The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-11
TERRIBLE
rroopS rs THE MONONGA-
TEf.A AND TRIBUTARIES
o,or = Million Dollars Worth
Of Property Destroyed.
Hundreds of People Made Home
less and Business Men
Almost Ruined.
The West Fork From FairmOnt
to CIarkSburg Il
Raging Torrent, Which Sweeps
Everything Before it--The
People Helpless.
Great Damage Between Grafton
and FairmOnt on the
Valley River.
Tho Former Town Sustains Ter
ribie LoSSeS-.BOOm Swept
Away, etc.
Bridges, Mills and Dwellings
Destroyed, and Mines and
Factories Submerged.
I'll, Former Town Sustains Ter
ribic Losses-BOOm Swept
Away, etc.
Bridges, Mills and Dwellings
Destroyed, and Mines and
Factories Submerged.
Nrasrc Particulars from the In.
terror, but the Destruc-
tiOn Great.

aHkF@dl IlAlbIlNft'' t' A'''''''b
FunuoSr, W. Va, July l0.-A heavy
rainfall prevailed throughout II large
scope OF country in Central West Nir'
ginia FROM Sunday evening until late
Monday night, which caused freshet
in both the Valley and West Fork
branches of the Monongahela river, such
as WIS never before known. The Mon
Onyahela at this point was fully two feet,
some say three feet, higher than it was
in lSj2, when it was higher than at any
other time within the memory OF the
oldest inhabtant. The destruction to
property is beyond present computation,
but enough is known to warrant the
declaration that nearly every house and
most Of the fencing on all low lands
between this point aud Clarksburg on the
West Fork, and rs fur, at least, rs Graf
ton on the Valley river, have been swept
away. From early dawn until about 4
pm. the Monongahela continued to rise,
and during that time the channel was
constantly filled with houses, fencing,
steam timber, saw logs, shocks Of wheat,
parts Of bridges and other debris, demo-
ting the havoc Of the rushing waters.
Some ten or twelve houses were
SWEET FROM TIE TOWN
OF Worthington, one n large new frame
that had Just been completed. 1t is re-
ported also that the public bridge that
spans the river at that point on the
Fairnont and Shinnston turnpike was
taken out, together with Touring mill.
The CASTOR mines, just above Fair
mont, were flooded, while the company's
track was submerged and its locomotive
was for a time half under water. The
large county bridge near Castor and the
expensive railroad bridge erected short
time since by Mr.. Henry Y. Attrill for
the New England, Fairmont and West
em Coal Company, were both destroyed.
Onc.haf the houses in Johnstown, one
mile above this place, and many in
Rivcsvilc, ionr miles below, were sub.
merged.
The Jackson mill, one OF
FAIRNOST's OLDEST LANDMARKS,
that withstood the flood OF 81 was car
rci ont about II o'clock to-day and
tioatcd down to the Failmont, Morgan
town x Pittsburgh railroad bridge, one
mile below, where it went to pieces,
with about one thousand bushels Of
wheat in its upper stories.
The Barncsvillc Manufacturing Com
pany's new buildings and costly ma
chincry were badly damaged by the over
flow from Buffalo creek. Joseph NJ.
Flcming's saw mill at Johntown suffered
great damage from overflow; also six or
seven Touring mills, located at different
points, were washed away. The factory
and store house OF the palatine queens
ware pottery were
ENTIRELY UNDER WATER,
and, OF course, suffered heavily.
The West FairmOnt shaft mines were
Hooded by back water from the river,
Notwithstanding every exertion to close
the opening. These mines have heavy
contracts and l0Omen IRE thrown out Of
employment till the mines can be freed
from water. The loss in this section will
probably reach S3O0,0O0, possibly $780,
@S, and will iall largely where it can be
least easily horne.