The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1901-06-29

Two hundred, perhaps more, drown
ed or crnshed 10 death.
-Four or fiye thousand people home
leas and destitute.
Mills. mine buildings, storehouses.
stores and dwellings by hundreds
washed away.
Property loss aggregating $4,000. 900.
Miles OF railroad tracks, with cars and
engines. carried away by the torrent.
Biusheld. w. Va. June 24.-This sec.
ton has been visited by food. the ex.
tent Of which In all probability will
equal or exceed that OF Johnstown in
1888. 50 far as the loss OF property Is
concerned. Sunday a heavy dOwnpour
OF rain, accompanied BY a severe cleo
trieal storm which increased In vol
ume. continued for several hours. The
storm continued throughout the entire
day and night. and at 10 a. m. while
the storm has abated. the lowering
clouds threaten another terrific down
pour At any moment
Many miles Of the Norfolk q Western
railroad track. bridges and telegraph
lines are entirely destroyed and com.
mnnieation IL entirely cut on west OF
Elkhorn so that II IL impossible 70
learn the fall extent Of the loss Of life
and property. but officials OF the coal
companies. l0eAsei In the district, have
sea- oat messengers 70 Elkhorn, the
terminus Of both telegr2phie and rail-
rad communication and aave received
3 report thai conservative estimate As
10 the loss Of life will easily reach 200.
some Of the drowned are among the
naoxt prominent cltlEeus OF the coal
heida.
The Pocahontas coal Geld Is located
in basin with high mountain ranges
on either side. Elkhorn creek flowing
through the center Of the basin. which
ranges from one-fourth 20 one mile la
width From Tennis. W. Va, 10 Vivian
yards. w. Va. a distance OF 10 miles,
miners cabins. coal companies com.
miGGaries and coke plants line the ba-
sin. Elkhorn creek. fed by numerous
small streams coming from the noun.
tain side. rises rapidly.
This waterproof came 90 suddenly
that the entire basin between the two
mountain ranges vas flooded and be-
fore the terror stricken paopie realized
what was upon them. they were car
Fled down by the flood. which swept
everything In ia path. The little town
Of Keystone. with = population OF about
1000. seems the greatest sufferer. prae.
tieally the entire town beIng washed
away. The town IL located near its
center. II was 10 = great extent the
headquarters from which the mining
population purchased supplies and was
also the only place In the field where
whlskey could be purchased.
Al this place there were some ~ to
70 saloons all Of which were washed
away.
A great number Of the coal and coke
plants throughout the Pocahontas dis.
trict are reported practically destroyed
and are In some instances entirely
washed away.
Owing 20 the very high water which
has flooded The region and prevented
communication. anything like . cor
rect estimate OF the loes II property IL
impossible. but from the best Informa-
tlon ohtalnable at .. m. Sunday the
loss 10 the property viii easily reach
$4,000. 900.
Linagrah. the beautiful home Of Gen.
era) Ord. Is reported gone. but his fam.
lily ls said 10 be safe.
Passenger train No. OF the Norfolk
a Western reached Vivian about s:se
a. m. met the food and was unable 10
proceed further. The waters reached
such a depth that the coaches had 10 be
abandoned. the passengers being rescn.
ed by means OF ropes strung from the
windows OF coaches TO TIE tops OF re.
naming coke ovens. some distance
away. Between Elkhorn and Vivian
yards. distance OF 10 miles, 100 cars
are said to be washed from the tracks
and many OF them carried down the
stream.
A rough estimate places the number
OF bridges washed away between Blue
Geld and vivian yards, a distance OF 2S
miles. at from Is 10 20. and from pres
ent indications Il will be impossible 70
run trains through to Vivian and
points west OF there for eight on ten
days. This will render Il Impossible 10
get relief into the stricken districts
and with those who escaped with their
lives, homeless and without food. indie.
scribable suffering is Inevitable.
On the Cllnch valley branch Of the
Norfolk q Western railroad. between
this city and Norton. communication
is entirely severed west OF Tasewell. Va
Reports come from that pcint OF great
loss Of life and property throughout the
entire section.
In Shakerag negro settlement on
the outskirts OF Tazwell. the water
stands to the depth OF eight feet In the
streets and houses. All OF the occupants
have been removed 70 points OF safety
Three miles west OF Tazwell. on the
Hlgginbotham farm, the house OF Paris
vandyke. . farm hand. was swept
away, carrying with It Mrs. vandyks
and her four children.
There is no telegraph station at Wit
sal'a Mil. and q Is impossible to ascer
tain particulars.
Nothing whatever has been heard
from the section OF country between
, Vivian and Williamson, other than kh,
river Is reported a. being entirely oveI
its banks and higher than ever known
by the oldest Inhabitants.
The town OF welch. county seat Of
Mcdowell county. must have suffered