The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-01-04

LITTLE ROCK, Ark, Jan. S-Com-
municatlon was rs-astabllShed with all
OF the towns south OF here on the Iron
Mountain to-day and the reports indl-
cate that tho greatest suffering BY last
nights storm was the town OF Benton,
where half a dozen small frame houses
were demollshea and several freight
cars standing at the station were over
turned. Several peSons were more or
less injured and many had narrow es-
capeg and thrilling expsriences, but no
fatalities occurred.
Il seems that the storm was Beverest
IN the southern portion Of the state and
Il Is not unlikely that the casualties oc-
CURED in some Of The lumber camps in
that section.
In all the towns between Little Rock
and TexerlCaua suffered more or leds
damage and reports from the country give
several Instances Of damage to farm
houses and cabins.
The rain all over the southern portion
OF the state was the heaYieSt In years
and all the branehes end creeks were
overiioWed The railroad IN many
running nearly on time.
The cannon ball, which was held ot
Benton last night had q narrow escape
from being wrecked and but for the hero
Ism OF country lad q terrible disaster
might have occurred. The train was
late and was running at nigh rate OF
speed when nearing Benton. Five min
utes before II would have reached the
spot the storm struck farm house near
the track and demolished It. Trees were
blown across the track. A boy realizing
the danger, secured a lantern and nag
ged the cannon ball just In time. The
passengers made up a purse and present.
ed It 10 him.
The rainfall at Little Rock continued
until early this morning. the precipita-
tim was more than four inches. The
streets were flooded and In many pof-
tions Of the city the water was 70 the
depths OF a foot In bulldingE. The
water from Second and Third streets
west Of State came down that street to
Markham like q mill race and the streets
were fiiied with debris ali the way from
State east to Arch. The water IN the
brunch at Spring and Seventh streets
overfowed and flooded the neighbor-
ing residences and assumed threatening
proportions at Centre and Fifth. Mer-
chants along Fifth and Ceutre nau 70
move their wares TO elevated places.
The brick sidewalk over the branch IN
front OF Gllmore'a store on Fifth street,
caved IN and the butcher shop ot y. y.
clever and the grocery store OF w. II.
Taylor, was inundated by the water.
In the stree. the water was a foot deep
and II crossed Fifth, flooding lsenberB
iry goods store and other buainess
plnces. South and east Of the Union de-
Dot the water accumulated and formed
small Jake and al one point culvert
was unable to accommodate the great
volume. and caused the water 20 play
havoc with the roadbed Of the railroad,
Victory street was all under water from
Markham south and people hVinE OUT
In that direction were compelled 70
travel around by cross streets TO reaen
thelr homes. Ninth and Main was g sea
of water for hours last night. reachlng
6eriAh OF a foot. Water street was
roaring river from Chester east 70
Gaines, carrying everything before II.
In the vicinity Of the Pacific hotel near
the Union depot water made alarming
aohleyements and flooded part OF the
lower floor Of the hotel. The telnpera-
ture took a sudden tumble ABOUT noon
ana the Indications are for snow.