Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-06-27
LIBERTY HILL WRECKED.


their relief.
LIBERTY HILL WRECKED.
The oldest village in the county is Lib
erty Hill, it is located nine miles west OF
the court house, land was quiet but pretty
village of hundred or more inhabitants.
Today it is a wreck of its former self. At
about 8 o'clock Saturday morning 1t was
swept by food of water that came rush.
ing down the valley. In twenty minutes
picture of beauty and comfort was
changed to a scene Of des olatiOn. From
John Bundy's,at the east end OF fthe valley,
for distance of four miles the water had
rushed along, accumulatlng in force and
volume each foot of the way, until 1t be-
came mighty torrent when 1t reached
Liberty Hill. With few exceptions,
every home in the village was surrounded
bv the water and the lower stories filed
The occupants escaped to the bills as rap
idlv as possible, several families being
moved out with horses. When the waters
had subsidized the scene was pitiful to be-
hold. All but about two or three dwell
ings in the place had been badly dam
aged, and nearly every clubhouse, stable,
corn crib, smoke house, chicken house,
and pig pens, etc., were all torn down and
carried away. The fences were all wreck
ed and washed away. The Methodlst
parsonage was badly damaged, the ell part
was washed away and chimney torn
down. ]. d. HarrissOn's dwelling and
Store house were undermined and left i'll a
battered and injured condition. The
Bane Moore house and Cruey house were
completely wrecked The water rose to
the depth of five or six feet in nearly all
the houses and the lower floors were filled
with mud and debris. The street which
runs through the village from east to west
looks like the bottom of some dry noun
rain stream filled with thousands OF tons
of boulders, logs and all kinds of debris
Deep holes are dug in the streets anC
for some distance broad, deep ditch was
cut. Yards and back lots are literally
covered with stones, boulders, logs and al
kinds of trash. Mr.. j. D. Harrissoni
stock of goods was damaged 10 the exten
of $500, or more.
Up the Valley, several miles east of Lib
erty Hill, what is known as the Belche
house was almost miraculously saved. |
was occupied by Sam Brown and family
Before they were aware Of danger th
house was struck by the flood and part @
it torn away. They were forced to flee u
s stairs and would certainly have been car
If ried to destruction, but for drift sud
If denly forming above the house which d
a yided the current to the North and Sout
e of the building. From John Bundy's
is the west of Liberty Hill the scene Of desc
e lation extends. The fences In the vale
ir have been torn down and carried away
/, Rich Mountain bounds the valley on tn
y South and Paint Lick Mountain on ii
A North. From the sides of these moul
II tains immense stones and logs have bee
ID washed down and deposited on the terti
if fields, and many land slides have been d
Or posted in the valley. The damage to th
IN valley is very heavy.
INDIAN CREEK SPREADS HAVOC.
ps Big Indian Greek flows from the Mort
id western side of Tazewell county and ente
ty Cliuch River at Cedar Bluff. From
es source to its mouth is a distance of son
,e- twelve miles. The narrow valley throul
as which it flows was greatly damaged by t
pt flood on Saturday. From its head to
no mouth the work of destruction was e
on tended. Allizer's grist mill, near t
yn head of the stream was swept away. The
,se G, Christian g mill, at Harman, was col
so pletely destroyed. w. P. Payne's mi
We one mile below Harman, was also wash
ed away. Near this point was located
home of Albert Bandy, brother Of Jan
en- Bandy, sheriff of Tazewell county. N
ed Bandy's house was quickly torn from
nd foundation and. floated down the ragi
lrs stream. He managed to escape with
en- family, but lost all his household effects.
mt About six weeks or two months a!
Ily Mr.. ]. T. Hopkins, wfo had been M
il chandsing at TazewelI FIR several yea