Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-07-23

nile Of drift and backed up the aoOd,
nrot.etpg the whole valley below.
In this pile Of debris was collected all the
rains Of hundred farms and their I'M
nrovements. Here il was that the bruised
ana blsekened body Of Mrs. Black was
found. and the remains ot two Oh the
Hughes children recovered
HOW THE HUGHES FAMILY DIED.
Thence the path became more rugged,
but it was pursued on up NesselIoaa 70
tbs nlacs where the home Of the ill-iated
HnGbes family once stood. Il was on a
sr,sil branch Of the creek, and right al the
foot of Limestone Hill. Here Thomas
Hughes, a man forty years, had eFeoteu a a
su 5stantial log house Of two rooms, IL
stood in a little hollow, on the rignt hano
si9e of the rivulet, which yesterday ran
n.ocsfullv within forty feet Ct the door.
Hnghss' wife was a daughter OF John
Arcbsr one OF the most highly respected
cItizsns of the county. Four children had
come TO bless this union, and that night
Ma Hurhes again expected to be con-
fined.
tbs now half demented man tells the tale,
,bs ain began to fall heavily. No sppre-
hension was felt until about nine O'Clock.
Then Hughes looked ont and saw that the
little creek was rising rapidly. The story
ia told best in mis- own words; Il said to
nv wife - Hughes told the representative
of the REGISTER, THAT it would be safer
for her and the children 10 take refuge in
the barn. but she did not like to do 1t on
account of her condition. We remained,
therefore, hoping for the bsss. In a few
minutes the water was in the lower room
of the house. 1t came up five feet IN i've
minutes. and took the family up stairs.
knocked of some shingles on the Tooi
and looked out The valley was hlled
with water. Just then the kitchen, on the
uppsr side Of the house, was washed away,
and / wss convinced that We would all be
lost I turned to my wife and asked
her If she was prepared to DIE,
and she said she was II 1t
vas necessary. We clssped hands and
gathered together to die. looked out
Inc roof and saw by a fash OF lightning
nat the Providerca church had bsen wash
ed away and was bearing down Us. had
onlv time to utter a cry OF warning when
h struck our house, which crushed like an
egg she'll.
HUGHES IS RESCUED.
1--WE went down, and that is the last / re-
member until came to at o'clock IN the
morning. when l found myself ellnglng 10
buckeye tree. After little which 81"
a liVht coming toward me and called iol
aid. Some one responded, and was res
cued by my neighbors, n,
Mr.. Hughes is very i'll and at his father
hovse. In spite Of his weakness, however
he was hauled to the little graveyard OF
Friday where bis family was Inferred ano
there saw the remains OF his dear ones con
sigued to mother earth.
The bodies Of Mrs Hughes, one OF the
bows aud the little girl were recovered al
Hutchinson's drift pile on Friday. Not q
stitch Of clothing was on Mrs. hoghes'
body, and the two children were fright
folly maugled. SymDathizing neigh0ors
gathered them up and sad process
son bore them 10 a school house neal
bv. which was imprOvised into morgue.
Another Of the little Hughes boys was re-
covered By the searchers in the DRIFT yes
terday, and third was found to-day.
TWO MORE VICTIMS.
From the valley where Hughes house
stood the REGIsTER representative re-
traced his steps over bowlders and through
driftwood aud mud to the main stream OF
Nsssslroad. and ascended to the home oi
Harry Black. Il was substantial log
esbiu. standing on level bottom, on the
ri0ht hand side Of the right branch OF the
creek. Black was a tenant OF Jucgt
Brown. and had been married about g
vear He noticed the food coming early
In the evening and made preparations FOL
liz From Squire RObinson'e house,
which stood on the hillside about han
dred yards away, Black was seen to taks
lamp and place it in the upper story OF n'.
house. He and his wife aseanded aoo
waited for the food to 70 down. Appar'
entlv thew became frightened by theu
nrscsrious position and determined tc
ssrsne from the house Black 1t Ian.
tern' and the two started across the level
for Roo:nson's Anxious watchers
followed the lanterns titful course
across the stream. The torrent wac
apoarently waist deep. Suddenly the
light went out, and nothing more was seen
of the unfortunate couple until their
bodies wers picked up below. 1t Is sup
nossd. some pieces Of heavy dritt
truck ' Tho and carried them of. The
lantern which Black had 10 bis hand when
be disappeared. was found 10 tEe oeadov
iust a short distance away. Ms. BiacS'
bodv Wa recovered from the huge pile o
drift AZ HutchinsOn's yesterday. heI
husband was found lying in the sand and
mud a mile below bis hOuse. He was on
his hack. his face and body were covered,
and only his hands extending from The
earth revealed his position. A party
of searchers sought the BLACK mouse
early on Friday, and found the lamI
still burmag ia the attic where II nae
been left In all the Hood it had moi
been disturbed, and had the couple only
remained in their home they would have
| been saved.
ROUGH BOARDS FOR COFFINS.
BLACK aud his wife were laid at rest II
the same cemetery, near his fathers place
The members Of the Hughes family Wer
buried at Lockhart. Few mOurners, De
sides their relatives, could tear themselves
from the duty OF saving their own house
bold goods to follow them to the grave
The maiority Of the bodies were bruised
and cat M. Communication with Ravens
wood was almost impossible. Oasket
could not be secured, and cAskets Of roug'
boards were hastily extemPOrizsd ana tn