The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-21

) ed out their beds deep and wide TO the
! bed rock. At the Carter valley huge
stones were left in the hollow by thu
r hundreds Of tons.
AT HLM GROVE.
Approaching Elm Grove, the ruin be-
gan to be understood. The wreck Of
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, else
where reported, was most impressive
The Chambers coal tipple was badly
wrecked and nearly everything swept
away from about it. The large dry
goods and grocery store OF W. Hen.
derson was carried off its foundation and
set down ut some distance, broken in
two and badly wrecked. The stock is
ruined. Mr.. Kimmins owns the build
ing. Mr.. Henderson had the porch
swept from in front OF his new house
near. The fences in the Grove to the
left Of the pike going out, and many OF
the houses and outbuildings, were swept
out OF sight. The cresk changed its
course, its old bed being piled full OF
huge rocks, forcing the water around it
on both sides. Thornburg Bros under
taking establishment was badly wrecked.
All along the pike were strewn broken
furniture, pieces OF houses and stables,
fencing in sections, railroad ties, huge
rocks four horses could scarcely haul.
All along the way the loose stone and
earth was washed from the surface and
the road was us hard and smooth as iron.
1t is wonder how the large frame
school house ut Elm Grove escaped, but
escape it did. The waters roared around
it with strength enough to wipe the rail-
road off the face Of the earth, but by
some strange freak OF the flood it stood
unharmed.
On the right OF the road the houses
beyond the Hutchinson store, being
high on the slope, escaped, though the
lawns were converted into raging seas
\ Grass and straw is pleated in the palings
Of the fences as neatly and smoothly us
though by hand.
TIE sADDEsT SCENES.
At Elm Grove the body OF William
CASTOR, the aged owner Of that famous
resort, Gaston's orchard, at Point Mills,
was picked up. Just how he came to
his death is not known. He was carried
into the school house and prepared for
burial. Squire Duncan viewed the re-
mains in lieu OF the Coroner.
Here also were brought the remains
OF the three Feay women, drowned ut
Triadelphia. These bodies were viewed
by Squire W. j. Brown, and prepared
for burial by the Thornburgh Bros.
The bodies reached the school house
just as the 1NTELLIGENCER men passed.
There were two weeping women follow.
ing, and all around looked grave and
awe.stricken. The three, women were
buried at p. IN, after solemn and af-
fecting services in the school house,
Here were heard numerous rumors
of drownngs, but fortunately none Of
them could be authenticated. \ family
named johnson, living at Clinton, were
said to be missing. This was denied.
There was report, Mt first seeming
credable, that Alfred Bowman and his
son Eliza were drowned, but they were
afterwards found alive and well.
Besides the four named, there was
one authentic case OF loss OF life, but
who the unfortunate man was nobody
knew. He was seen to go shooting past
Elm Grove in the creek, Clinging to n
log, and his frantic cries for help rang
in the ears OF all. Nobody could succor
him, and there is no room to hope that
ne escaped.
An AWFUL EXPERIENCE.
The house OF man named Hill was
swept away from Triadelphia with him
and his wife in it. They sought shelter
in the loft, and managed after awhile to
break hole in the roof, through which
they crawled to the top and sat on the
top OF the rolling mass. The house was
swept irresistably down, crashing and
rolling for two miles or more. Then it
struck tree. and the body OF it stopped,
the walls colapsing. Hill was swept Off
into the flood, but gained place of
safety. His wife was borne on upon
the roof for some rods further. There
the floating roof lodged on u tree Just
opposite Henry Helfenbine's, and Wm.
Askew waded out to her and brought
her to a safe refuge.
Yesterday the house, and, further
down, its roof, were pointed out TO the
INTELLIGESCER reporters, and Capt.
Askew told the story, modestly, rs
brave men do.
Below Elm Grove in the valley little
house was noticed with its sides bulging
out, a total wreck. Here the storm
caught Levi Smith and his family, but
they managed to escape.
From Elm Grove to Triadelphia the
road was lined with horsemGn and all
sorts OF vehicles. At thGS bridge gang
OF men were repairing the natural gas
pipe and the foreman said it could not
be told how bad the breaks were. Four
teen lengths were gone ut onegap AT the
S bridge but one length ofpipe was gone.
The damage waS more or less general
clear to the wells, but rs the telephone
wires were down, where the breaks were
and how serious could not be told. AT
Sim ..Terrclls 400 feet OF the pipe are
gone. Both lines suffered. How long
t will be before repairs can be finished
cannot yet be even conjectured'
TIE RUIN COMPLETE.
At Triadelphia and in the immediate
vicinity the devastation is beyond de.
scription dreadful and complete. There
was not house in the village that did
not suffer more or less damage. All
were flooded, and about half OF them
carried away. Before reaching the vii
lage, Mr.. II. G. Hunter was found try.
ing 10 save a kiln OF brick. He lost all
but what he and his family had on, and
what he could preserve Of his damaged
kiln. Mr.. Martin PrettymHn was work
| ing in his house, part OF which lay some
distance away on its side. In it were
all the family had to eat-their supper
cooked but untasted, and their cooking
stove. A stove was seen in n field re
mote from the nearest house. Every
where people were working in houses
where the floors were covered a foo
deep with slimy mud.
The Western Union telegraph line
badly damaged all along the road, wa
ruined here. The company lost abou
300 poles and in all about 40 miles o
! wire.
The old stone retaining wall along tht
!, pike ut the west end OF Triadelphia waS