Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-08-22
OUT THE PIKE.

The Creek Higher Than Ever Before
Known-Great Damage Everywhere.
The scene out the pike, last evening,
was one seldom seen and long to be re-
membered.
Everywhere along the creek bottom,
from the city limits east to Triadelphia and
beyond, the whole valley was under water,
and the damage consequent upon the
freshet will foot away up in the tens OF
thousands.
The people, too, are becoming discour-
aged, having, some OF them, been washed
out three times during the present sum-
mer, and many have about lost their all,
and are ready to give up in despair.
At least this was the feeling last night
Fortunately, so far as was known at Elm
Grove at seven o'clock last evening, no
lives have been lost, but there were num-
ber of expressions of apprehension there for
the safety of some of the citizens along the
valley of Big Wheeling creek.
Reporters for the REGISTER made a
thorough tour of the valley late yesterday
afternoon, as far as Elm Grove, where the
eight feet or 80 of water on the roadway at
the stone bridge barred all further progress.
The damage from the water began to be
noticeable at the Peninsula, where the
bottoms, planted with fine corn, were all
under water, and most of the crop was a
complete loss. The water was within a
few feet of the county bridges across the
creek at the Peninsula, and the one on the
Fulton side was crowded with people all
during the afternoon, men, women and
children standing ,out in the fast-falliDg
rain to watch the sweep OF water as it
rolled by, thick with mud, and its surface
covered with all manner Of debris.
Just beyond Fulton, the bottom around
the old oil well derrick was covered, and a
large number of shocks OF oats, freshly cut,
were carried away.
At Leatherwo0d the creek, at the big
bend near the mouth of Woods run, was
five or six hundred feet wide, extending
from the north side of the pike in one level
sweep of water, clear across to the railroad
track at second cut" and all the crops in
the bottoms were drowned out. A num-
Der of dwellings in this neighborhood were
invaded by the water, among them Mrs.
Henry's, Coonrod g and Miller's. The Elm
Grove railroad bridge across Woods run
was tilted up on one side by the force OF
the water, and looked to be pretty COM
plete wreck. l.. d. Morgan's store was
pretty wet inside, and the water was from
one to four feet deep on the pike, render
ing travel, even on horseback, ticklish
lob. When the reporter went out, at half
past four o'clock, the water was here with
IN about two inches of the hubs Of the
buggy wheels, but on the return trip, at
half-past six, the water was eight inches
deep in the bed of the buggy, and it re-
quired pretty skillful navigating to get
along. Woods run was on terrible high,
and the volume of water coming down ii
was very large.
The Bethany pike at Paull's was under
water, but no damage seemed to have been
done at this point. At Pleasant Valley
the water lay across the pike in a great
sheet, and Schlagg's, and the neighboring
farms on the bottom, as well as portion
Of Mount de Chantal farm, was under
water. Several houses along in Pleasant
Valley were flooded on the first floors,
among them being Ed. Higgs', and the
stable and grounds surrounding Noah
Zsne's house were likewise flooded.
Keeping along the pike, no more evi'
dences of the flood presented themselves
until Elm Grove Was reached. Here every
thing was afloat, and the damage to the
population will run up into the thousands
There was scarcely a house in the entire
town but what had been invaded by
the water, and in several tht
food reached to the second
stories, and even 10 the roof in one or two
Instances, Among those who suffered
were Mrs Robert Woods, Justice W. j.
Brown, Mrs. Smith, Mr.. Hartleib, Mr.
Bestinger, 1. F. Jones, Kimmins, Cracrsft
W. 7. Chambers, Henry Ross, McCurdy
aud indeed about every one else. Th,
entire town stood in level sheet of water,
aud through it in all directions rushed
currents Of water at a speed OF six to ter
miles an hour, whirling along all manner
of wreckage. The pike was covered will
water one to two feet deep for a quarter O
q mile east of where the railroad crosses
while on the other side there was fully
six feet of water, on both sides of the stone
bridge, completely cutting off communi
cation by horse or vehicle with Triadel
phis or up the valley Of Middle Wheeliol
creek. A large number of farmers wert
caught on this eide of the freshet, sn(
were compelled to put up at Stamm's ant
elsewhere in the vicinity.
The water at the Grove is said to hay'
been four feet higher than during the BIZ
food of month or so ago, and the damsg
vas correspondingly greater. House
which were not touched by the water a
that time, were flooded on the fret fioors
yesterday, and quite q number Of peopl'
were compelled to vscate their premise
completely. On the Lewis Baker place th,
water was up on the roof on what is knows
as "Black row." and the tenant houses oc
cupied by w. T. Chambers coal minen
were flooded almost to the roof. The wate
reached its greatest height between four ant
Eve o'clock, and about that time the big irol
bridge crossing the creek to the Infirmar.
went down with crash, and lodging unde
the south span of the railroad bridge
threw the waves of the mad torrent eigh
feet high. Under the bridge the creek TAI
with volume Of water and swiftness o
current never before known, and it woul'
not hsys taken greatly augmented pres
sure against the piers to have carries
the whole thing off like bundle o
chips. But this railroad bridge, and tn
one lust east Of the station, across Littl
Wheeling creek, stood the pressure frs
rate, and they viii be found all right thi
morning. There we're rumors aaost Il
this city last evening that the stone bridg
ut the monpSaent had gone, but the sto
ries were untrue.