Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-24

night heavy downpour of rain began, ac-
companied by severe electric storm 1t
steadily increased In violence until 10
o'clock am, and then. ceasing for several
hours, began again with renewed violence.
This continued throughout the entire day
Saturday and last night. At 10 O'Clock this
morning, while the storm had abatcd. the
lowering clouds indicated another terrific
downpour at any moment.
Many miles of the Norfolk and Western
railroad track. bridges and telegraph lines
are completely destroyed, and communica-
ton is entirely cut off west of Elkhorn, so
that it is impossible to learn the full extent
of the loss of life and property, but officials
of the coal operations located in the strick-
en- district have sent out messengers to
Elkhorn, the terminus of both telesraphic
and railroad communications, and have re-
ceived a report that a conservative eSti-
mate as to the loss of life will easily reach
200. Among the missing are some of the
most prominent citizens of the coal fields.
Coal Mines in Natural Basin.
The Pocahontas coal field is located in a
basin. with high mountain ranges on either
side Elkhorn creek flows through the GEN.
ter of the basin. which ranges from one
fourth to one mile in width. From Ennis,
w. Va. to Vivian Yard, w. Va, distance
of ten miles, miners cabins, coal company
commissaries and coke plants line this ba-
sin. Elkhorn creek, fed by numerous small
streams coming from the mountain sides,
rises very rapidly, and the flood came SO
suddenly that the entire basin between the
two mountain ranges was inundated Be
fore the terror stricken people realized
what was upon them, they were carried
down by the flood, which swept everything
in it's path.
The little town of Keystone. with a pop
ulation of about 1000. seems the greatest
sufferer. practically the entire town beinS
washed away This town is the principal
one In the Pocahontas coal fields and is To-
Gated near It's center 1t was to a great
extent headquarters from which the min
ing population purchased supplies and was
also the only place 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 is now
occupying the banks of the streams below.
catching the merchandise and barrels of
great number of the coal and coke plants
throughout the Pocahontas field are
reported practically destroyed, and in
some instances entirely washed away. On
account of the very high water which has
flooded the region and prevented communi-
cation. anything like correct estimate Of
the loss of property is impossible but from
the best Information obtainable at 2 pm.
Sunday the loss will easily reach 81 100000.
Manager Ords House Swept Away.
At Landgraf. the beautiful home Of Gen
eral Manager Ord is reported gone, but his
family Is said to be safe.
Passenger train No. 4 of the Norfolk and
Western railway reached Vivian Yard, the
western terminus of the coal field about
$50 am. met the flood, and was unable to
proceed farther. The waters reached such
a depth that the coaches had to be aban
G0ned, the passengers being rescued by
means of ropes strung from the windows Of
coaches to the tops of remaining coke
ovens, some distance away. Between Elk
horn and Vivian Yard. a distance of ten
miles. 100 cars are said to be washed from
the tracks, and EIany were carried down
the streams.
a rough estimate places the number of
bridges washed away between Bluetield and
Vivian Yard. distance of twenty-eight
miles at from fifteen to twenty, and from
present indications it will be impossible to
get trains through to Vivian and points
west of there under a week or ten days.
This will render it impossible to get relief
into the stricken district, and for those
who escaped with their lives. homeless and
without food, indescribable suffering is in
evitable.
On the Clnch valley branch of the Nor
folk and Western railway, between this
city and Norton. Va. communication Is en-
tirely severed west of Tazewell. Va Re-
ports come from that point of great loss Of
life and property throughout that entire
section. In Shakerag, a negro settlement
on the outskirts of Tazewell, the water
stands to depth of six or eight feet in the
street and houses, all of the occupants hav-
means of a boat.
The LOSS of Life.
Three miles west of Tazewell, on the Hig-
ginbotham farm, the home of Paris Van
dyke. a farm hand. was swept away, carry
ing with it Mrs. Vandyke and four chill
dren. two of the Vandyke children, John,
seventeen, and Charles. aged five, being
drowned. Their bodies were recovered
Mrs. Vandyke, with the two remaining
children, Edgar and Laura. We're found at
. o'clock this morning in dying condition
one mile from where the home stood, by
Mr. Vandyke. who was absent from home
at the time of the cloudburst.
While the rescuing party was searching
for the Vandyke family they found the
body OF a white woman, well clad, floating
down Plum creek. No one thus far has
been able to identify her, and it is supposed
the body was washed down for some dis
lance.
A report comes from Wittens Mill a
small station between Bluefield and Taze-
well, that three children, Christian names
unknown, of the family of Raleigh Brush,
were drowned early yesterday morning
There Is no telegraph station at Wittens
Mill. and 1t is impossible to ascertain par
ticularS.
The, railroad and telegraph companies
have between 1000 and 800 men at work
day and night. Officials are on the ground
pushing the work of constructing telegraph
lines and rebuilding che road. and hope to
pe apie 10 communicate with both the
storm-swept districts by noon Monday
Nothing whatever has been heard from
the section of country between Vivian and
Villa nsOn other than the Tug river Is re-
ported as being entirely over it's banks
higher than ever known by the Oldest in
habltants. The town OF Wech county seat
OF Mcdowell county. necessarily must have
suffered seriously. and a number of the
large lumber plants situated along the
banks of Tug river no doubt are entirely
washed away.
STRIKE RIOT REPORTED