New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1901-06-29
Destruction of Life and Property
by Storm.

The following story is told by an
eyewitness of the great food at
Keystyne, W. Va, on the Odd:
keystone is the metropolis of
the Elkhorn mining country. 1t
has but one narrow street and be-
cause of limited space many build
ings were built on piles or walls
over the Elkhorn or close up against
the mountains. The town follows
the meanderings of the stream for a
mile.
"On Friday night at IL o'clock
the storm struck the mountain and
for six hours rain descended in
torrents. At daybreak the thou
sands of people along the Elkhorn
and it's tributaries realized that a
great flood was upon them, but
they little suspected the disaster
soon to follow. By 9 a. m, the
narrow valley was raging, seeth-
ing, angry torrent. Houses,
barns, bridges, fills, live stock and
human beings were swept away
by the mighty current and dashed
on the rocks or trees below.
~ was an eye witness of the dis
aster at Keystone, being a guest at
the National Hotel. This hotel
faces the mountain with narrow
spot between it and the building on
the mountain side Of the street. At
the first warning many of the in
habitants took refuge on the noun
tain side overlooking the town and
river. More than hundred people,
however, remained in the town to
look after the women aud children
who did not escape early. The
bridge leading to the depot was
soon swept away, then the angry
waters rushed through the only
street in the town and we found
hundreds cut off from the mountain
retreat and the hotel was made fast
to the telephone poles by means of
a line. Hundreds of lives were
saved. But in attempting to cross
the muddy, surging waters which
swept like an avalanche down this
street many lost their hold and in
plain sight of friends were carried
on into the river and drowned.
Houses plunged and danced in the
stream, with screaming wo-
men and children on the roofs.
Horses, cattle and other animals
went down in droves and singly
struggling for life.
"The Norkfolk and Western Rail
road fill at this place gave way and
more than a mile of track now lies
in the bed of the river while large
fills on either side are all gone; in
fact it is hard to tell how many
miles of track and how many
bridges have been swept away. The
destruction is tremendous to the
railroad alone and it may be many
days and perhaps weeks before
trains can run.
"The loss of life cannot be esti-
mated from here. Eight lives were
lost here. Six bodies have been
recovered at Eckman, two miles
below here. Several were drowned
At Shawnee and good part of the
town swept away.
Cali the women were conveyed
from the hotel to the mountain side
BY means of the life line. Then
he men left as the place was un-
safe. When it came my turn
seized the line and plunged in the
muddy current. In an instant my
'eet were swept from under me and
t was the fight of my life to reach
he house on the south side Of the
street. The distance was not great
ind the water not more than three
eet deep, but the current was al
most irresistible, and even cows and
lOrses were swept past me as /
lung to the rope, which was the
'nly hope. Friendly hands pulled ,
ne out more dead than alive. The
lotel is still standing" /,
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