Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1901-06-25
HUNDREDS DROWNED
EIkhOrn Valley in West Virginia
Swept by a Deiuge.
Cities Are Laid Waste and Railroad Trains
A re Borne Away by a Torrent That
Catches Them Unawares
ty Loss 100000.

y A@~SS DHSsOOOSOOOs
Bluefeld, w. Va, June 24.-This en-
tire section has just been visited by
1 flood, the extent of which in all
probability will equal or exceed that
of Johnstown in 1889, so far as the
loss of property is concerned. Early
Saturday morning, shortly after mid
night, a heavy downpour of rain be-
gan, accompanied by a severe electric
storm which violently increased in
volume and continued for several
hours. Many miles of the Norfolk &
Western railroad track, bridges and
telegraph lines are entirely destroyed
and communication is entirely cut off
west of Elkhorn, so that it is impos-
sible 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 mes
sengers to Ell1horn, the terminus of
both Geographic and railroad commu-
nications, and have received. report
that conservative estimate as to
the loss of life will easily reach 200.
The Pocahontas coal field is To-
Gated in a 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, w. Va, a
distance of ten miles, miners cabins,
coal company commissaries and coke
plants line this basin. Elkhorn creek
being fed by numerous streams COM
ing from the mountain side, rises very
rapidly and this water spout came
so suddenly that the entire basin be-
tween the mountain ranges was flood
ed and before the terror-stricken peo-
pie realized what was upon them they
were carried down by the flood. which
swept everything in its path. The lit
tie town of keystone with a popula-
ton of about 1000, seems the great
est sufferer, practically the entire
town being washed away. This town
is the principal one in the Pocahontas
coal fields and is located near its cen
ter. 1t was to Il great extent head
quarters from which the mining
population purchased supplies and was
also the only place in the field where
whisky could be purchased. At this
place there were some - to Is sa-
looms, all of which were washed away.
a great number of the coal and coke
plants throughout the Pocahontas
are reported practically destroyed
and are in some instances entirely
washed away. Owing to the very
high water which has flooded the re-
gion and prevented communication.
anything like a correct estimate of
the loss of property is impossible,
but from the best information OBJ
tainable yesterday the loss to prop
erty will be $2,OOO,OOO.
Passenger train No. of the Nor
folk q Western railway. reached
Vivian, met the flood and was unable
to proceed further. The waters
reached such depth that the coaches
had to be abandoned, the passengers
being rescued by means of ropes
strung from the windows of coaches
to the tops of remaining coke ovens
some distance away. Between Elk
horn and Vivian Yard, distance of
ten miles, 100 cars are said to be
washed from the tracks and many of
them were carried down the streams.
A rough estimate places the number
of bridges washed away between
Bluefeld and Vivian Yard, a distance
of 2S miles, at from Is to 20. and
impossible for trains to go through
to Vivian and points west of there
under a week or ten days. This will
render it impossible to get relief in
to the stricken districts. and with
those who ESCAPED with their lives,
homeless and without food. indescrib-
able suffering is inevitable.
Tornado in Logan County, Ill.
Lincoln, ILL.,, June 24-Damage esti- |
mated at fully 100000 was done last
night by tornado that swept across
Logan county. unroofng public |
buildings, wrecking residences and |
business houses, laying low great |
trae sSOf grain and demolishing out
buildings of all sorts. 1t is almost
miraculous that there was not greag
loss of life, but so far no casualties |
have been reported.