Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-07-22
A TALE OF DISASTER.

A Graphic story From the Deluged valley.
Special Telegram to the Register.
PARKERsBURG, ". Va, July 2l.-
Communication with Tucker creek has at
last been opened up, and it can be truth
fully said that but tithe Of the terrible
story Of the ilood has been heretofore told
No hour elapsas that does not add to the
already awful total Of the loss Of life and
destruction Of property The worst fears
in both respects have been more than real
lied. and the calamity is by far the most
disastrous in the history Of this section OF
West Virgins.
THE DELUGED SECTION.
The locality visited by the storm OF
Thursday night, lies partly in the three
counties Of Wood. jackson and Writ, and
along the general line OF Wood county
where it adioins Jackson, and thence on
into WHIT the greatest destruction was
wrought Pond creek, emptyiDg into the
Ohio, right on the line between Wood and
Jackson counties, Tucker creek, rising on
the north edge Of Grant district, Jack on
county, and running north and east into
Writ county, where it empies into the
Little h Eanawha; Tygart creek, heading IN
the extreme southeast corner Of Wood
county, and flowing north into the Little
Kanawhs, and the left fork Of Sandy
creek, rising in Jackson county, along the
Writ county line, and flowing south and
west into the Ohio. are the chief centres OF
the delugs which descended from the
clouds into the narrow and preciPitOus
valleys last Thursday night The coun-
try where these various streams take their
rise il somewhat sparsely settled one,
having but one or two pOsto fhces within a
radius Of twenty miles or so, and there
are none but the most primitive modes Of
communication. Oaly two or three
county roads traverse the region, running
from Wood and Writ counties respectively
down into Jackson, and as bridges have
been carried away right and lett, and the
roads are in a terrible condition, the lack
Of definite information ftOm part Of the
flooded country even at this time may be
readily understood.
The valleys Of Tucker, Sandy and Pond
creeks we're the localities where the loss Of
life was the greatest, and the total so FAR,
known with absolute certainty, is twenty,
with a fear that additional names must be
added to the list when the full scope Of
the storm ia known.
HUNDREDS DESTITUTE.
AT least seven lives we're lost in the val
ley Of Tucker creek alone, and people who
have come down the stream say there is
good reason to believe that the receding
water viii disclose many 3 bruised aud
5lackened CORPSE, whose fate is now I'M
known. The destruction TO property,
along the creek, has also been ten nflld
more terrible than has been guessed, and
hundred Of people are left without food to
nOurish them or houses or clothing to pro-
tect them from the chills Of night,
and unless the philanthropy Of the
State is stirred up to send them aid,
there viii be untold suffering and want.
Steps have already been taken to provide
for them, bat much remains to be done
yet, and it should be doae At once.
TOWN BLOrTED OUT.
Tucker creek, the scene Of the terrible
calamity, like Sandy and Pond creek,
head at Limestone Hill, and the same
cloud burst sent the wave Of death down
al three Of them. Seven miles from Eliza
beth, where Tucker creek smpties into the
Little KAnawha, and almost the same dis
tance from the headwAters, the little vii
laze Of Morr:stown is, or rather was, sit
uated. 1t was on . small level bottom
between the right and LEFT forks Of Tucker,
WEich comes together here. Behind it,
and en- each side, PERCEPTIONS hills arise
and wAg in the waters course. Il was an
other Youngstown, and kere the greatest
disaster OcSaIIsi.
Oe Thursday evening the heavy rainfall
came, and both branches Of tie creek be-
ssu to nse slowly. The rain continued
for over three hours, and the streams we're
,soou level with their banks; still no APpre-