Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-06-27
Hundreds Killed i'm Fierce Flood.

ROANOKE, Va, June % Between,
500 and 600 lives have been lost and
millions of dollars worth of property
destroyed by frightful flood and
cloudburst that swept over the Elkhorn
and Pocahontas coal regions, in the ex-
IRENE southwestern section, near the
Virginia line, about one hundred and
twenty miles from this city, last night
and to-day.
The hundreds ofravines and streams
only served to swell the Elkhorn river
until it resembled a huge rolling tor
rent, carrying destruction in its wake.
Railroad lines and tracks, whole
buildings, trees, telegraph poles, huge
bollders and every imaginable movable
thing that came in its way went down
the mountain torrent in seething, roar.
ing masses.
Many dead bodies could be seen
floating by those who sought the safety
of the mountain side.
The trainmaster Of the Norfolk and
Western Railroad walked the track be-
tween Vivian and North Fork, dis
talce of twelve miles. He discovered
thirty bodies floating in the river.
Saturday night is pay night in the
coal fields, and it is supposed that the
coal miners had focked to the towns
in the district to do their trading, and
there is no telling how many of them
We're caught in the flood and drowned
At keystone, w. Va, the greatest
damage was done and form meagre re-
ports received at II O'Clock tonight it
seems to rival the Johnstown flood.
1t is known, however, that every
building in that town of 1000 inhabi-
tants was swept away save one saloon
that stands on hillside above the
town proper.
For twenty-five miles the great coal
regions are in ruins.
More than thirty miles of N orfold and
Western Railroad track is said to be
completely destroyed.
The railroad yards at Vivian, w. Va,
Were completely destroyed and most
of the town washed away.
North Fork Junction and few other
towns suffered in like manner.
Between II and O'Clock this morn
ing it seemed as if the heavens opened
their flood gates about the town of
Vivian
A passenger train was caught in the
food and the lives of the passengers
were saved by the use of ropes thrown
over from the coke ovens whic ch lined
the Vivian yards.
The passengers caught the ropes and
willing hands dragged them from the
flooded trains and over the oven barri-
cades.
Owing to the fact that the telegraph
lines were all down the Norfolk and
Western detailed couriers by foot to
cover the territory, they returning in a
short time with their reports.
One man in q short walk down the
devastated district reported having
seen thirty-eight dead bodies. Many
bodies will likely never be accounted
for.
The telegraph Office, the railroad
offices and officials and the passing
trains are visited by hundreds of eager
people, all awaiting some message as
to the fate of their friends end relatives.
The railway officials are reticent,
but admit that at least 200 lives have
been lost, Keystone destroyed and
millions of dollars worth of property
destroyed.
The flood has not only damaged the
Elkhorn Valley, but every one of the
thirty-three fiat-top coal operations has
| suffered more or less.
Great damage has resulted in the
Clinch Valley section, which extends
| south from Graham, Va.