Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-26
ESTIMATES ARE UNCERTAIN.
Some Say Only 10 Persons Lost. but They
Have No Definite Information.

Roanoke, Va, June 25.-Persons com
Ing in from the flooded district In West
Virginia place the number Of drowned
at 10 persons but have no definite or
detailed Information on which to base
the estimate. a telegram from Blue
fields says there are no important de-
velopments there. today. Repair work
is going ahead. Blueficld Is the great
shipping point for the Pocahontas coal
coming east 1t is said that the coal
fields will not be able to ship any coal
for the next 80 days. The coal trade
viii suffer almost incalculable losses
as result OF the washed out tracks
and damage to their machinery.
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 to be seen floating around
in the water. that there Is a graveyard
between North Fork Junction and
Keystone. which towns are about
mile apart. and at which point the
storm was very severe.
The Norfolk a. Western Railroad Of
iicials thought that they would be able
10 have their Clinch valley line open.
this evening. They say the Thacker
coal field lines are already open and
that the road will be able TO get a
train through to Columbus. tomorrow.
These repairs win be- only Of a tenn
porary nature. however.
J. -. Frances. Roanoke man. who
was first reported dead. has written TO
his wife from keystone. telling her he
AZ yC M rsfGt
the town. last Friday night. Every
body had 10 go up on the mountain.
Men. women and children were drown
ed and houses went floating down the
stream with people in them. All our
Gro Nd are safe. We are entirely cut
on from the outside world and pro-
visions ara getting short. There is now
no water in the town"
Another letter. today, from keystone
says between 10 and II people were
drowned ana 30 houses WASHED away at
that place.
The report received here, yesterday
That the crotty family were drowned
was mistake. Mr.. Crotty is now in
the coal fields and wired. today, that
they were all safe.
The house OF Paris Van Dyke. four
miles west Of TazewelI was washed |
away Van Dyke heard the roar OF the /,
water ana started home from the field. ,
When short distance from the house he |
saw the water rushing down the mountain |
sides. tearing UP and twisting of giant |
trees. the water leaping ~ feet high and |
with frightful speed. Van DYKE |
rushed for the house to warn his family |
but the water overlook him and swppt |
the house and all it, inmates away. Two |
and years old. were instant
IS Killed. the bodies being washed TO the |
iowlands little girl holding younger |
sister in her arms. was carried ~ yards |
Ierday afternoon. and MIR. Van Dyke is /
still unconscious and cannot live.
At Cedar Bluff. Is miles west OF Taze- |
well. ], dwellings were swept AWAY but 1
no lives Were lost. At Pounding Mill four
lives were lost. knobe. a small town
destroyed. Ravens, two miles west. was |
oadl.- DANA ged and many business houses |
were destroyed. The damage to country /
roads will he not less than S0en.
\ notice was posted, today. in the boiler |
department OF the Norfolk 4 Western in |
Roanoke announcing that the shops will /
be closed until further notice on account |
Of the destruction by the food and the |
fact that no traffic was passing over the |
road The notice said that the shops |
probably would resume work in three or
four days. There are 200 persons en-
ployed in the Norfolk & Western shops
here. All the men are out except a suff-
cieut number 10 keep up repairs AZ the
road is doing no coal business, which is
its Chief traffic. few trains are on the |
road.
The names of the four persons drowned
at Pounding Mil. TaZewell county. are;
MIR. Tate. ~ wears of age. Mrs. Hooper
md two children.