Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-07-26
Great Floods in West Virginia.

The greatest calamity that has ever
visited the Little Kanawha Valley, in
the western part of this State, occurred
last Thurs day night. when cloud
burst among the mountain streams
caused unparalleled floods. Thursday
night about eight o'clock dark
cloud, covering about a-quarter OF
the heavens, came up from the south
west and passed over toward the
northeast. At $50 it returned and
covered the entire heavens. dark
centre was noticeable. which looked
wrathful and threatening This centre
hung over the region OF Limestone
Hill. where it broke and wrought
havoc and destruction. AT Parkers-
burg il seemed like an exceptionally
heavy rain, but at Limestone Hill
where five creeks start on their courses
the verv heavens seemed TO fall in
one great torrent The water was
literally piled up on the hills, and
rushed off on its career of devastation
down the fertile valley of the creeks.
The scene of the greatest disaster was
on Pond creek, Jackson county, and
Tucker creek, Writ county. The two
streams head together, and a cloud
burst must have occurred near the
water shed. Pond creek rose % feet
in an hour. The water spread from
hill to hill and carried all before it.
At least seven lives were lost in the
valley of Tucker creek alone, and
people who have seen the stream
say there is good reason to believe
that the receding water will disclose
many bruised and blackened corpse,
whose fate is now unknown. The de-
struction to property along the creek
has also been uen-fold more terrible
than has been guessed, and hundreds
of people are left without food TO
nourish them or houses or clothing to
protect them from the chiils of night,
and unless the philanthropy of the
State is stirred up to send them aid,
there will be untold suffering and
want.
Tucker creek, the scene of the terri
BILE calamity, like Sandy and Pond
creek, heads at Limestone Hill, and
the same cloud-burst sent the wave
of death down all three of them.
Seven miles from Elizabeth, where
Tucker creek empties into the Little
kanawha, and almost the same dis
lance from the headwaters, the little
village of Morristown is or rather
was situated. 1t was on small level
bottom between the right and left
forks of Tucker, which come together
here. Behind it and on each side,
precipitous hills arise and wall in the
waters course. 1t was another Johns
town. and here the greatest disaster
occurred.
About g. 80 in the evening the wave
of destruction from Limestone Hill
swept down the right fork, spread
over the narrow bottom and carried
ruin with it. In five minutes both
streams rose over ten feet and the In
habitants were awakened by the rising
water, and compelled to flee for their
lives, with only such garments as they
could gather in the haste OF flight
They sought the hills and saw their
houses swept away by the relentless
torrent. But many were not so fortu-
nate. Orville West, his wife and his
wife's brother were sleeping in their
new home when the torrent came on
them. There was only time to flee to
the roof. The house rocked, swayed
on its foundation and then slowly
moved into the stream. 1t swept five
miles down the current and the
three half dead persons still chung to
it. Finally it struck a tree and went
to pieces. Mrs. West sank in the
flood and never rose again. Her broth
er WAS rescued two miles below, while
Mr.. West chung to some driftwood
until six o'clock the next day, when
he was recued.
Oscar Kiger's house stood on lit
tie stream just short distance above
Morristown. No neighbors were near
to tell how the flood came on him and
his family, and how they batted for
life. The building was situated in a
low place, and the thoughts OF the
rescuers turned to it among the first.
1t was sought out as soon as possible,
and a scene of horror and death pre-
sented itself The floods had swept
completely over the frail building.
1t was turned on its side. Trees were
torn up, fences swept away and great
boulders were lying in the yard. A
short distance down the stream XII
gers body was found covered with
sand The searchers followed few
feet farther and the dead bodies of
Mrs. Kiger and the youngest child
was discovered. The mother had
sought to save her dearest. The
bodies of the other two children have
not been rescued, but no one doubts
that they lost their lives.
The loss to property in Wood coun-
ty is greater than the first estimates
placed it at. Capt. II. b. Beckwith,
of the County Court said that the
loss in this county south Of the Kan
awha river alone would reach $780,,
900. Seven solid iron bridges have
been carried off, as well as large
number of smaller wooden structures.
The farmers on Lee, Slate, Tygart and
Pond creeks suffered heavily.