The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-06-27
WE |.4(GlNfA FLOOD.
First Reports of the Disaster Were
Greatly ExagEerated.

WY v17VUlNIA FLUID.
First Reports of the Disaster Were
Greatly Exaggerated.
Roanoke, Va,.Jdne 25.-The follow
ing short statement, made by one of
the general officers of the Norfolk 6
Western railroad, summarizing the
food situation in the light of the lat
est dispatches, was given to the, AS
ISOLATED Press:
Restoration of telegraph lines de-
velops that the damage by the food
was exaggerated. The loss of life will
not exceed sixty or seventy-fve, and
the damage to property, including
repairs to railroads and coal opera
tions, will not exceed 100000. 1t is
expected the railway will get a line
opened tomorrow or next day."
Bluefield, w. Va, June 25.-Details
of the fearful flood in the Pocahontas
Flat Top coal region are slowly drift
ing into this town, which is situated
twenty-five miles south of the scene
of the wrecked homes, and fully bear
out the fears early entertained as to
the havoc wrought by the storm.
Fifty dead bodies have been found.
Thousands of people are homeless,
and it is feared are without food, or
at the best with only food enough
to last at most several days. The
work of establishing railroad COM
munication is being pushed with
vigor. There is little hope of send
ing the sufferers succor until the rail-
road connection is again renewed.
Men are at work clearing away the
debris and recovering the bodies of
the dead. The dead are being aug
mented hourly. Relief trains are
running between this city and the
Stricken district, and everything pos
sible is being done to relieve the
suffering and destitute.
The latest estimate is that it will
take ten days to repair the track. In
formation from the Tug river district
is to the effect that the damage to
the coal operations in that region
is not great, but the lumber inter-
ests have suffered considerably.
Over 100 miles of track belonging
to the various coal operations are
practically a total loss. The force
of the flood is better understood
when it is explained that by reason
of long fill, and a low iron bridge,
some distance up the valley, the flood
was damned and q monster body of
water accumulated, probably as large
volume as was contained in the IA
nous Johnstown. When this obstruc-
ton gave way it let down a monster
mining camps below.
DR.. Hatfield, a prominent physi-
sian. and klnsman of the famous
fpIdISfc IF
was compelled to shoot two negroes
plundering. who were robbing de-
fenseless flood sufferers.
Many of the missing corpses are
hidden in the mammoth piles of debris.
Some of these piles are thirty feet
high and cover in some instances as
much as a half acre of ground and
1T is the work of days to search
through them. 1t had been suggest
ed that the best plan would be to
burn these masses of debris. but the
friends of the dead are loud in their
denunciation of the idea. So bitter
is the feeling regarding this matter
that if it is attempted bloodshed
will result. Up to this time only
fifty bodies have been recovered, vet
the list of missing and reported
drowning is $40. Tt will probably
never be known how many have per-
ished.
A messenger who traversed the
full length of the stricken district
has arrived here. He reports that
the destruction to property is a
great deal worse than was appre-
hended,, but that the loss Of life was
not SO heavy.
At Algona a number of miners
standing on high point in water
waist deep rescued twenty-three wo-
men and children as they floated by.
A number whom they threw ropes
to We're so excited that they made no
effort to save themselves. Thirty
four houses foated down and were
dashed to pieces against the sides of
the iron bridge at North Fork juno
ton before that structure collapsed.
The flood left several narrow gorpes.
through which only the creek and
the railroad had room to pass, chok-
ed with shattered houses and house
hold furniture. merchandise and
every imaginable article.