Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-07-27
A CLOUD BURST
SWEEPS THE KANAWHA VALLEY,
DESTROYING LIFE AND PROPERTY.

A cloub. burst 10 the kanawha
Valley Thursday night of last week
swept everything in its course, leav-
Ling desolation on every side. Morris
i town. on Tucker Creek was entirely
destroyed, IS houses, Baptist Church,
and other buildings, $4,000 damage.
Seven lives were lost on fuckers
creek. They are OrviIle Vests
wife and two children, John Bailey,
and Ray Kiger and his wife and
another person. John Hughes wife
and four children, living on the head
of the creek, were drowned, Mr..
Hughes escaping. The other deaths
were Mrs. Isaac Roberts, Edward
Base and Mrs. Isaiah Tucker, The
body of Mrs. Tucker was found at
Harris Ferry. Hundreds of people
were out all night and day trying to
save the living and recover the bod
les of the dead. The cloud burst
occurred on Limestone Hill, Wood
County, the source of a number of
creeks. Parkersburg escaped.
Seventeen lives are known to have
been lost mostly women and children.
Destitution prevails in many Places.
Along Big Sandy Creek. Jackson
Co, many houses were carried
away Robert Black and wife in
hurrying from their cabin were
caught by the water and drowned !;
their bodies have been recovered.
Near Wiseburg, Thomas Hughes, his
wife and four children, went into the
garnet of their log house for safety,
the roof crashed in and all we're
killed but the husband who chung to
a tree and is almost crazed with
grief. The bodies were found miles
down the stream. A new M. e..
Church and many houses along the
Big Sandy were washed away.
Mills and bridges went like straw on
the current. Along the Elk River
in Braxton County the loss is heavy.
Along the Kanawha the loss in logs
and Mills stoIe property, crops, Sc,
will reach into the hundred thousands
of dollars. 1900 logs an hour passed
into tue Ohio. Fences, new mown
hay, logs, lumber, bridges, boats, &C.,
we're swept down the rivers and
creeks, people clinging to the wrecks,
calling for help.
July 16.-About midnight Mrs.
Isaiah Tucker, whose house-boat is
moored in the Little Kanawha river,
just above the upper ferry, was
drowned and her body was not re.
covered She had been up all night,
and, becoming frightened at the
rushing waters, and at the logs,
house. boats. etc., she went out on
the bow of her boat to see if the
moOrings were secure, when a huge
raft struck the side of the boat, the
shock knocking her off into the rag.
ing waters, when she was swept
away.
All last night and this morning
the Little Kanawha was full of float
ing aouseboats, logs, ties and other
timber of all kinds. About 1 O'Clock
this morning a cottage house, with
shutters, doors and windows, all
nicely painted, went out into the
Ohio from some point above. Three
substantial house boats also went
out in the procession, and skiffs,
jOhn-bOats, dug outs, some of them
bottom upwards we're in profession,
all rushing madly for the Ohio.
PARKERsBURG, w. VA, July 90.
The news from the flooded district
to-day shows that but a faint out
line of the story was told in last
nights kilograms, and as remote
districts are heard from, it is feared
the loss to life and property will
reach terrible proportions. To-day
news came from Ravenswood, Jack,
son county, which indicates that at
least dozen lives were lost in that
locality alone. What is described
as clOudburst descended upon the
head waters of Pond Greek, and two
or three other small tributaries of
the Ohio, and the whole surrounding
country was swept bare.
The list of dead is very incomplete,
but at present it is known that Ed.
ward Blanco, Richard Black and
wife, Mrs. Thos. Hughes and four
children and John Lockhart were
drowned. Thomas Hughes house
was swept away. Hughes managed
to save himself, but his wife and
children were drowned before his
eyes. He says water came down
the valley of Pond Greek like a wall,
as though an immense reservoir had
burst asunder, and his house and all
his earthly possessions, including his
family, were blOtted out in a twink.
ling. To-day, what was thriving
farm and the site of happy home,
is nothing but barren waste of vel.
low clay.
The great wave of water struck the
house of Richard Black, and not a
stone remains to mark where it
stood. The same thing is true of
Ed. Blanco's store and dwelling.
Himself and wife were drowned, and
no trace either of their bodies or
residence can be found.
Barns were swept away by dozens,
and live stock drowned by the hun.
dred head. The monetary loss along
the valley of Pond Creek will reach
$4,000, and in Jackson county,
100000. This is but one instance
of the fury of the storm. Every
creek and run in the valley was a
seething torrent, and loss of life and
the absolute wiping out of property
is the universal rule.
The little town OF Morrlstown, at
the head ofTucker creek, was almost
completely obliterated. and reports