Richmond planet., 1901-06-29
A WEST VIRGINIA FLOOD
Swept With Terrible Fury Through
the Mining District.
FIFTY TO SIXTY LIVES LOST.

NNiJ y SH " THNSSH FSOPAS OToWneO
and Forty Houses Washed Away at
keystone-TerribIe Experience of
the Vandyke Family.
Roanoke, Va, June 26-Persons
coming from the flood stricken district
in West Virginia place the number of
drowned at 80 to 60 persons, but have
no definite or detailed information on
which to base the estimate.
A gentleman arriving in this city
from the stricken section gives as an
explanation for the report first circu-
lated that great masses of huma Z
bodies were seen floating around in t.
water that there is a graveyard b.
tween North Fork Junction and Ke,
stone. which towns are about a mi +
apart, and at which point the storl
was very severe. This graveyard is
near the bank OF the river. When the
food came the graves gave up their
dead and added greatly to the number
of bodies seen.
]. r. Frances, a Roanoke man, who
is in Keystone installing water plant,
and who was first reported dead, has
written his wife telling her he is safe
and sound. He has the following to
say about the disaster:
"A big flood visited the town last
Friday night. Everybody had to go
up on the mountain. Men, women and
children were drowned in the streets
and houses went floating down the
streams with people in them. All our
crowd are safe. We are entirely cut
OF from the outside world and provis-
ions are getting short. There is now
no water in our town."
Another letter from Keystone says
between 10 and is people were drown
ed and 20 houses washed away at that
place. The people are hard at work
clearing UP the town and repairing
damaged buildings.
The report received here that the
father, mother. one sister, two broth
ers and q sisterin-law, with two chill
dred. OF j. w. Crottey, Of the Norfolk
and Western railroad, were drowned
was q mistake. Mr.. Crotty is now in
that they were all safe.
farewell, Va. also suffered from the
eloudburst. The house of Paris Van
dyke, four miles west of Tazewell, in
q gorge Of the me untain, was washed
away. Vandyke heard the roar OF wa
ter and started home from the field
When a short distance from the house
he say the water rushing down the
mountain sides, tearing up and twist
Ing on giant trees as II shrubs, the
water leaping 10 feet high and travel
ing with frightful speed. Vandyke
rushed for the house to warn his fam.
ily. but the water overlook him and
swept the house and all its inmates
away. Two children, and years
old. were instantly killed, their brains
being dashed out against the rocks and
timPsrS The bodies were washed to
iowlsrds. a littls girl holding g
yoyfs sisfer p 6ef arms. was carried
z00 yards. Another member Of the
family died Monday afternoon, and Mr..
Xsndyke is still unconscious and can
not live.
At Cedar Blun. 16 miles west OF
Tazewell, II dwellings were swept
At Pounding Mill Mr.. Tate, Mrs.
Hoops and two children were lost.
Knobe, small town seven miles west
was almost completely destroyed. Ra-
vens, two miles west, was badly dam
aged, and many business houses de-
stroyed. The damage to country roads
will not be less than $4,000.
The Norfolk and Western Railway
company will lose. at a conservative
estimate. $1,600,000, not taking into
confederation the delay to trafic, etc.
Their double track is practically wash
ed away for q distance of six miles,
and at least $500 men are at work
day and night repairing roadbed and
removing drift. The loss to the coal
operators will reach about 100000,
outside Of the delay at the mines in
loading, etc. Tho property loss by
private parties Is very heavy and can
net be estimated at this time. It is
thought II viii reach the million dollar
mark.