Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1901-06-26
DEVASTATION In
RUSHING WATERS
Many Bodies We're Torn
From Their Graves
FEW FATALITIES IN KEYSTO&E
Ten Or Fifteen People Drowned and
Forty Houses Washed AWAY
at That Place


Co:aing from the food stricken district
81 West Virginia place the number of
drowned at so to 60 persons, but have
no definite or detailed information on
which to base the estimate.
A gentleman arriving in this city
from the stricken section gives as an
explanation for the report first circu-
lated that great masses OF human
bodies were seen floating around in the
water that there is a graveyard be-
tween North Fork Junction and Key
stone, which towns are about a mile
apart. and at which point the storm
was very severe. This graveyard is
near the bank of the river. When the
food came the graves gave up their
dead and added greatly to the number
of bodies seen.
j. p. Frances, a Roanoke man, who
is in Keystone installing a water plant,
and who was first reported dead has
written his wife telling her he is safe
and sound. He has the following to
say about the disaster:
"A big food visited the town last
Friday night. Everybody had to go
up on the mountain. Men, women and
children were drowned in the streets
and houses went floating down the
streams with people in them. All our
crowd are safe. We are entirely cut
off from the outside world and provis-
ions are getting short. There is now
no water in our town"
Another letter from Keystone says
between 10 and Is people were drown
ed and 40 houses washed away at that
place. The people are hard at work
clearing up tho town and repairing
damaged buildings.
The report received here that tho
father, mother, one sister two broth
ors and a sisterin-law, with two chill.
dred, of j. w. Crottey, of the Norfolk
and Western railroad, were drowned
was q mistake. Mr. Crotty is now in
the coal fields and telegraphed today
that they were all safe.
Tazewell, Va, also suffered from tho
clOudburst. The house of Paris Van.
dyke. four miles west Of TGzewell, in
q gorge Of the mountain, was washed
away Vandyle heard the roar of wa
ter and started home from the field.
When a short distance from the house
lie saw the water rushing down the
mountain sides, tearing up and twist
ing of giant trees as If shrubs, the
water leaping 40 feet high and travel.
ing with frightful speed. Vandyke
rushed for the house TO warn his fam
lily. but the water overlook him and
swept the house and all it's inmates
away. Two children, and years
old were instantly killed, their brains
being dashed out against the rocks and
timbers The bodies were washed to
lowlands. A little girl, holding n
young sister in her arms, was carried
200 yards Another member of the
family died Monday afternoon, and Mr..
Vandyke is still unconscious and can
not live.
At Cedar Bluff. 16 miles west Of
Tazewell, II dwellings were swept
away. but no lives were lost.
At Pounding Mill Mr.. Tate, Mrs.
AAOOlb anu lWO WtA0 ApeN-
Knobe. a small town seven miles west
was almost completely destroyed. Ra-
vens. two miles west, was badly dam
aged. and many business houses de-
stroyed. The damage to country roads
will not be less than $4,000.
The Norfolk and Western Railway
company will lose, at a conservative
estimate. s1.50O,OOO not taking into
consideration the delay to traffic, etc.
Their double track is practically wash
ed away for a distance of six miles,
and at least $500 men are at work
day and night repairing roadbed and
removing drift. The loss to the coal
operators will reach about 100000,
outside of the delay at the mines in
loading, etc. The property loss by
private PARTIES is very heavy and can.
not be estimated at this time. 1t is
thought 1t will reach the million dollar
mark.
General Lees Daughter Welded.