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

D
houses were not much injured, however,
and S., 600 will cover the entire damage in
the town.
THE GREAT DRIFT DAM.
The lodgment of the immense dam Of
drift and filth in the narrow 'ravine at
Hulchinson's, three miles above Sandy
Vile, was what saved that place. There
in narrow raviue three solid acres Of logs
and timbers piled on each other, wedged
in between the hills, and protected the
valley below. The representative Of the
REGISTER found fifty people, men, women
and children, at work in the ruins. They
were searching for the bodies Of the two
Hughes children, and incidentally making
an effort to clear up the debris.
Their labors were not free from danger.
The mass was piled ten to twenty feet deep
in places, and in others immense holes had
been dug out by the stream and were
standing full OF water. Several Of the Ia
borers took unwilling plunges into these
/ treacherOus depths and were severely
bruised, though the Injuries wers not of
dangerous character. Everything of con-
eeivable use about a house or farm was
piled in the drift Tables, stoves, rakes and
moving machines, were in the same mex
uicable mass. In the very centre
stood the shattered frame Of
PROVIDENCE CHAPEL,
the beautiful new NJ. L. Church, which
was to have been dedicated yesterday.
1 OF to the right was the roof Of the Hughes
house, and few feet further removed was
the wreck of the bridges across Nessel-
road. Here and there dead horses, COWS
and hogs could be seen, and horrible
stencil arose from the whole mass. The
/ loss of animal life must have been very
great and the decsying remains will pol
lutte the waters of Sandy creek for many
days yet to come. The workers on the
wreck proceeded without system or order,
and very little was being accomplished.
At the present rate it will take weeks be-
/ fore the foul mass is removed.
A VALLEY GOUGED OUT.
Above the drift and on both branches of
Sandy creek and Nesselroad everything
is swept clean to the earth, and that is so
SCARED and gushed that many man can
not find where his own property Is. The
county Is one of the heaviest losers. Fifty
small bridges were carried off, and two
much larger and costlier structures went
with them. A large iron bridge spanned
Sandy at the mouth of NesselrOad. 1t is
a ruin. as is the large wooden bridge across
Nesselroad itself. The town of LOckhart
stands near the junction Of the two
branches of Nessel Road, and suffered
heavily. Lockhart's store stood on high
embsnkment on the right side of the creek.
II was large building fifty feet by TWEEN
tv. and stocked with sn immense
store of valuable goods. The
aood swept it from its foundation, swung
il down stream until it struck large pile
of drift, and split in two. The loss Is
complete and will reach 81 600. A. Burke,
one Of the heaviest shippers and dealers in
tobacco ia the county, had large estab
IIishment on the right branch Of the creek.
HIS buildings were damaged and his tC-
hacco nearly ruined. His loss is estimated
at s. 500. Peter Archer, the postmaster
at Lockhart, lost fine stock of goods as
we'll as large tobacco crop. He suffers
about the same as Burke. The town of
Iockhart wss raised above the flood, and
the damage TO it is light.
| IN THE VALLEY AbON r.
Oar party proceeded on up the right
branch of Nesselroad, and found the same
marks of devastation everywhere. Isaiah
Unrue, who lived Just above Lockhart, lost
all his household goods and growing crops
The water was up to the ceiling IN his
dwelling, and his family was forced to tske
refuge in the upper stories. The damage
to the house is very great. 4 thousand
dollars will cover his loss. Minear ko-
wand and Kinsey Smith are large farmers
living lust above Unrue. The water was
high up in their houses, and their cr,ps
were rnined, besides this, much Of their
! live stock wss washed away. They will
suffer about as much as Unrue. VIM. A.
Buchanon's was the next place visited.
He lived iust above Smith, all his
out houses were washed away. His
erops drowned out, and forty-six stands
of bees lost. He is damaged to the extent
of $500. John Burke, living near Bu-
chanan, lost about 81 500. All, or the
majority OF these men are substantial farm
ere, and have accumulated money. a
temporary hardship is indicted on them,
bat they are not in suffering or want
THE LIFT BRANCH
of Nesselroad suffered fully as much ss the
right. Henry Mckee was the first man
whose home was reached. He owned a
| large farm in the creek bottom and sui
fered great damage. There is scarcely a
growing thing left on his fine land, while
his house and furniture are covered with
mud and drift. His loss will reach 81, 000.
VIM. Grandon and several of the Archer
families live in the same locality, but
further up. and their losses are of the same
character but smaller in amount than Nc
KEGS. Squire RobiEson lives close to
where Black and his wife were drowned.
The Aood was several feet deep in
his house, and the current set sharpagaiust
lii. Il was strained and swsyed, but held
it's plsce. The loss on his farm was heavy.
His wbea. was badly damaged, and the
standing crops beat into the earth and
and washed away. Mrs. Robinson said 10
} me. "Hersis where we used TO have q
stick planted to show visitors how high
the water has been, but new there is no
place TO put the stick. The water was
over everything"
Two miles above Robinson, Warden NJ
E. Chapel was badly Damaged. Marion
Archer's store stands just ACROSS the road
from the chapel, and the water was in it
several feet, damaging goods and flooding
the cellar. Mr.. and Mrs. Archer lived
back of the store, and they were compell-
ed TO wade through water waist deep to
get out of their home.
Just opposite AIeher's
ANOrERR VATR-BREATH ESCAPE
occurred. Levi Linscomb q prosperous
farmer, had Just built large two-story
house, and moved into it. twas situated
on The left side of the creek, on high
bank. and q small feeder of NesSelrOad
poured into il few feet above. When the
food came the water rose in Linscomb's
house TO the height of eighteen inches
Vet 40 strong was the current that the
massive house was lifted from its FONDA
! ton. fioated thirty or forty feet, aud set
down on a level plat without damage.
The large stone chimney at the end was
moved with it, and, incredible as it may
seem. was not shattered or broken by the
transfer. Linscomb and his family were
in the house at the time. They felt the
strnoture move under them, and the chill
dren made frantic efforts TO reach the door.
Had they done so, and stepped ont, their
death would have been almost csItain.
The father prevented them, however, and
all were saved.
AT LIMESTONE HILL
l..