New-York tribune., 1901-06-24
ESTIMATES OF LOSS OF LIFE.
THEY VARY FROM TWO HUNDRED TO FIVE
HUNDRED.

region in West Virginia. This territory is near
| the Virginia line. cG1 is about one hundred and
| twenty-five miles wsst of Roanoke and some
| twenty-five miles west Of Bluefeld. w. Va. The
region visited BY the food is said to be de-
yastated, and Tho Pocahortas coal fields
| ported in ruins
More than thirty rnii1s of the railroad tracks
| of tho Norfolk and Western Railroad is gone.
and reports still coming in to the general
| Offices of this system in this city reporting
washouts on the various portions OF the lines in
! the flooded districts. One of the breaks in the
| track will require 1T least thousand laborers
! and several days york to repair 1t. The rail-
! road yards at Vivian. small town in West Vir-
! ginia we're completely destroyed, and it is re-
ported That most OF the town washed away.
! North Fork Junction and a few other smaller
! towns suffered greatly
/ Saturday night is pay night in the coal fields
! and it is supposed that the coal miners had
focked into the towns in the district to do their
/ trading. and there is no telling how many OF
/ them were caught in the food and drowned.
! 1t is stated that the greatest damage so far
known is at keystone. w. Va. which is only
! mile distant from North Fork and about
thirty miles west Of Bluefeld.
TELEGRAPH WIRES SWEPT AWAY.
/ From the meagre reports describing the force
OF the storm at keystone. IL would appear that
| the damage rivals that at Johnstown Penn
and is equal to the Galveston horror in inten-
sity far the percentage OF population lost
and property destroyed. There is telegraphIc
communication west OF Bluefeld. as the tele-
graph lines swept away along with the
railroad tracks II is said by the telegraph
officials that the lines are useless between Ke-
nova, w. Va. and Buefield distance OF two
| hundred miles Il may he several days before
the telegraph lines will be restored sufficiently
! between these two points to obtain full report
| OF damage done in that territory.
1t Is stated. however. that every building I'm
! the town Of Keystone was demolished or carried
| away by the water one and that a bar
! room. which stands a high hill The normal
| population Of Keystone is about two thousand
/ souls, and there is no telling how many miners
| had gone into the town. adding it's temporary
! population. 1t is estimated that two hundred
| lives were lost at Keystone alone The food
! seems 10 have extended over vast area OF
mountain country. and the hundreds OF mountain
! streams becoming swollen only served 10 swell
! the Elkhorn River. until il had assumed large
! proportions and carried destruction H. its wake
! Railroad ties. small buildings Of all descrip-
/ tiOns. telegraph poles. huge powders and every
Imaginable moveable thing that came within
the sweep of this mighty torrent OF raddened
waters went down the mountainous district in
a seethng, roaring mass OF debris. Dead bodies
could be seen floating along the valley by those
who had gained places OF safety on the hills
All day Saturday the rain fell in sheets. and 1t
was evident that II il did not cease there would
be food. and great destruction must result
from it. but 1t until darkness had en-
veloped the coal regions that the great catas-
trophe was upon the country and was making
clean sweep of the valley for miles.
SAVED FROM FLOODED TRAIN
! Shortly after midnight Saturday night it
seemed as If the heavens had opened their food
! gates the town of Vivian, w. Va Here
passenger train caught in the food, and
| the lives of the frightened passengers were
saved by the use Of ropes which were quickly
! thrown from the coke ovens which skirt
/ the railroad yards at Vivian The passengers
were glad to catch the ropes. and willing hands
! dragged them from the submerging train and
| over the barricades to a point of safety
| Owing to the fact that the telegraph lines had
! been Frustrated by the storm, the Norfolk and
| Western officials detailed messengers by foot to
cover the territory as best they could. they re-
| turning in short time with reports Of the ter
| rible destruction which had been done in their
respective territory. One OF these messengers.
! in walking over the devastated district came
back and reported having thirty-eight dead
! bodies. There supposed TO be many who
! will never he accounted for.
|
dred six hundred. and possibly this number
will be swelled when fuller details are obtained.
| Many people in this city have relatives in the
| coal regions which have been struck by the
food. but not word can be heard from them,
as there is positively way OF communicat-
ing with them. The telegraph Offices railroad
| offices and officials and telephone offices are Wis
tied by many eager persons all awaiting some
| message 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
| retcent. but they admit that at least two hun
| dred lives have been lost the town of Keystone
| stroyed.
EXTENT OF DISASTER UNKNOWN.
| II is not known how far back into the rooun-
| tains the storm extended and il will be davs
| and perhaps weeks before all the stormstricken
| country is heard from The flood has not only
damaged the Elkhorn Valley but it is stated
that every of the thirty-three Flat TOP
! coal opera tions, plants. has suffered 10 some
extent. Great damage is also reported to have
resulted in the Clnch Valley section, which ex
tends south from Graham. Va. No lives how
ever. are reported TO have been lost along this
valley. The train from Blueheld which
is the furthest point west from which the trains
are running is due here midnight, but the
railroad officials say this hour-9:30 D. M
that this train is two and a half hours late
and probably will not reach here before $50
a. m. The dispateher's office says at this hour
that II has heard nothing further than that
stated above. and that il is not thought there
has been any further damage by rains TODAY
| A message tonight from Coaldaie. W. Va.