New-York tribune., 1901-06-24
FLOOD WROUGHT RUIN.
IMMENSE DAMAGE IN BRIEF TIME
SOME OF THE MANY LOST.
TBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.l
Blueheld. w Va. June 23.-Details Of the
r-ea. Pocahontas coal field flood are hard TO OBJ
tain. owing 10 the inaccessbity of the mining
district. where the fury and havoc of the angry
,rs,srs caused the most appalling loss OF life
and property. At Keystone the water began TO
rise al 9 O'Clock Sunday morning. and by
II the food had spent its fury and at least two
thirds Of the little city had been washed away
or demolished It is known that sixteen resi-
dents Of the north side Of the stream lost their
lives and at least fifty Of those living on the
south or town, side were drowned
AT Burke. a suburb Of keystone, number are
missing. and eight are reported lost. II is
thought that the total list OF the dead from one
end OF the Elkhorn Valley TO the other will reach
two hundred. but full list Of the victims cannot
be secured Hundreds missing. having taken
refuge in the mountains TO escape the fury OF the
food. The list Of the dead so far recovered and
identified includes the names of John Lewis and
Martha Morgan. white; Samuel Poindexter.
Betty Brown, John Ballard. Annie Smith. Laura
stone. Ivan solisky. white. and a colored family
named Hairston, consisting of mother and four
children, at Algoma.
At least three hundred mine mules were
drowned, and fully twenty-five could be seen
swimming about in the flood and making
fight for life. But little damage is done 10 the
mines proper as the drift mouths Were high up
the mountain sides. Several. however. are re-
ported flooded, but Il IS impossible to ascertain
the extent Of the damage On the North Fork
branch of the Norfolk and Western, which is
five and half miles long. there was no loss Of
life as far as known. but hundreds Of persons
were rendered homeless, and are tonight camp
ing in the mountains
WHERE DESTRUCTION WAS GREAT.
The damage TO property on this branch is
heavy only one Of the ten collieries located on
this branch escaping. the Ashland. II being To-
Gated at the head of the stream. The Mcdowell
Coal Company lost twelve houses. The Roanoke
company lost the boiler house, and the 1OO
horsepower boilers were swept four miles down
The stream The Louisville company's store
house is wreck and the stock Of goods a total
loss At Rolfe large number Of miners houses
were swept away. as well the home Of the
eompany's physician. Twenty-Five houses are
1anmed together in one large mass of broken
tinbers and debris. At the Gillian company s
colery the powder house and fourteen houses
demolished. At Indian Ridge the company
store was considerably damaged and the stock
lost The residence of Captain c. Botsford. the
manager, is wrecked also. The North Fork
track is nearly all washed away, all the trestles
being gone except ore.
In the Elkhorn Valley II is estimated that the
loss 10 the railroad and coal interests will ex-
& -r-a1. mill ieS n
line double track only one mile remains. and all
the bridges are gone. Some Of them are OF the
heaviest masonry and iron. but they could not
resist the force Of the flood. The Grocer Com
pany one OF the largest operators. lost thou
sand horsepower electric plant and many build
ings and coke ovens. Their loss is said to be
$4,000. The Houston Company are damaged
some S200oO The Tierney interest consisting
OF four collieries. will lose $4,000
There are over twenty collieries whose dam
age is great: many miles Of their tracks lead
ing TO coke ovens and mines are gone In
some Instances mine locomotives and cars have
been swept for miles down the stream fifteen
hundred laborers have been rushed TO the scene
TO work on repairs and IL IS expected that tele-
graphic communication wiz be established by
tomorrow afternnc-- Later advices from the
Cinch v.::-y Division confirm the reported
Ginning Of ten persons.
family named Hook, living near the river at
Pounding Mill were all drowned. six perishing.
There Is no damage on this division west or
swords Creek fifty miles out. and practically
no rainfall. II is expected that the line VIII be
open for traffic tomorrow.
SOUGHT IN VAIN TO SAVE FAMILY.
The pathetic story IS told OF a Hungarian
family az keystone; the father was al work In
the mines. and when the alarm was given DID
not reach the drift mouth until the town was
partially inundated. He made his way TO the
cabin that served his home. where his wife
aho new born babe were lying helpless. He tried
10 rescue both. and after a fierce battle with the
hooc' which was filed with logs and debris he
reached a place Of safety only to discover that
Doth were dead.
AL Elkhorn the lower floors OF all the houses
were overfowed. and the families took ref
ose liz the second stories. from which they
were rescued after great difficulty. The flood
came without warning and sudden that in
ehe mad rush TO escape families were separated
thd children lost, and this. added to the general
excitement. made II impossible 10 accurately
estimate the loss OF life
MALLORY LINE STEAMER ASHORE.
n. lam % of he