The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-06-25
The Loss Of Life In West
Virginia Great
VARYING ESTIMATES.
They Range From One Hun
!, bred to One Thousand.

ON the Flat Top Country In Tor
rents-ThriIIIng Rescnes at Vivian.
Many Bridges Washed Away-Nor-
folk and Western Railroad Loses
Much Property = Damage In the
ConIflelds Enormous.
Roanoke, w. Va, June 24.-It Is diff
iicult to secure any accurate estimate
of the lives lost by the great flood
which has swept the Flat Top region
as the result of heavy rain Friday and
Saturday.
A dispatch from Huntington, w. Va,
says that Governor White fears the
death list will exceed 1000. Other esti-
mates range from 100 to 300.
Governor White is at Huntington,
making arrangements to get tents and
provisions for the flooded district along
the Norfolk and Western railroad.
The track of the G. and o. near Hin
ton also is heavily damaged, and trains
are tied up. There has been tremen-
dous flood at Charleston, w. Va. Sew
pral children were drowned near Taze.
we'll
The passenger train from the west
over the Norfolk and Western railroad
which Is due here at II 80 p. M. did not
reach Roanoke until half past o'clock
in the morning. When the train came
in, there were many people ut the sta
ton who had waited anxiously all
night for the belated news carrier from
~.
gina. Among those who came in on
this train and who had been in the
storm We're prominent business man
of Roanoke, several railroad men and
a woman ANA two children.
They came direct to Roanoke from
Vivian and were compelled TO walk
distance of II miles from that place
to the small town of Ennis, where they
We're enabled to get Il train for this
city.
Estimate by Passengers.
These passengers declare that the
number Of deaths has been exaggerat-
ed, in their opinion. and feel confident
that not more than 100 people have lost
their lives, though they cannot say with
any certainty as to the number. The
mountain districts lying back from the
railroads probably have suffered heav-
lily. and the exact loss of life there will
not be known for several days.
4 railroad man who had been work
| ing Mt Vivian said that the rain started
last Friday night and continued for
some time in moderation, but shortly
after midnight the heavens seemed to
open and poured forth great volumes
| of water. When the cloud burst over
| the town of Vivian, there was pas
| senger train standing III the railroad
i yards. About 40 passengers, of whom
| three We're women, We're in the cars.
/ The water rose rapidly and soon was
i over the trucks of the ears. Houses
Il and ears We're being washed about 10
fore the eyes of the frightened passen-
gers.
Ropes We're thrown to the ears, and
the male passengers caught. them and
waded through the water, which was
now waist deep, to places of safety
around the coke ovens on the adjoining
hill. The ladies We're too frightened
to get into the water and We're placed
on the tender OF the engine. where they
We're safe. Other portions of the rail
road yards We're washed out, and 10t
box cars We're wrecked The house ii
| which the section master ut Niviar
lived was washed away
Rode Miles on Driftwood.
A young son of the section master
rode on driftwood for four miles ant
, was then lodged in a tree. from whicl
he was rescued. A colOrcd section
hand who was III the section master.
house when the flood waters struck til,
building was drowned.
The rain ceased falling about
o'clock Saturday morning. There In
been no rain since that hour, ana TIL
> streams are gradually falling. A Iii,
! | furniture store and large clothin.
house were washed away at Vivian, ii
also We're about Il dozen small dwell
ings which Were situated iii the lowe
portion of the village. Two dead bod
!, les, both colored men, were seen ii
y Eckman ana three colored and on
4 white corpse ut Empire. Two iro
4 bridges We're washed away ut Nivia
and another at North Fork junction
ii and three persons are reported to hay
If been drowned near the latter MAG,
r All the bridges and trestlework hay
., been washed away on the Simmon
River branch of tile Norfolk and Yves,
! ern system. All telegraphic lines M
down. and the tracks are badly washe
y out on this division.
The people who came from VIVA
. did not come through the town Of Ke,
: stone, but only around it. They stat,
"a however, that the damage done tlIet
is nothing like as great as was at fir.
70 reported. They think that not MOI
70 than dozen houses were washe
away. They cannot say how many,
any, lives We're lost ut keystone. G
the ten miles of railroad between Ill
towns of Vivian and Ennis 1t is state
fa there is not 100 yards of track in OF
~ place, and it is thought this divisio
n will not be repaired for fortnight
i Fifty people walked over this washe
V out territory Sunday TO get from Viva
IS to Ennis.
- Great Damage In CoaIfeIds.
- 49, The damage done all over the Goa
4 fields is immense, but every one seen
to have been too greatly excited nm
~ too anxious to get away to take tim
III to inquire into the affairs of the
g. neighbors. 1t is certain, however, thu
Y much valuable machinery has bee
4