The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-24
GLUUDbUhOIl
Immense Destruction Of Life
and Property
In the Mining Region of
West Virginia.
THE NUMBER OFDEAD
Estimates Run Far Into the
Hundreds.
Property Loss Will Reach Into
the Millions.
Many Miles of Railroad Track
Washed Away.
Estimates Run Far Into the
Hundreds.
Property Loss Will Reach Into
the Millions.
Many Miles of Railroad Track
Washed Away.

Roanoke, Va, June 24-An awful
flood and cloudburst has swept over
the Elkhorn coal region in West Vir-
ginia- This territory is near the vir-
ginia line. It is about 125 miles west of
Roanoke and % miles west of Blueheld,
w. va. The region visited by the flood
is said to be devastated. and the Poea-
hontas coal field reported in ruins.
More than 80 miles Of the track Of the
Norfolk & Western railroad is gone and
reports are still coming in to the gen
eral offices of this system in this city
reporting washouts on the various sec
tions of lines in the flooded districts.
one of the breaks in the track viii re
quire at least 1000 laborers several days
to repair it. The railroad yards at vi
Wan, a small town in West Virginia.
were completely destroyed. and it is
reported most Of the town was washed
away.
Northforl Junction and few other
smaller towns suffered greatly. Satur-
day night was pay night in the coal
fields. and it is supposed that the coal
miners had focked into the towns in
the districts to do their trading, and
there Is no telling how many of them
were caught in the flood and drowned
It is stated that the greatest damage 50
far as known is at Keystone, w. Va.
which is only one mile distant from
Northfolk, and was 80 miles west o.
Bluefield.
The passenger train from the west
over the Norfolk & Western railroad,
which is due here at 1855 p m. did not
reach Roanoke until half past o'clock
this morning. When the train came in
there were many people at the station
who had waited anxiously all night for
the belated news carrier from the de-
vastated coal fields of West Virginia
Among these who came in on this train
and who had been in the storm was a
prominent business man of Roanoke.
several railroad men and a woman and
two children. They came direct to
Roanoke from Vivian and were COM
PEELED to walk a distance of eleven
miles from that place to the small town
of Ennis. where they were enabled to
get a train for this city. These passen-
gers declare that the number of deaths
has been exaggerated, in their opinions
and feel confident that not more than
100 people have lost their lives. though
they cannot say with any certainty as
10 the number. The mountain district
lying back from the railroads probably
have suffered heavily and the exact loss
OF life viii not be known for several
days A railroad man who has been
working at Vivian told the Associated
started last Friday night and continued
Tor some time in moderation but short
y after midnight, the heavens seemed
10 open and poured forth great vol
nEnes OF water When the cloud burst
over the town of Vivian there was a
passenger train standing in the rail
road yards. About 40 of whom three
were women We're in the car. The wa
ter rose rapidly and soon was over the
trucks OF the car. Houses We're being
washed about before the eyes of the
frightened passengers. Ropes were
thrown to the cars and the male mas
sengers caught them and waded
through the water which was now
waist deep to places of safety around
the coke ovens on the adjoining hills
The women were too much frightened
70 get into the water and were placed
on the tender OF the engine where they
were safe Other portions of the rail-
road yards were washed out and a hun
dred boxcars were wrecked. The house
IN which the section master at Vivian
lived was washed away.
RODE ON DRIFTWOOD
A young son Of the section master.
rode on driftWood for four miles. and
was then lodged in a tree. from which
ne was rescued. A colored section
hand who was at the section masters /
when the flood waters struck the build
ing was drowned The rain ceased /
falling about 3 o'clock Saturday morn
ing Inere has been no rain since that I
hour, and the streams are nradualIv 1
falling. A big furniture store and a /
large clothing house were washed /
away at Vivian, as also were about a Il
dozen small dwellings which were sit
uated in the lower portion of fhe vii
lage- Two dead bodies. both colored
men. were seen at Eckman. and three /
rolored and one white corpse at Em-