The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-06-28

ton Since the Johnstown
Flood.
II is estimated that between
500 and 600 lives were lost in the
flood following the cloudburst in
the Pocahontas coal regions of
West Virginia. There were two
distinct storms between Friday
midnight and about noon Satur.
day. The second beng more Sc.
we're than the first. At ten
clock Sunday morning the storm
had abated, but threatened mo.
mentarily to burst with fresh VIC
lence. The property loss will
reach about 81, 1000, 600.
Some of the drowned are said
to be among the most prominent
people of the section. The dis.
trict affected is near the Virginia
line, about 125 miles west of Ro.
anoke and % miles west of Blue.
field, West Virginia. 1t is re.
ported that only one building
saloon-remains standing in Key.
stone, and the town of Vivian
(Tidewater postof1ice) is reported
annihilated.
At Vivian a train was caught
in the flood and the passengers
were rescued by the use of ropes.
Many miles of the Norfolk and
Western Railroad have been
washed away.
Weather Bureau officials at
Washington have no explanation
to offer for the cause of the dis.
aSter
Later reports, however, miti
gate to some extent the terrible
catastrophe and put the number
OF lives lost at less than 100. In
some cases the telephone was
used before the wires were blown
down to warn whole districts of
the impending danger.
THE POCAHONTAS REGION.
The PocahontaS coal field is 10.
Gated in a basin, with high noun.
tain ranges on either side. and
Elkhorn creek flowing through
the center of the basin. which
ranges from q quarter to one mile
in width.
From Ennis to Vivian Yard,
w, Va, about 10 miles, the coun
try is dotted with miners cabins.
coal company cOmmisSaries and
coke plants. Elkhorn creek,
being fed by numerous small
streams coming from the noun
tain sides, rises very rapidly in
storms. The little town of Key
stone, which has a population Of
about 1000, seems the greatest
sufferer, as practically the entire
town waa washed away. This
town, being the principal one in
the Pocahontas coal field and 10,
Gated near its center, was to a
great extent the Headquarters
from which the mining people
purchased supplies, and was also
the only place in the field where
whisky could be purchased. At
this place there was large mum
Der of saloons.
THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD.
The dam at Johnstown broke at
) Z. NJ, May 81, 1889, and in
three quarters of an hour the
three miles of water behind it,
$50, 600, 600 cubic feet in all. had
drained out and was precipitated
upon Johnstown. A swath of
1000 feet was cut through the
iron works and the principal bus
mess and residence portion of the
town by the water, which rose to
height of 80 or 40 feet. In
three-quarters of an hour between
5000 and 5000 had persisted and
about $40, 900, 900 damage had
been done.
OTHER FLOODS AND CYCLONE
DISASTERS.
Following is list of few of
the notable floods and cyclone
disasters of the past decade.
September 10, 1875 = Calves
ton, Texas, was swept by a food
and scores of lives were lost, be-
side about $3.50, 600 worth of
property.
June 20, 1S92-Breaking dams
Hooded Titusville and Oil City,
Pa. OIL and gasoline tanks burst
and the food became a seething
mass of flames, in which 800 per
sons lost their lives.
March q, 1S90-Tornado swept
Louisville, KY; 90 killed and 500
injured.
May 10, 1S96-Tornado struck
Grayson and Denton counties,
Texas; 100 killed
May q, 1S96-Tornad in st.
Louis and East st. Louis; 500
Killed and !, 800 wounded. Prop
erty loss, 5000, 600, 900. Part of
NV 4 I