The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-24

and reported having seen thirty-eight
dead bodies. There are supposed to be
many who will never be accounted for.
Terrible Loss of Life.
The loss of life will probably reach 500
OF 600 and possibly this number will be
Many people in this city have relatives
in the coal regions which have been
struck by the flood, but not word can
be heard from them, as there is positive
ly no way of communicating with them.
The telegraph offices, railway offices and
officials, and telephone offices are visited
by many eager people all awaiting some
message as to the fate of their relatives
or friends. The Norfolk and Western
Railroad general officers in this city are,
as is generally the case when railroad
property is damaged, reticent, but they
admit that at least 200 lives have been
lost, the town of keystone destroyed and
millions of dollars worth of property de-
stroyed
1t is not known how far back into the
mountains the storm extended, and it will
be days, and perhaps weeks, before all
the storm-stricken country is heard from.
The Hood has not only damaged the Elk
horn valley. but it is stated that every
one of the thirty-three Flat Top coal op-
erations, or plents have suffered to some
extent. Great damage also is reported to
have resulted in the Clinch valley section
which extends N2
No lives, however, are reported to have
been lost along this valley. The next
train from BlueheId, which is the furthcst
west from where the trains are running
is due here at midnight but the railroad
officials tell the Associated Press corre-
spondent at this hour, $3.50 p. m, that this
train is three hours late, and probably
will not reach here before a. m. The
train dispatcher's office says at this hour
that they have heard nothing further
than that stated above, and that it is
not thought there has been any further
damage by rains to-day. A message
reached the Associated Press tonight
from Coaldale, w. Va, fifteen miles west
Of Bluefeld, saying that there had been
an immense loss of property and some
lives at that point.
The town of Keystone, which is said to
is said to have contained thirty-four 9TH
er barrooms.
The Western Union Telegraph operator
at Bluefield wired the Associated Press
correspondent at o'clock that the loss OF
life at the lowest estimate Is 200 He
says there is one wire now working
through to Ennis. eighteen miles west Of
Blueheld, but that this wire is monopo-
lized by the railroad people
Traffic Delayed Five Days.
The railroad people say 1t will be at
least five days before their lines are
open for trains. They have been sending
work trains TO the storm-stricken dis
trict from all directions A private mes
sage from Bramwell. w. Va, on Sim
mons creek says there was great damage
done there, but no loss of life had been
reported up to the time the telegram was
sent. The little town of Vivian, at which
place the railroad yards were swept away
and a passenger train flooded, is the
shipping point of all west bound coal and
coke and there is succession of pros
porous mining towns extending all the
way to Pocahontas, Va Nearly every
mile post along this portion of the road
marks mining operation. At North Fork
Junction, seven miles from Vivian, there
is branch road extending FIVE miles, and
one half mile up the north fork of the
Eikhorn to seevral prosperous mining
plants. From Cooper, eleven miles fur
ther, branch road extends through the
Bluestone district Of the coal fields to
Goodwill, and another to Bramwell,
town of about 600 inhabitants This is
the home Of many OF the coal opera tors
and their handsome residences, which ad-
ded a charm an dattractiveness to the
town already favored by nature with
frt1 ofgg haN aNrf
fered greatly from the storm. Bram-
well is the headquarters of the Flat Top
Coal Land Association. The town Is re-
puted 10 be the richest town per capita
in West Virginia.
President Fink Interviewed.
New York. June 28.-Henry Fink. presi-
dent Of the Norfolk and Western Rail-
way Company was seen at his hotel to-
night in reference to the West Virginia
disaster. Mr. Fink was In receipt of
dispatch from General Manager L. f.
Johnson OF the system. Mr.. Johnson's
headauarters are IN Roanoke. Va, from
which place ne telegraphed. He said that
the loss OF life was reported to be very
large, and that Il was estimated that
about 30 persons had perished. The
damage 10 Norfolk and Western proper
~, he stated. was 70 rails and bridges
on the Bluestone and North Fork
branches Mr. Fink said
"rhe omount Of money loss cannot ~
present be estimated. As TO the loss ~
life. the country Is not very thckly set
tled anound there. and / cannot but be-
leve that Il has been exaggerated u 10
In t,ta coal regions and the people are
principally miners. The food must have
been due 20 a cloudbursi. 9s the dispatch
frsm Dir. johnson states that the dam
ace 10 or property IL on the Bluestone