The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-07-26
SCENES OF DESOLATiUN.


they Are to He Witnessed In tho Track
Of the Late storm In West Virginia
Twenty-Threo Lives Thought to Have
Been Lost.
WHEELING, w. Va, July 2l.-The dam
age caused by the late storm can hardly be
imagined from the meager accounts al
ready sent out Investigation shows
wide area of dcsolation. in which the loss
OF life and destruction Of property is
great. The line of the Pittsburgh division
Of the Baltimore 4 Ohio railroad will
have to be practically rebuilt from Elm
Grove to the Pennsylvania State line. Six
large and costly bridges were washed away,
and the track was lifted from the road bed
and twisted into all conceivable shapes for
miles at stretch. At some places it Is i'm
possible to discern where the road bed has
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 destruction Of the
Baltimore & Ohio bridge over Wheeling
creek at Main street and the fatalities
which attended that disaster Several Of
those on the bridge were doubtless stran-
gers in tie city, and their absence
Is not noticed So far as can
be definitely known there were four men
and three boys not since heard from on
the bridge when it went down. The 13-
year son of Daniel Richie aud T.
year old boy, Eddie Hathaway, are miss
ing So far there have been recovered
fourteen bodies.
1t is thought now that twenty three per-
sons have been drowned at various places.
Among them are Charles Caulbcll, Of the
off.s
who was found among the driftwood
near Triadelphia; two German brothers
AMI the sheriff of Marshall Coun-
ty The destruction Of life and
property at Triadelphia was awful Fiji
teen families are homeless and saved
nothing but what they had on. HALF the
buildings Of this village Of GOO inhabitants
were swept away. The storm extended
sixteen miles east Of West Alexander, Pa,
and the scene all along the way Is me
of desolation and inconceivable her
ror Where the Triadelphia school-house,
large building of six rooms, stood, the
creek is now raging flood and not . ves-
tige Of even the foundation remains. The
whole south half Of the town has disap
peared as clear as il it never existed Two
cemeteries were washed out, and the cof-
fins with bodies foated down the river.
It is impossible to give any details OF
losses for tho reason that those who suf.
fered can not estimate their own loss as
yet, and every resident Of low grounds in
the entire valley suffered damage ranging
from 800 to 10000 while even
those on the hills lost valuable
crops, fences, etc. The Baltimore
& Ohio's loss will reach 1850, 900 at q low
estimate. The county's loss in roads and
bridges and school houses will be at least
sGO,O The Wheeling Natural Gas Com
pany loses S5O,OyO and the Natural Gas
Company of West Virginia q, 500 Other
known losses reach total Of about SIS, 600
The Wheeling relief committee, which
recently raised funds for the Rowlesbure
sufferers, expended the balance for pro
| visions and sent il to Triadelphia.
| For distance OF fifteen miles between
West Alexander and Wheeling, where thu
storm burst with fury, the track of the
storm presents q scene of devasta
tion and destruction. Trees Ii
| across the track where they were
| blown. Wires are down and frequent
| land slides impede the workmen who arr
trying to clear the tracks. In this stretc.
Of territory which suffered the creates
damage there are five short bridges cross
! ing creeks to be repaired, and the Office il
this city estimates the number Of land
| slides to be cleared at twenty.