Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-07-26
DESOLATION.
Inconceivable Ruin Wrought By
. the Terrible Rain Storm at
Wheeling.
Twenty-three Persons Known to Have
Been DrOwned-TwO Cemeteries
Washed Out.
The B. & o. Company Alone Loses
$3.50, 0O0-Nearly Seven Inches of
Rain Falls.

WHEELING, w. Va, July 2l.--Thursdav
nights storm extended sixteen milcs east
of West Alexander, Pa, and the scene all
along the way is one of desolation and in
conceivable horror. Where the Triadel-
phia school house, large building of six
rooms, stood, the creek is now a raging
flood and not even vestige of even the
foundations remains, while the whole
south half of the town has disappeared as
clean as if it never existed. The Wheel
ing relief committee, which recently raised
funds for the Rowlesburg sufferers, ex-
pended the balance for provisions and sent
it to Triadelphia.
The Baltimore & Ohio, Pittsburgh di-
vision, is practically destroyed for fifteen
miles, while the Western Union Telegraph
Company lost forty miles of wire and
most of the poles.
Reports from all parts of Ohio County
indicate that the storm was more disas-
.trous to life and property in the country
than in tho city, but it can not be stated at
this hour how many lives have been lost.
The loss i'll this city is known to be ten,
with u number reported to be missing.
Caldwell's run, which passes through
the Eighth ward of this city, the
scene of the greatest havoc. Three houses
were swept away and all the inmates were
uIOHHOu 1Hcy WcTc. MIS-.
Stencil, Herman Stencil, Alice and Annie
Wingert, of Williamsburg, o., nieces of
Mrs. Stencil; John Holman, Mrs. Thomas
Hawley and four children.
Hawley was in the yard and was swept
a hundred yards down the stream, but
managed to reach the bank in safety.
Only two bodies have been recovered
Alice Wingert and Mrs. Stencil. Great
damage is reported at Elm Grove and
ri he Oh or
were: Mrs. Jane Fay and two daughters,
William Warren and wife, Cal Bell, two
young man named Bowman. Mrs. John
Oxford, a widow, aged sixty years, living
at Clinton, this county, died from fright.
The greatest loss of life was along
Wheeling creek and at Triadelphin. A
search this morning resulted in the dis
covery of a number of bodies near the lat
ter place. Most of them were found
among the drift which collected at Elm
Grove.
The body of William CASTOR, aged sixty
years, a prominent and wealthy citizen,
was found near Elm Grove. His wife's
remains were found two miles below Elm
Grove hanging on a barbed wire fence.
Charles Caulbell, of the Wheeling Meas
letter, aged fifty years, was found among
driftwood. Mrs. Jane Fay and her two
grown daughters, Alice and May, were
. discov cred short distance below Triadel
phia, and the bodies of two brothers named
German were found in meadow.
Twenty three persons are known to have
been drowned, among them the sheriff of
Marshall County.
Two cemeteries We're washed out and
the collins with bodies noated down the
river.
The line of the Pittsburgh division of the
Baltimore & Ohio will have to be practic-
ally rebuilt from Elm Grove to the Penn
sylvania State line. Six large and costly
bridges were washed away and the track
lifted from the roadbed and twisted into
all conceivable shapes for miles at a
stretch. At some places it is impossible to
discern where the roadbed had been, while,
with the exception of only an occasional
gap on high and solid ground, the entire
bed is badly washed.
Interest centers in the wreck of the Bal
timore 6 Ohio bridge over the Wheeling
creek at Main street and the fatalities
which attended that disaster. Several of
. those on the bridge were doubtless
strangers in the city attracted by curiosity
and their absence is not noticed. So far
as can be definitely known there were
four women and three boys not since heard
from on the bridge when it went down.
The thirteen year-old son of Daniel Richie
and a twelve ear-old boy named Eddie
Hathaway are missing.
The fall of water from six to 6:55 p. m.
Thursday by gauge at Triadelphia
G2s inches.
1t is impossible to give any details of
losses for the resson that those who suf-
fered can not estimate their own loss as
yet, and every resident of low ground in
the entire valley suffered damage ranging
from 500 to $4,000, while even those on
the hills lost valuable crops, fences, etc.
The Baltimore & Ohio Company's loss will
reach $3.50, 900 at low estimate. The coun-
tvs loss in roads and bridges will be at
least 100000; the Wheeling Natural Gas
Company, 5000, the Natural Gas Com
pany of West Virginia. $500; W 7.
Chambers & Co, Elm Grove coal works,
81, 600: Kimmins & Hutchinson, Elm Grove
merchants, $1,000; city, on washes and
bridges, 5000; Pittsburgh, Chicago 6 ST.
Louis railroad, $500; Wheeling s. Elm
Grove raj !road, $4,000; II, c. Hunter, TIKI
adelphia brick manufacturer, $1,000.
DISASTROUS STORM IN OHIO.
ST. CLAIRsvILLE, o., July 20.-This place
and vicinity were visited last evening by a
thunderstorm with violent winds and a
rainfall that eclipsed the average water
spout. Grain fields were laid waste, the
shocked wheat was swept away and the
growing corn is not to be seen. The Bel
laire & st. Clairsville and the st. Glars
Vile &.Northern railroads are almost en-
tirely washed out. The incoming train on
the Baltimore & Ohio was stranded at Echo.
and the train men and passengers barely
escaped, the water filled with drift run
ming to the headlight of the engine 1t is
feared that q number Of lives have been
lost This place and vicinity are damaged
no less than 100000. BE-
a Kiss Heard Round the World.
IT PETERSRURG. JulVf SO.-C)Q the ar