New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-06-27
LOSS OF LIFE ESTIMATE RAISED
NOW THOUGHT MAY REACH ONE HUNDRED
DESCRIPTION OF RUINED REGION

Williamson w Va June 26.-Estimates Of the
/ loss of life by the food have been raised again.
and tonight are placed at more than one hun
dred Parties reached here this evening from the
upper end Of the flooded district bringing the first
authentic information received from the scene of
the disaster The party just arrived consisted OF
Judge E S Doolitte, of Huntington; Judge Flour
ney, of Charleston, and Elias Hatfield, deputy
sheriff of Mingo County.
They left Vivian on Sunday morning, ana their
Journey this city has been a perilous one
Judge Doolittle started 70 wade one stream Laurel
Creek and came near being drowned, floating some
distance before being rescued by two colored men
Judge Flourney and Mr.. Hatfield gave the same
colored men $25 10 carry them safely across the
stream.
Judge Doolitte said tonight that words could not
describe the scene Of devastation between Vivian
and Davy. II was a tidal from cloudburst.
and swept everything before it In the track of its
course everything is gone. including coke ovens
and pillars Of stone. At Vivian the water came
roaring down the mountain sides in monster waves.
and people who attempted to fee 10 the hills for
safety washed back and carried away by the
raging of the Elkhorn.
Judge Doolittle on a Norfolk and western
train at Vivian when the flood overlook it, He was
in a sleeper and on awakening discovered water
rushing through the centre aisle. He climbed. as
did many others. from a window. and was rescued
by persons near by on coke ovens by means OF
boards being placed to the windows. No passengers
were drowned
1t took eleven hours TO dig the debris away from
the train after the flood had passed Passenger
train No II was also lost at Eckman, being car
red away with boxcars. houses, etc. More than
two hundred cars many of which were loaded with
merchandise were washed away at that point
e Tes t0mpIf rHih in ruins Hundreds Of dead
mine mules be in heaps. mingled with
lost unknown amounts. Near Davy. a horse was
found lodged in drift and human oqdy gansit th
10 the same, the mans foot h3NinS hhhe IN ne
strrup. A report has iust reached mere that ~ ~
zen tenty jls east Of this ctv Parties have
gone 70 the scene with the hope of recovering
them. Near Burke, a man saw his brother SINGING
in the food and plunged in 10 rescue him Both
{. F, clifford train dispatcher for the Norfolk and
Western walked from Ennis 10 Davy. forty-three
miles and nov has control Of the telegraph lines
az The LATTER point He saws on his journey he SAY
I'VE dead bodies at Eckman. seven at Keystone and
He pressed on through without stopping. and these
his direct line ~ travel II Is believed that
into tho keystone has been great These streams
have not YET been explored; II is stated here to,
night that eight large steel bridges were washed
away the Elkhorn River alone. II Is not thought
or three weeks. II will take that time to build
temporary trestles.
The less OF PToPsTty by ne o0q On thH @
al from 5000 90 to 100000
Eckman W Va June photographic communi-
cation is open 10 Eckman. twenty-eight miles west
logs and trees Poles are not Up. Assistant Su-
perintendent Payne Of the Pocahontas division
says freight be sent from here this afternoon.
Trains are now running to Vivian yard. Superin-
tendent J B. Corners Of the Scioto division is work
ing east with large force. 1t is believed the line
will be cleared for the passenger traffic throughout
by tomorrow night
The Eastern agent Of the Norfolk and Western
Railway Company yesterday received this tele-
gram
Norton, line. is open for business but the