A Destructive Tornado in the Vicinity of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pa, May 12.—The tornado which struck this section last night was very destructive. In the morning a light rain fell, and in the evening a fierce gust of wind came up, lasting for more than a minute, and then passed over. Shortly after this a strange noise was heard, some describing it as the rumbling of a freight train over a bridge, and others as the rushing of a vast body of water or the sound emitted from a gas well. At the same time those who were looking up observed a strange looking cloud, funnel-shaped, rising from the north and rushing onward with tremendous fury, uprooting trees and leveling every thing in its track. The cloud suddenly veered in a westerly direction, and struck the Kiskiminetas River just below Baird’s Hill, sending the water in a solid column to a height of nearly one hundred feet. It again changed its course, and traveling northeasterly, with the speed of lightning it struck the water at different points, lashing it into spray until the view was as completely obstructed as if it had been dust instead of water.

The cloud struck the Castletown bridge, and the structure was lifted from the piers, twisted into a shapeless mass of iron, and deposited in the street below.

Another change in the course occurred, and passing over Coketown, doing some little damage it went eastward in the direction of Bolivar.

The storm traveled in a circuitous route and seemed to rise and fall and bound from place to place like a rubber ball. For some distance it seemed to follow the course of the Kiskiminetas and Conemaugh rivers. Near Blairsville it seemed to take the course of Stony Run, and then return to the river in time to catch the Coketown bridge.

From this point it took an easterly direction and struck the Conemaugh river near Johnstown, where it caused the wreck of a train, which resulted in the death of four men. At this point the railroad tracks are all along the mountain’s side, and the Conemaugh river runs below.

Cars on the siding were moved several yards, far enough to obstruct the main track. A heavy freight train west-bound, composed of some twenty-five cars, running at a speed of about twenty-eight miles an hour, crashed into the cars that obstructed the track so suddenly that the engineer scarcely had time to reverse his engine. The shock was so terrific that it seemed to almost shake the mountain side, and was heard above the roar of the storm miles away. The engine was a heavy Modoc used on the mountain grade, and in the cab were the conductor, Engineer Mowry and Fireman Myers, who were killed. A brakeman named Kelly was crushed between the cars. Seventeen freight cars were piled on top of each other in great confusion.

Several rolled over the embankment into the river. East and west bound express trains were delayed twelve hours.

Decatur Republican, Decatur, IL 13 May 1886

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THE CONNEMAUGH DISASTER.

Pittsburgh, Pa., May 13.—Dispatches from points along the Connemaugh valley report several persons seriously injured by the tornado which passed over that section Monday evening. Mrs. James Bretts, who had given birth to a child about three hours before and was in bed, was carried out over the fence into a field and was picked up more dead than alive. She is not expected to live. Bertie Foust, a friend of Mrs. Bretts, was carried some distance. John Foust’s house was blown down and the bedclothes carried a mile and a half and lodged in tree tops.

Atchison Daily Globe, Atchison, KS 14 May 1886
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!