Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-06-24
UNDER WATER
West Virginia Experiences
a Terrible Flood
GREAT DEVASTATION
Hundreds Of Lives Lost and
Much Property Destroyed

flood the extent Of which In all prob
ability will equal or exceed that Of
Jamestown In 1889 SO far as the loss
OF property is concerned. Early Sat.
urday morning, shortly after midnight,
heavy downpour of rain began, &C.
companied by severe electric storm,
and steadily increased in violence un-
til 20 o'clock a. M, then ceasing for
several hours and beginning again
with renewed violence. This contin-
ued throughout the entire day and
night. Many miles of the Norfolk
and Western railroad tracks are wash
ed out, bridges are entirely destroyed
and communication is entirely cut off
west of Eikhorn.
The little town of Keystone with
population of about 2000 seems the
greatest sufferer, practically the en-
tire town being washed away. This
town is the principal one of the Poca-
hontas coal fields and is located near
it's center. 1t was to great extent
headquarters from which the mining
population purchased supplies and was
also the only place in the field where
whiskey could be purchased. At this
place there we're some II or Is saloons
all of which 1were washed away. The
report comes that the mining popula.
tion are now occupying the banks of
the streams below catching the mer.
chandise and barrels of whiskey 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.
On account OF tine very high water
which has flooded the region and pre-
vented communication, nothing like
correct estimate. on the loss OF prop
erty is possible, but from the brief in
formation obtainable the loss to prop
ertv will reach 81, 100000.
Landgraf, the beautif II home OF
General Manager. Ord is reported
gone, but his family is said to be safe.
Passenger train No of the Norfolk
s. Western railway reached Vivian
about $3.50 a. NJ, met the flood and
was unable to proceed further. The
waters reached such depth that the
coaches had to be abandoned, the pas.
sengers being rescued by means OF
ropes strung from the windows OF the
coaches to the tops OF remaining coke
ovens some distance away. Between
Elkhorn and Vivian yard, a distance
of ten miles, 100 cars were said to be
washed from the tracks and many OF
them we're carried down the streams
A rough estimate places the number
Of bridges washed away between Blue
field and Vivian yard, distance Of
% miles, at from Is to 20 and from
present Indications it will be impossi
BILE to get trains through to Viviar
and points west Of there under weel
or ten days. This will render 1t i'm
possible to get relief into the stricken
district and with those who escapet
with their lives, homeless and with
out food, indesc1ibable suffering is inev
table.
Bluefelds, VIVA, June "a. - Th'
cloud which burst in Elkhorn Vale,
Saturday night did the greatest dam
age along the line OF the Norfolk 3
Western Railway. Y ~
Thirteen prosperous little mining
towns dotting the Is miles of trac
were swept by Elkhorn creek all en-
tirely or partially devastated.
The stricken district is partially Gu
off from telegraphlc communication.
The work Of the flood so far as i
known at present is summed up as fol
lows: Loss Of life variouSly estimated
at from $50 to 900.
Charleston, w. Va, June PA
midnight Secretary of State Lawson
in the absence of Gov. White, who !
at Parkersburg and cannot be reaches
on account Of the interruption of tn
| telegraph, sent message to Col. Johl
lC. Hewitt at Bramwell to take ful
charge Of a company Of national guar
at Bramwell ordered out to assist ii
guarding property and more troop
will be sent as soon as they can posi-
bly, get there. Supply tents at Bran
we'll are ordered to be given out t
homeless. II the railroad cannot b
made ready before noon a relief trai
of wagons will be sent overland.