The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-07-26
WHEELING DELUGED
BY A TERRIFIC STORM. LIFE AND
PROPERTY DESTROYED.
a Railroad TrestIe Bridge Gives Way
With Many People on it-Houses
Swept from Their Foundations.

N--1
Swept from Their Foundations.
WHEELING, w. Va, July 2O.-A
monetary loss approaching a million
and a half dollars within radius of
fifteen miles of Wheeling, and sixteen
lives known to have been lost, is the
result of last evenings storm. The
facts coming to light to-day were of
an appalling nature, and fully war
rant the assertion that the like has
never before been experienced in this
portion of the country since its first
settlement.
The disastrous storm OF ten days ago
sinks into insignifcance beside the
able effort of yesterday, and many
citizens who were fortunate enough to
escape with their lives Will be years
in recovering the financial loss they
are called upon to bear.
The complete list of dead is as fol-
lows: Mrs. Thomas Howley and four
children, three boys and girl; John
Holman, who lost his life in endeav-
oring to rescue the Stencil family;
Mrs. Barbara Stencil, Herman STEM
eel, her son and two nieces, Misses
Annie and Alice Wingert, of Mil
t3ashrrg. Ohio; Mrs Jane Flay and
two dsrras.lS, Alice and Belle Eliza
Jane .raLrzcI, Mr.. Caull Bell aud
NJn5. Gastcz., ,.l 7NinG Mills
There are several still upen the list
of missing. :s:acuH tNon taree coen,
party q tive who were swept away
from tisitirg camp an tho hcadwaters
of Whee!ipg creek. Two of :he men
succeeded ia making their escape
from the creek at Elm Grove, but the
remainin3 thraa we're swept past, and
their whereabouts has not been dis
covered as vet. There are also per-
sistent rumors that two brothers named
Bowman, and Mrs Eaton and her
three children were drowned. They
have not been heard of since the
storm, and it is possible that they have
met the fate of those known to be
dead.
The loss to the railroads is enor-
nous On the West Virginia side of
the river the Pittsburg division of the
Baltimore and Ohio lost nine bridges
between this city and West Alexan
der, on the Pennsylvania line, and the
track an6 embankments are in such a
shape as to require almost total rebuilt
ding. The ,Pittsburg, Wheeling and
KenEUcEy fo:t1 has lost several brid-
ges between this city and Wellsburg,
Brooke county, and the track gener
ally is in bad shape. The Ohio River
road, between this city and Mounds
vile, south of here, Is in such bad
shape that trains have to be sent over
the Baltimore and Ohio.
On the Ohio side the condition of
the road is, if anything, worse, The
Cleveland, Lorraine and Wheeling
road is badly damaged between Bel
laire, four miles south of this city, and
Martins Ferry, one mile north.
Troll Bros, the principal owners of
the Bellaire and St. Clairsville rail
road, feeder of the Baltimore and
Ohio, will have to rebuild six out of
the seven miles of track. They lost
all the tipples at their coal banks, two
mules and fifteen carloads of COAL
The cars were lifted from where the
track once was and carried hundreds
of yards into wheat field. Some
were carried mile by the torrent on
Little McMahon's Creek. The st.
Clairsville Northern road is as badly
injured as the other roads or eleven
bridges ten are swept away
The corniields and wheat in the
shock and gardens around St. Clairs
wife are badly damaged.
Chris. Nef, on the line Of the road
had dwelling occupied by Wm. See
ley. The house, barn and everything
was carried off, as was also all the fur
niture. The Seeley family managed
to barely escape with their lives.
Jake McGeath lived at widow Feeley's
house, just below Neff. 1t wat entire
ly washed away and lodged against
the side of the hill, a mile from its
foundation. Furniture was all lost
and family narrowly escape.
Geo. Patterson, VIM. Hess and
Robert Stewart live in cottages close
to Echo Station. When the. floods
subsidized not : vestige Of houses oi
furniture could bo found anywhere
The families without q word Of warn
ing had to take 10 the hills, without
saving garment but what they had
on.
At st. Clairsville junction thret
houses, belonging to Kidd Bros, wer,
entirely Destroyed, being carried
away, while several others were injur
ed by being removed from their foun
dations.
The run was never known to be a
high before or to swell so quickly
The torrent was very swift, and tht
depth in some places was over twelv'
feet. Trees, shocks Of wheat, railroad
timber, houses, barns, hogs, poultry
calves and furniture came tearln.
down in one seething, roaring mass
The roar of the torrent could be hear,
for miles.
The fall of water from 6 to 6:5
Thursday by gauge at Triadelphi
was 81 inches. Every resident of 10,
grounds in the entire valley sufere'
damage ranging from 500 to SIC, O,000
while even those ON the hills lost val
liable crops, fences, etc. The Balti
more and Ohio company's loss will
reach $350,000, at low estimate
The country's loss in roads and bridge
and schoolhouses will be at leas
100000.
GREAT DAMAGE IN OHIO.
ST.. GAINESVILLE, o., July 90