Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-06-24
STORMS. FLOODS AND LOSS OF
ITEE

LIFE.
Bluefeld, w. Va, and vicinity have
just been visited by a food, the extent
Of which 10 oil probability will equal or
exceed that Of Johnstown 10 1889 90 lar
as the loss Of property is concerned.
Early Saturday morning, shortly
after midnight, heavy downpour Oh
rain began, accompanied by a severe
electric storm, and steadily increased
10 violence until 10 9. M, then ceasipg
for several hours and beginning with
renewed violence. This continued
throughout the day and night, and at
10 o'clock yesterday morning, while
the storm had abated, the lowering
clouds indicated another terrific down.
pour at any moment.
Many miles of the Norfolk and
Western railroad track, bridges and
telegraph lines are entirely destroyed
| and communication Ia entirely cut Oh
! west OF Elkhorn, SO that 1t is impossl-
BILE to learn the full extent OF the loss
of life and property, but officials OF the
coal operations located in the stricken
district have sent out messengers to
Elkhorn, the terminus OF both tele'
graphic and railroad communication,
| and have received report that a con-
servative estimate a. 10 the loss Of life
will easily reach 200. Some OF the
drowned are among the most promi.
L aant MANILA af the cozi fial1a
The Pocahontas coal field ia located
| in q 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 Underwater Postoffie), W. Va, a
distance OF 10 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 sides, rises very rapidly, and
the cloudburst came 30 suddenly
that the entire basin between the
mountain ranges was flooded, and be-
fore the terror-stricken people real
lied what was upon them they were
carried down by the food, which swept
everything in It's path. The little
town of Keystone, with population OF
about 1000, seems the greatest sufferer,
practically the entire town being wash
ed away. This town Is the principal
one in the Pooshontss coal field, and Ia
located near Its center. 1t was to q
great extent headquarters from which
the mining population purchased sup
plies and was also the only place In the
field where whisky could be purchased.
At this place there were some II to 10
saloons, ell of which were washed
away except one. The report Gomez
that the mining population are now oc
cupying the banks OF the streams be-
low catching the merchandise and bar
rels OF whisky and beer as they float
down. A great number OF the coal and
coke plants throughout the Pocahontas
field are reported practically destroyed
and in some instances entirely washed
away.
Ga account OF the very high water
which has flooded the region and pre-
vented commu aication anything like q
correct estimate of the loss Of property
ia impossible, but from the best in.
formation obtainable the loss will easily
reached 81, 100000.
At Landgraf the beautiful home oi
General Manaesr Ord IL reported gone.
| Passenger train No. OF the Norfolk
and Western Railway reached Vivian
about $50 q. M, met the food and was
unable to proceed farther. The waters
reached such depth that the coaches
had to be abandoned. Between Elk
horn and Vivian Yard, distance OF 10
miles, 100 cars are said to be washed
from the tracks and many OF them
we're carried down the streams. A
rough estimate places the number oil
bridges washed away between Bluefield
and Vivian Yard, distance of % miles,
at from Is to 20, and from present In
dications it will be impossible to get
trains through to Vivian and points
west OF there in less than week or ten
days. This will render 1t impossible to
get relief into the stricken district, and
with those who escaped with their
lives, homeless and without food in
describable suffering Is inevitable.
On the Clinch Valley branch OF the
Norfolk and Western Railway bstween
Bluefeld and Norton, Va, communion
ton is entirely severed west Of Tazewell,
Va. Reports come from that point Of
great loss OF life and property through.
out that entire section. 10 Shakerag,
a negro settlement, on the outskirts OF
| Tazswell, the water stands to the depth
OF six or eight feet In the street and
houses, all ofthe occupants having been
removed to points of safety by means of
boats.
At Keystone the water began to rise
at o'clock yesterday morning, and by
IL o'clock the food had spent its fury
| and at least two-thirds OF the little city
had been washed away or demolished.
1t is known that 16 residents OF the
north side OF the stream lost their lives
| and at least 80 of those who lived on
the south or town side we're drowned.
At Burke, a suburb OF Keystone, a
number are missing and eight are re-
ported dead.
1t is now almost certain that the total
list OF the dead from one end OF the
EIkhorn Valley TO the other will reach
200. Hundreds are missing, having
taken refuge in the mountains to escape
the fury OF the food.
At least 800 mine mules were
drowned. But little damage is done to
the mines proper, as the drift mouths
we're high up the mountain sides.
Several mines, however, are reported
flooded, but 1t is impossible to ascer.
tain the extent Of the damage.
Only one OF the 10 collieries located
on this branch escapei-the Ashland. il