Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-07-26
SWEPT BY A FLOOD.
A GREAT DISASTER IN TIE LITTLE
KANAWHA VALLEY.

KANAWHA VALLEY.
PARKERsBURG, w. VA, Julv 10
The greatest disaster which eveI
befell Little KanaW ba valley came
last night in the shape of a terri
BILE cloud burst, which has com
pletely flooded the county, destroy
ing many lives, carrying off thou
sands of dollars IN property and
running the crops for many miles
The deluge fell here about dusk
and continued to fall in torrents,
doing much damage in the city.
The worst OF the storm struck
the lower side OF the Kanawha,
filling small tributaries from bank
to bank, and ending in the worst
food within the recollection of the
Oldest inhabitants. In three hours
the KaDawha raised six feet and
ran out with such velocity that it
carried everything before it. At
this point thousands Of logs and a
number of boats We out or were
sunk.
Big Tygart valley IL completely
ruined. The big mill near its mouth
went out and took the Tygart
bridge with it. In the valley all
the fences, crop aud much live
stock was lost. At Chesterville. a
small town about ten miles above.
half the residences were carried of
bodily and lett in cornfelds. In
Clay district a fine church and
three dwellings we're wrecked.
The worst story of all comes from
Morristown, small village near
the head of Tucker Creek, where
the cloud burst concentrated in all
its fury, coming down in the vii.
lage abont midnight and totally
destroying it, together with many
of the people. The first report gave
the loss at eleven, but later news
seems to fix the loss at greater
number.
The houses of the citizens are
said to have been picked up and
hurled against each other in such
short space Of time that no chance
of escape was given the people.
At Pill Brush all bridges and
culverts are washed away, and it
Is impossible to reach or communi-
cate with that point or any other
on upper waters. 1t is impossible
now b. enumerate the loss even
here, as the river is still rising and
tearing everything loose.
A family boat, containing three
or four persons, went out during
the night, and it is believed all are
lost, as the last seen Of them was
when the woman held up Child in
her arms and beckOned for assist.
snce as the house disappeared in
the flood.
Later freight train on the Ohio
River Railroad broke through a
trestle at Harris Ferry. completely
wrecking the train and fatally in.
juring William Neptune, an EN-.
ploye. The wreck was caused by
a heavy washout. Baltimore and
Ohio trains delayed 10y washOuts at
KaDawha Station Just reported that
Lock No. l, above the city on the
Little Kanawha has given away
before the flood.
PARKERsBURG, July 2l.-It is
thought that the death list will be
much larger than the first reports
bad it when the flooded districts,
now cut of from the outside world,
are heard from.
The damage TO property cannot
be estimated at present. HuDdreds
of people lost all they possessed
and many families are homeless.
A late dispatch says that the
village of MOrristown, w. Va, was
swept entirely away Great suffer
ing exists amoug those who lost
all they possessed, and the county
commissioners OF Wood county
will issue an appeal for aid.
The cloud burst occurred on Lime
stone Mountain, Wood county,
where the five creeks that were /
flooded have a common source and .
from where they take there runs in +
as many different directions. The .
damage to crops is inestlmable,
and the farmers will be dependent
upon charity until next season.