Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Pre 1900 Storms

Allegheny County Pre-1900 Storms

Floods in the Monogahela and Youghiogheny Rivers

Pittsburgh, August 1.--The Mononghela river is sixteen feet and rising rapidly. It rained heavily at intervals during the day, and steadily since 6 P. M. Fears are entertained that much damage will ensue to the villages and towns along the Youghiogheny and the Monongahela rivers. It is reported that families in these places are moving out to escape the floods.

This afternoon about three o'clock seven model barges and three fuel boats broke loose on the Monongahela, drifting down struck the sand boat Hiram, sending her against the Elector, one of the Brownsville packets, breaking her loose from her moorings and driving her under the Monongahela bridge. The Elector lost her smoke stacks and exhaust pipes, pilot house and guards and was damaged to the extent of $1,000. Two of the barges were sunk at the bridge; others passed safely and were captured. One of the hands of the Elector who had been sleeping, attempted to jump from the boat after she started and fell into the river. He is supposed to have been lost. Wheeling Register, August 2, 1875 - Transcribed by C. Anthony

Pennsylvania's Great Storm
Violent Wind and Rain Caused Severe Damage

Details of Destruction
Magnitude of the Disaster Become More Apparent as the News Increases - Eight Additional Deaths Reported in the Flood

Pittsburg, July 28.--As news of last night's storm continues to come from the outlying districts to-day, the magnitude of the disaster becomes more apparent. In addition to the loss of life reported last night at the camp of the Eighth Ward Hunting and Fishing club of Allegheny, eight deaths were reported to-day in other places.

At the boarding house of Samuel McKinney at Cecil, Washington county, 13 merry makers were preparing for a dance last night, when they were carried away almost without a moment's warning, cooped up in a floating house, and seven of them were drowned. Before being rescued the others were in the water some four hours, otherss all night and the experience they went through will never be forgotten.

The dead were found to-day strewed all along the flood swept valley of Miller's run, the nearest two miles from the scene of the disaster, and the furthest eight miles below.

The house was two stories high and was raised on props above the banks of Miller's run, and about seven feet above the water level of that insignificant little creek.

While preparations for the dance were going on it was noticed that the water was creeping in under the front door. The merriment stopped but no danger was felt and the party began to remove the furniture to the second floor. While they were thus engaged the house gave a lurch and went whirling into the flood amid the shrieks of the inmates. Eleven of the inmates were on the second floor. They mad a rush for the stairway, but it was too late, the room below being full of water. James Pierce, an oil driller, went on the roof of the porch. He was swept ashore and saved. Charles Redding, a rig builder, jumped through a window into the water and managed by clutching bushes to drag himself ashore.

Swept into the Flood

The villagers came trooping out into the storm, but could do nothing as the house swept by and it was soon lost to view in the blinding rain. The roof of the house gave way with a crash and one by one the victims were swept from the second floor to which they were clinging as to a raft. Samuel McKinney had endeavored to hold on his wife and youngest son but they were swept from his grasp by the rush of the current. McKinney himself was under water for some time, but eventually reached the bank in a faint condition and was drawn out by people on the shore.

Robert McKinney a nephew was caught in a tree near Gladden. He remained in the limbs all night and a searching party found him there in the morning. Lizzie Holmes was also found in a tree and was rescued. Suddenly and as swiftly as it rose, the creek fell. By 6 p. m. to-day all the bodies had been recovered and the run was hurrying along, an inoffensive creek once more.

Near the Morganza run school Gus Wright, a colored driver for Bradwell's livery stable in Carnegie, lost his life in Chartier's creek about 9 o'clock last night. He had driven to Canonsburg in a two-horse cariage and was on his way back. In the darkness he did not discover the bridge had been carried away and drove into the swollen creek.

In Lawrenceville, Seventeenth ward, the damage is greater than on July 15, when the storm wrecked the stone wall surrounding Allegheny cemetery. The broken wall offered no resistence to the flood that evening and a raging torrent not only devastated a large portion of the beautiful Allegheny cemetery, but flooded Butler creek and streets below to a depth of nearly five feet. The cellars of hundreds of houses were flooded and the first floors of several score were covered with water. Every street in that part of the city was blocked with broken trees, stones, rubbish and mud. All over both cities traffic was suspended. In the mill districts along the Allegheny river 25 large smokestacks were toppled over by the force of the wind, in a number of instances wrecking the buildings on which they fell.

Another Deluge

Scarcely had the thoroughfares been made passable and delayed cars began to move when the night deluge came on. This, in point of downpour, was even worse than the evening flood. The high wind was absent, however, but the heavens were almost continuously lighted with terrifying flashes of lightning and the roar of thunder was continuous. The storm continued with slowly diminishing energy until midnight.

Reports from the districts surrounding the cities detail the destruction of buildings; death of farm stock and much damage to crops and fruit. All the railroads entering the city suffered considerable damage and delay. The Baltimore and Ohio railway is apparently the worst sufferer. Trains from above Eureka on the main line were unable to get through from last evening up to noon to-day. The through trains from the west were expected early in the afternoon. The delay was caused by a landslide near Eureka. A large culvert at Port Royal was also washed out and had to be bridged over before trains could proceed.

The river took an upward turn early this morning. At 2 o'clock this afternoon 17 feet ws recorded. In the debris which rushed past were seen small houses, out-buildings, fences, grain stacks and other evidence of the severity of the storm at points above.

Specials from surrounding towns report loss and damage from last night's storm as follows:

At Claysville, houses were unroofed and many buildings totally wrecked. The United Presbyterian church and high school buildings were struck by lightning and demolished. Crops suffered greatly. Entire orchards were leveled and destroyed. No lives are reported lost.

At Washington, Pa., the damage in the oil fields will be enormous. A great number of bridges were swept away and roads rendered impassable.

At Canonsburg, Connellsville, West Newton, and several other points, the loss is reported heavy. Colorado Springs Gazette, July 29, 1896 - Transcribed by C. Anthony

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