The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-25
STORY OF THE FLOOD
Told by One Who Was at Key
stone at the Time.

keystone, W. Va, June 25.-The fol-
lowing story is told by an eye witness
of the great flood:
keystone is the metropolis of the
Elkhorn Mining country. 1t has but one
narrow street. and because of limited
space many houses were built on piles
or walls over the Elkhorn or close up
against the mountains. The town fol-
lows the meanderings of the stream for
q mile.
"On Friday night at II o'clock the
storm struck the mountain and for six
hours rain fell in torrents. BY 9 a. m.
the narrow valley was a torrent
Houses, barns, bridges, fills, livestock
and human beings We're swept away by
the mighty current and dashed on the
rocks or street below.
It was an eye witness of the disaster
at Keystone, stopping at a hotel. At the
first warning many of the inhabitants
took refuge on the mountain side over
looking the town and river. More than
hundred people, however, remained
in the town to look after the women
and children who did not escape early.
The bridge leading to the depot was
soon swept away, then the angry wa
tiers rushed through the only street of
the town. and we found hundreds cut
off from the mountain retreat and the
hotel was made fast to the telephone
poles by means of a line Hundreds of
lives were saved. But, in attempting to
cross the muddy, surging waters which
swept like an avalanche down this
street many lost their hold and in
plain sight of friends We're carried on
into the river and drowned. Houses
plunged and danced in the mighty
stream, with screaming women and chill
dren on the roofs. Horses. cattle and
other animals drowned about US.
THE Norfolk & Western railroad fill
at this place gave way and more than
a mile of track now lies in the bed of
the river. In fact, it is hard to tell
how many miles of track and how
many bridges have been swept away.
The destruction is tremendous to the
railroad alone, and it may be days and
perhaps weeks before trains can run.
THE loss of life cannot be estimated
from here Tt is known eight lives were
lost here. Six bodies have been recov-
cred at Eclxman, two miles below here
Several were drowned at Shawnee, and
a good part of the town swept away.
f'All the women were conveyed from
the hotel to the mountain side by
means of the life line Then the men
left, as the place was unsafe. When it
came my turn / seized the line and
plunged into the muddy current. In
an instant my feet were swept from
under me- ana it was the fight of my
life to reach the house on the south
side of the street.
water not more than three feet deep.
1.-THE distance was not great and the
but the current was almost irresistible.
and even COWS and horses were swept
past me as I chung to the rope. which
was the only hope. Friendly hands pull
ed me out more dead than alive. The
hotel is still standing"
Richmond, Va, June Pa Dispatch
correspondent who returned to Blue
field, from the scene of the disaster at
2 o'clock this morning describes the
havoc as most appalling. He says that
hundreds of people are missing or re-
ported missing but discredits the idea
that the loss of life is anything like as
at first rumored.