Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-07-20
The DETAILS OF The FLOOD,
As It was Possible to Obtain Them Las
Night

1t was great calamity.
This is the exact measure of the deluge
to which Nature treated the people of this
city and the surrounding country, in the
hour next ensuing after six O'Clock last
evening.
No such storm ever visited Us, and all
will unite in the earnest prayer that its
like may never come upon rs again.
At two o'clock this morning, after care
fully summing up all the information at
hand, and sitting the rumors and weigh
ing the possibilities and probabilities, it
seems certain that something like fourteen
or fifteen lives have been lost, with some
thing in the way of hope that several Of
those now missing, victims Of tho collapse
of the B. & o. railroad bridge, may even
tually turn up, as others at first given mp
for dead, did all along during last night.
The loss - money can not be approx.
mated, first, because large extent OF the
country ravaged by the storm has not been
heard from, owing to the absolute inter
ruption of communication, and secondly,
because money matters and individual
losses, large as they will foot mp in the
end, were little thought Of last night, in the
anguish at the loss of life, and in the
anxiety for the safety of relatives and
friends.
The public will realize that in the gen.
eral chaos following the events Of last
evening the gathering of reliable and &c
curats information was not only a difficult,
but even an impossible task. The report
ers have done the best possible under the
circumstances, and the results given below
will give an outline of the extent Of the
labor suddenly thrust upon them.
HOW THE STORM CAME UP.
IL Struck the City From the Northwest,
with Gyrating Melton.
All during yesterday afternoon there
were symptoms in the sky that rain OF
Large dimensions" was on the tapis. The
clouds came up heavy from the west, and
hung over the city with 9 persistency
which caused careful citizens to arm them
selves with umbrellas as they returned
from their midday meal to their usual
business haunts. About five o'clock the
signs of falling weather intensified, and it
became evident that trouble was brewing.
The chief seat of the trouble seemed to be
in the northwest, and just before six
o'clock the advance guard Of the rain came
down over the hills north and west Of Mar
tins Ferry. People watched the
steady down-pour mp the
river, from the bridge or the
city ct large with some curiosity, and II was
often remarked that perhaps it will blow
over after all" But . glance ut the West
showed this hope to rest upon very slen-
der foundation. The rain gradually extern
ded south from the upper end Of the city,
and in ten minutes aftei the storm broke
over Martins Ferry q solid sheet Of water
was pouring down through the length and
breadth Of the city. There was no
wind to speak of and bat moderate
amount of thunder and lightning; it was
lust q solid rain, and il settled down and
transacted flood Of business on the del
use plan in o way which at first excited
attention, and then aroused alarm. At half
past six people were saying: This beats
she record" and 1t seven they whispered,
with the memory of ten days ago upon
them, There will be Q big loss. We
never had sucn storm before"
How the prophecy Of disaster was full
filled. will be seen from . perusal Of the
accompanying report.
The storm scanned 10 be pivoted upon q
point at or near this city, and this pivot
had a allow and deliberate motion in a
direction little south Of east. Swinging
ON this movable pivot, the storm swept
round and round, while q rain fsll IS never
before in this vicinity. In seventy min.
mites more than six inches Of water fell,
mixed, at intervals, with hail-stones Of q
very respectable size and of weight cal
culated 10 command the respect OF bald
beaded man. DO damage resulted from
this latter cause, but the deluge Of rain
carried everything before IL.
At half past seven the slow eastward
of the storm carried it beyond
the limits of the city, but il could be seen
raging over the hills in the direction Of
Elm Greve with apparently intensified
force, and all last evening there were the
Iiveliest snticipations Of great damage in
that direction. The impossibibility Of