The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-06-27
fIkhorn Valley in West Vir-
ginia is Swept bv a Del
uge--Johnstown Hor-
ror Recalled.
CITIES ARE LAID IN WASTE.
The Loss of Life is Estimated at From
Two to Six Hundred. Streams
Filled With Dead.

fliIcA W itU DCdu
Bluefield, W. Va, June 23.-This
sntire section has just been visited
by a food the extent OF which, in all
probability, will equal, or exceed
that Of Johnstown J in 1899, SO far as
the loss of property is concerned.
Early yesterday morning, shortly
after midnight, a heavy downpour
of rain began, accompanied by a
severe electric storm, which violently
increased in volume, and continued
for several hours This continued
throughout the entire day and night,
and at 10 a. m. while the storm has
abated, the lowering clouds would
Indicate another terrific downpour
at any moment.
MANY miles of the Norfolk and
Western railroad track, bridges and
telegraph lines are entirely destroyed
and communication is entirely cut off
west OF Elkhorn, so that it is impOssi-
BILE to learn loss of life and property,
but officials of the coal operations in
the stricken district have sent out
messengers to Elkhorn, the terminus
Of both telegraphic and railroad a
report that "a conservative estimate
az To the loss of life will easily reach
two hundred. Some of the drowned
are among the most prominent cltl-
zens OF the coal fields.
BASIN DELUGED WITH WATER.
The Pocahontas coal fields is lOcat-
ed in basin, with high mountain
ranges on either side, Elkhorn creek
flowing through the center of the
basin, which ranges from One-fourth
to one mile in width. From Ennis,
W. Va, to Vivian Yard, W. Va, a
distance of ten miles, miners cabins,
coal company commissaries and coke
plants line this basin.
Elkhorn creek being fed by numer-
GUS small streams coming from the
mountain side, rises very rapidly and
this water spout came so suddenly
that the entire basin between the
mountain ranges was flooded and
before the terror stricken people
realized what was upon them, they
were carried down by the flood, which
swept everything in its path.
The lite town of Keystone, with
population of about 1000 seems the
greatest sufferer, practically the en-
tire town being washed away. This
town is the principal one in the Po-
eahontas coal fields and is located
near its center.
1t was to a great extent headquar-
ters from which the mining popula
ton purchased supplies and was also
the only one in the field where whisky
could be purchased. At this place
there were some twelve TO fifteen
saloons, all of which were washed
away
The report comes that the mining
population are now occupying the
banks OF the stream below, catching
the merchandise and barrels OF
whisky and beer as they float down.
A great number of the coal and
coke plants throughout the Poca-
hontas. are reported practically
destroyed. and are in some instances
entirely washed away.
At Landgraf, the beautiful home
OF General Manager Ord is reported
gone, but his family is said to be
sale.
Passenger train No. 1 OF the Nor
folk and Western railway reached
vivian about $50 a. m, met the
flood and was unable to proceed
further. The waters reached such
depth that the coaches had to be
abandoned, the passengers being res
cued by means of ropes strung from
the windows of coaches to the tops
OF remaining coke ovens some dis
tanee away Between Elkhorn and
Vivian yard, a distance of ten miles,
100 cars are said to be washed from