The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-06-26
FIFTY BODIES Found.
List Of Kissing In West Virginia Flood
Is Now 249. i- - %.
CORPSES BURIED IN DEBRIS.
Horrors of scenes In Stricken Re-
gion Increased by GhouIs, Two
Of Whom Have Been Shot
Dead by . Doctor.

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bodies of food victims In the Pocahon-
tas Flat Top coal region have been re-
covered. The list of missing and re-
ported drowned Is 249. The exact loss
of life will probably never be known.
Estimates of the property loss are
growing larger. Leading officials Of
the Norfolk and Western fix the dam
age to railroad property between
Sooper and Vivian, W. Va, at $1,0O0,-
600. This covers territory Is miles
in length, and the same officials con-
slider that the damage to the property
of the coal operators Of the field will
far exceed this amount. The total loss
is now approximately estimated at
$2,5OO,O00.
General Manager L. E. Johnson Is on
the scene, and is being assisted by
General Superintendent G. G. Cassell.
Mr.. CasselI hopes to have the line open
for passenger traffic In few days. 1t
will be 10 days before the road will be
in condition for heavy freight. A new
roadbed will have to be made for many
miles Of track, but at least 2,O0O men
are now at work repairing the damage.
A like number of hands are at work at
the various collieries.
w. H. McQuail Of the Turkey Gap
Coal and Coke company states that
men, women and children are employed
in clearing up the debris and ruins and
.o%<Iu.x nm xtcro IN sbono for {. racump-
ton Of work. The passenger service
extends to Ennis, but the real damage
begins at this place, where half mile
Of track was destroyed and the depot,
postotfice and telegraph office were
swept entirely away. Telegraphic COM
munication extends only to Ennis, and
the only way to get into the district
where the greatest havoc prevails is by
footpaths.
Story Of a Survivor.
An eyewitness of the food which
devastated Keystone has arrived here.
He was a guest of the National hotel,
one of the few buildings which escap-
ed destruction.
In speaking of his experience he said
the town was built along one narrow
street, which followed the stream fully
a mile. Because of limited space the
houses on one side stood on piles or
walls over the Elkhorn and on the 9TH
er against the mountains.
At daybreak Saturday the people re-
allied their danger. The narrow val
ley gradually became filled with rag
ing torrent, sweeping away small build
ings and causing scramble to the
mountain side. More than hundred
persons remained to look after women
and children.
When the railway bridge was finally
swept away, the food poured down the
narrow street, carrying many persons
with it. Eight lives are known to have
been lost.
Rescued by Life Line.
From the hotel life line was thrown
to building opposite and then to the
rescuers on the hillside. All those in
the hotel and those fortunate enough
to reach it were thus enabled to reach
a place Of safety, at the imminent risk
of their lives, however.
At Shawnee several persons are said
to have been drowned. The greater
part Of the town was destroyed.
A colored miner named Harper float.
ed down astride his cabin and after 1t
was demolished miraculously escaped
1t is reported that Dr.. Hatfield, a
prominent physician and a kinsman OF !
the famous feudists of his section and |
Kentucky, was compelled to shoot two |
negro plunderers who were robbing de-
fcnseless flood sufferers.
Few bodies have been recovered. The
corpses are hidden in mammoth piles
Of debris. Some of these piles are 80
feet high and cover in some instances
as much as half an acre Of ground, and
it will be the work of days to search
them.
1t has been suggested that the best
plan would be to burn the debris, but
the friends of the dead protest loudly.
So bitter is the feeling regarding this
matter that if 1t is attempted bloodshed
will be the result.