Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-06-28
FLOOD TAKES MANY LIVES
Torrent Dashes Down the Elkhorn
Valley in West Virginia, Caus-
ing Death and Ruin.
SIXTY OR SEVENTY PERSONS DROWNED.
The Property Loss VIII Exceed
81 200, OOO-Henvy Rain Preceded
the storm, eliminating I'm Cloud
burst-The Great Mass OF water
swept Everything before IL.

KOanOke, Va, june %f'-r yin w
to 20 persons are thought to be
drowned in n flood which swept
through the Elkhorn valley from En-
mis-, w. Va, TO Vivian, in the same
state, between the hours OF nine
o'clock and IL yesterday morning.
In the valley is located the celebrated
Pocahontas coal field. Nearly all
the machinery and buildings are
wrecked. The mining and railroad
town of keystone was badly dam
aged and the little town of Vivian
nearly destroyed. North Fork juno
ton and other small towns suffered
in like manner. Thirty miles of the
Columbus division of the Norfolk az
Western railroad were washed away.
Property Loss.
The property loss will be over
81 600 600, but it will be many days
before the real extent of the loss TO
life and property can be ascertalned'
The entire valley has been devastated
and the loss TO the Pocahontas coal
region is enormous. The railway
loss is also heavy, for the track and
roadbed washed away was probably
the most expensive piece of engineer
ing work in the country for its
length The roadbed was almost
carved out of solid rock, and only
last year 81 100000 was spent in bet
terments.
News Is Indefinite.
It is impossible to obtain n definite
statement as to the losses to life and
property as neither the telegraph
nor the railroad through the stricken
valley has been repaired.
Thus far only so bodies have been
recovered. while the list of missing
and reported drowned contains the
names of 249 persons. 1t will prob
ably never be known how many per-
ished. The estimates place the num-
Der not to exceed -.
Rains Pile Up Torrent.
II had been raining hard for sew
eral davs in the Elkhorn region, and
the hundreds of small mountain
creeks were swollen TO their full ca
pacitv and pouring their waters into
the Elkhorn river. The storm in
creased in violence every minute and
finally eliminated in a cloudburst
which precipitated great volume OF
water into the Elkhorn valley, al
ready flooded to the danger point by
the rains of the preceding As hours.
sweeps All Before II.
The great mass of water started
down the valley with roar that was
heard above the storm. 1t swept
everything before it-trees, tele-
oraph poles. huge powders, whole
buildings, railroad ties, steel rails,
box cars and coal sheds. Into the
mass of tangled wreckage of the
food were swept helpless men, wom-
en- and children, caught in its path.
and as all were swept along in the
fury Of the storm they went 10 their
death with none TO hear their last
cries for help.
buildings Float Awny.
The valley was peoplcd almost en-
tirely with miners and their fam
lilies. Their frail cabins and cot
/ tages offered no resistance TO the
/ impact of the flood and the buildings
were tossed upon the front of the
| great wave which was rushing down
the valley. There was no chance for
escape for the unfortunate people,
! caught without warning.
Great Gorge.
The food began 10 make its ter
rible force felt at Ennis, and il ex-
tended the entire length of the val
/ ley 10 Vivian. IS miles.
The Elkhorn valley at this point
IS a great gorge, cutting its way
through the mountain range. II is a
mile wide at one place and then 1t
narrows 10 a width of only 800 feet.
! AT its narrowest point it's rocky
walls rise to a height of from 700 10
900 feet 1t was through this gorge
! that tho storm tore its way. The
great wave of water which swept
everything before it wrought its de-
| struction i'm "a few minutes. In 90
minutes it was all over but the desc