Daily Republican., 1888-07-21
WEST vIRaINIA FLOODS,
Terrible Devastation and Loss OF Life
IA PERSONS Drowned St rrIAdslphIa-
half the Town Washod Away.

, Terrible Devastation and Loss OF Life.
IA Persons Drowned At rrIadelphIa-
HALF the Town Washod Away.
WHEELING, W. Va, July 2O.-LateI
and authentic details from TriAdeiphin
show the destruction there was more
appalling than anywhere else. Fifteen
families are homeless and saved moth.
ing bus what they had on. Half this
village OF 800 inhabitants were swept
away. The storm extended I6 miles
east OF West Alexander Pa and the
scene all along the way Is one Of desola-
tion apd inconoeivAble horror. Where
the IriedelphiA school house, q large
building OF six rooms, stood, the creek
10 now raging food and not . yestIae
OF even the foundation remains. The
whole south half Of the town has disnD.
peared As clean IS II II never existed.
1t cannot be stated st this hour how
many lives have been lost. The loss in
this city is known to be ten, with q
number reported missing. Caldwell
run, which passes through the Eighth
ward Of this city, WAS the scsne OF the
greatest havoc.
Three houses were swept away aud
all the inmates were drowned, Tha
greatest loss OF life was along Wheeling
creek end ct TIiRdelphia. A search
this morning resulted In the discovery
OF . number OF bodies near this latteF
place. MoSB OF them were found among
the drift which collected ct Elm Grove.
The body OF William CASTOR, aged so
years, prominent and wealthy Citizen,
was found at Elm Grove. His wlfe's |
remains were found two miles below |
hlm Grove, hanging on q bArbed-wire |
TanAR flhnrlaa flarlhau - Al.
Ing News Letter, aged so years, WAS |
found among the driitwood. Mrs Jane |
Fay and her two grown-up daughters,
Alice and Mary, were discovered q
short distance below TriadelphIa, and |
the bodies Of two bTotherS, named Cor
mau, were found In q meadow, where |
they had been hurled by the furious
waters.
A despatch says 26 persons are known
to be drowned. Among the number
was the Sheriff Of Marshall County,
The cemeteries were washed out and
the oofins with bodies foated down the
river.
The track Of the storm presents .
scene Of devastation and destruction.
Trees lie ACROSS the track where they
were blown. Wires are down, and fire.
quent lAndalides impede the workmen
who are trying to clear the tracks. In
this stretch Of territory, which suffered
the greatest damage, there are nve
short bridges crossing creeks 10 be re-.
paired, and the offioe OF this oity esti.
mates the number Of landslides to be
cleared at twenty.
The imposSibility Of reaching the
worst localities cannot be appreciated.
The creek is still dangerously swell
len and the roads washed, bridRsa
cAved In, telephone and telegraph lines
iown.
The fall Of water from 6 to 6.5b D. m.
rhurGday, by gauge ct TriadelphiA, was
Va inches. 1t 10 impossible 10 give
any details Of losses Tonight, for the
'eason thAt those who suffered cannot
'stimAts their own loss as yet, aud
'very resident OF low grounds In the
sntire valley suffered damage ranging
from e100 " $4,000, while even those
IN the hills lost valuable crops, fences,
The Baltimore and Ohio Oompany's
loss will reAoh $3.50, 900, at Q low esti-
mate. The oounGy's loss In roads and
bridges and school houses will be ct
east $50, 000i the Wheeling Natural Gas
company $1,000, and the NaturRl Gas
company OF West Virginia So, 800; W.
:. Chambers s. 90, Elm Grove Coal
W forks, u, 900; Kimmins 81 Hutchinson,
Elm Grove, merchants, 50, 900; the city,
IN waShoutS and bridges, So, 900; Pitts
lure, Chicago and st. Louis Railroad,
y 800; Wheeling and Elm Grove Rail- !
Dad, $40 900; b. O. Hunter, TriAdel.
,hia, brick manufacturer, S3, ,0c0; FreW ,
3 Bertsohy, furniture dealers, Wheel.
ng, $50. .O0Oj W. A. Mccoy, Triadelphia,
n house, S. 900. I