The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-07-14

I ateQ, ana SIX bridges, Two OF lnem prl-
vate ones, and four belonging to the
town, were carried away. 1t is not known
at this time that any lives were lost but
several narrow escapes from drowning
occurred. Three or four persons are re-
ported missing, but it is hardly probable
that they are drowned.
At the Middlefeld switch two unoccu-
pied houses. one of them owned bv West,
Buckley& Co, paperinanufacturers were
| swept away, and also an old red house
I used as a pay Office. Also the railroad
/ building several barns and out-hou>es were
carried off. lhe farms and gardens were
badly damaged: the wooden mill. between
Middletcld and Chester, owned by
/ John West Jr., of Pittsfeld, was not in
/ jured, but both ends of his wooden dam,
/ and the head Of his race way were de-
stroyed. A tenement house occupied by
/ the family Of Leon. Janzaux was swept
away, he was absent, and his wife,
/ mOther-in-law and four children were,
with considerable difficulty persuaded to
/ leave the house just before il went of.
The village of Chester owes its escape
from an almost entire
destruction to the fact of
there being so many stone arch bridges
above that place by which the food was
stayed for time, accumulating in little
pools to be let down in instsllmentS on
the village below. The second cause WAS
the considerable width of the valley
mile above the village, where the water
spread out somewhat rs they did in the
Mill river food at Florence Meadows.
At Huntington there was but
very little damage done. The food
having mostly spent its force before 1t
reached there. Some Of the farms were
flooded. and the water broke over the
bulkhead of the Highland Manufacturing
Company's mills, swept through the
lower story, and did some damage to fin
ishcd goods stored there. At Westfeld,
the next town below Huntington, the
island and some low lands were flooded,
but II" great harm was done.
ADDrrIoSAL AND.LATER REPORTS.
SPRINGFIELD, July l3.-The follow
ing j. later and correct statement of
the damage done at Blush Hollow and
Middlcficd: The large house owned by
Mr.. Church, and occupied by james King,
was the first one struck. the water pass
clear through the building and tearing
out the floors and windows. Th" turni-
ture dropped into the cellar Nearly Op-
site was large house, occupied by AL
fred O'Bricn. The food struck this
building on one corner, cutting out the
first story entirely, while the foor of the
second story dropped down at one end,
and but for pile of debris which lodged
near it. the whole structure undoubtedly
would have gone oft. On the east side of
the street Il barn, one house and build
ing used for storage were swept away,
nothing remaining but few boards.
Just below this is what remains of Oliver
BlushS house. Onc-half of the large l.
was torn of and destroyed and the upright
portion of il turned around at right an
gle with the line of the street. a large
building used for storing wool, and con-
tanning many hundred pounds, was swept
AWAY south. This stands against the
remnants of Oliver Blush's barn, packed
full of hay, the weight of which served
rs an anchor to the building, but did not
prevent it from being completely split up
and broken. On the opposite side of the
stream was o. Blush's mill, three stories
hi"h. When the food struck the dam
lust north of it, that gave way letting
the stream. which was rushing down,
strike the mill and it disappeared like an
rgg-shcll. Opposite on the left Of the
.trcnm, VIM. Blush's barn received the
full force of the current, but only Il large
wing used H. Il carriage house and con-
taininr several carriages, was carried of
few steps. Further down the street
was Bush's carriage, fcllOc and shatt
manufacturv. The waters fairly split this
mill opcn nj the bottom, the dam by the
side Of it going down in Il general ruin,
and the ridge of the structure dropping
nj the centre Churchs mill the same
distance below had large portion of the
undermining torn out and one of the
obutlnrnt. of the watcr-whecl destroyed.
but the building with it, machinery is
saved. This comprises the damage done
at Blushs Hollow, except to roads and
bridges. The road-bed is now Il rushing
torrent. The report that tn" large new
mill of Church'S WAS undermined Is
unfounded. and also the runor that some
persons were missing. The total amount
Of damage to individuals and the town
of Chester i estimated at $1,000. Tn"
tales and rumors indicate that the total
los, will reach ;S3j0.OOO.