 16 bodies recovered this morning, the number has now increased to 140. Sixty-nine persons are still missing ; probably 160 perished at Butcher’s run alone. The total loss Jof life will reach 200. In one undertaker’s establishment in Alleghany City there are 33 bodies. The loss of property will not fall short of one million dollars ; fully one hundred and fifty buildings were destroyed. The sufferers are roaming through the streets to-night. As many as possible are furnished with temporary relief.