The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-24
SOME OF THE VICTIMS.
Names of Few Persons who Per-
ished-3OO Mules Drowned.


erty. At Keystone the water began to
rise al 9 o'clock Sunday morning, and by
IL o'clock the flood had spent its fury and
at least two-thirds of the little city had
been washed away or demolished. 1t is
known that sixteen residents of the north
side of the stream lost their lives and at
least fifty OF those living on the south. or
lower side. were drowned. At Burke.
suburb Of Keystone, a number missing
and eight are reported dead. 1t is now
certain that the total list of dead from one
end of Elkhorn valley to the other will
of the victims cannot be ascertained at
this time. Hundreds are missing. having
taken refuge in the mountains to escape
the fury of the food. The dead so far re-
covered and identified at this time are:
John Lewis and Martha Morgan. white;
Samuel Poindexter. Bette Brown. John
Ballard Annie Smith, Laura Mccoy. Nellie
Smith. colored. all of Keystone; Ivan So
linsky, white. and a colored family named
Hairston. consisting of mother and four
children, at Algoma.
At least three hundred mine mules were
drowned. Several mines are reported flood
ed but 1t is impossible to ascertain at
present the extent of the damage. On the
North Fork branch OF the Norfolk & West
ern. which is five and one-half miles long,
there was no loss of life as far as known
but hundreds were rendered homeless. and
tonight are camping in the mountains
The damage to property on this branch
is very heavy. Only one of the ten collier
les located on this branch escaped, the Ash
land, it being located at the head of the
stream. The Mcdowell Coal Company lost
twelve residences. The Roanoke Company
lost their boiler house and the one hundred
horse power boilers were swept four miles
down the stream. The Louisville Com
panys storehouse is wreck and the stock
OF goods a total loss.
AT Rolfe large number Of miners houses
were swept away. as we'll as the handsome
residence of the company's physician
Twenty-Five houses are jammed together
in one large mass of broken timbers and
debris. At the Gillian Company's colliery
the powder house and fourteen houses are
demolished.
Al Indian Ridge the company's store was
idence of Capt. c. Botsford. the manager.
is wrecked also. The North Fork track is
nearly all washed away, all the trestles
being gone except one. In the Elkhorn
valley it is estimated that the loss to the
railroad and coal interests will exceed two
million dollars. Out of twelve miles of
main line double tracks only mile re-
mains and all the bridges are gone. Some
of the bridges with the heaviest masonry
flood.
The Coser Company. one of the largest
operators, lost a thousand horsepower
electric plant and many buildings and coke
ovens. Their loss is said to be s5O, ,OOO The
Houston Company is damaged about $4,000.
The Tirney interest, consisting OF four
collieries. will lose $4,000 There are more
than twenty collieries whose damage is
very great Many miles of tracks leading
to coke ovens and mines are gone. In some
instances mine locomotives and cars have
been swept for miles down the stream.
Later advices from the Clnch valley di-
vision confirm the reported drowning of ten
persons.
A family named Hook. living near the
river, close 10 Pounding Mill Station, on
the Clinch Valley division. were all
drowned. six perishing There is no dam
age on this division west of Swords creek,
fifty miles out, and practically no rain fell
1t is expected that the line will be opened
for traffic Tomorrow
A pathetic story is told of a Hungarian
family at keystone. The father was at
work in the mines, and when the alarm
was given did not reach the drift mouth
until the town was partly inundated. He
made his way to the cabin where his wife
and newborn babe were lying helpless.
He tried 10 rescue both and after a fierce
battle with the waters. logs and debris, he
reached a place of safety with them, only
TO discover that both were dead
Bodies being recovered many miles
down the run, where they were washed
ashore. When it is considered that the
Elkhorn creek is so small that it barely
furnishes enough water TO flush the coke
ovens when il is in its normal condition,
some idea of the extent of the downpour
of rain can be formed. The railroad COM
pany now estimates the damage to its
tracks between this city and Vivian at
over half million dollars. There is at
least ore hundred miles OF track border
ing Tug river that cannot be heard from
Communication has been established only
so far West as Ennis this being through
about one-fourth of the stricken district
Later reports say the lower end of the
coal field between Vivian and Gray suf-
fered severely Fully "A million dollars