The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-06-25
THE WEST VIRGINIA FLOOD
REPORTS OF THE DISASTER ARE
 STILL CONFLICTING.
Norfolk G Western Railroad Issues Statement That the Damage Has Been EIaggerated-Places Loss of Life at Between Sixty and Seventy-Governor Decides Not to Issue Any Appeal Out side of the State-Troops Ordered to the Stricken District.
Stricken District.

Roanoke Va., June 24-The following
 short statement was given out tonight
 at the office of the Norfolk and West
 ern railroad, summarizing the flood sit
 uation in the light of the latest dis
 patches: Restoration of telegraph line
 develops that damage by flood through
 coal fields was exaggerated. Loss of
 life will not exceed sixty or seventy,
 and damage to property including re-
 pairs to railroad and coal operat tions
 will not exceed $50O000, It is expected
 the railroad will get the line open to-
 morrow or next day"
 / Colonel John Hewitt, attorney at
 Bramwell, has been directed by the sec-
 retary of state, in the absence of the
 governor, to take full charge of the sit
 uation in the flooded district. A com
 pany of national guards has been or
 dered to assist More troops will be
 sent as soon as possible. Supply tents
 have been ordered. If there is an
 great delay in opening railroad com munication relief wagons will be sent overland.
 Charlestown, w. Va, June 25.-After a consultation late tonight with the secretary of state. Colonel William o, Dawson and Adiutant General Baker, Governor White issued an appeal to West Virginians only.
 Bluefield, w. Va, June 24 - At this juncture 1t is extremely hard to deter mine the exact situat ton of the flood. Wires are now open to Ennis, w. Va, the point being practically the mouth of the devastated section. At Ennis the depot and postoffice were washed completely away and miles of track torn up. No trains are going farther west than Ennis. Two thousand men are repairing the damage to the Nor folk and Western railway. The estimat- ed damage to railway property now is $1 ,000, ,000, though this does not include the loss sustained in loss of revenue.
 The entire property loss is estimated at between s200O,0 ,000 and $3OOO, ,000 It is now positive that the reports of 200 lives lost was exaggerated, but officials estimate that the number of lives lost by flood will run up to seventy five easily It is reported that there is great suffering in the coal fields, two thirds of the miners being homeless l NO IFd1HS dTe eApeCL6u. lO elllGI LilSN fields for three or four days. At this | hour, 4:30 p. nl., there are indications of more rain. The telegraph company has three building gangs on the scene and three more en route. and it is be- lieved by tomorrow noon or night they | will be able to communicate with Key stone and Vivian yard. Reports from l the west say it is estimated that at | least eight miles of telegraph poles are entirely gone west of Vivian Yard, and | 1t is hardly probable communication will be had for some time with the river section where the river Is reported | higher than ever known before It is almost certain that the large lumber interests west of Vivian and near Welch have suffered greatly, the dam age probably running up into the hun dreds of thousands of dollars.
 Huntington. W. Va, June 24-The tremendous high water in the Tug river caused by cloudburst along the head waters of that stream on Saturday is l thing unprecedented in the history of that section, and the destruction of property along the Elkhorn and Dry Fork and down the Tug river to it's mouth is something appalling. Though t comes far short of rivaling the fa- nous Johnston flood it serves as vivid reminder of that terrible deluge.