Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-07-02
BIRD's-EYE VIRGINIA


entire valley has been devastated and the
loss to the Pocahontas coal region is
enormous. The railway loss is also
heavy, for the track and roadbed washed
away was probably the most expensive
piece of engineering work in the country
for its length. The roadbed was almost
carved out of solid rock, and only last
year 100000 was spent in better
ments.
1t had been raining hard for several
days in the Elkhorn region, and the hun
dreds of small mountain creeks were
swollen to their full capacity and pour
ing their waters into the Elkhorn river.
Early Saturday morning the heavy
downpour of rain became more notice
able, and it was accompanied by a severe
electric storm, which violently increased
in volume and continued for several
hours. The storm continued throughout
the entire day and night.
Saturday toward noon the rain ceased
but the heavy storm clouds hung over the
valley, threatening every moment an
other downfall The clouds held back,
however, until about midnight, when the
rain again began to fall.
CIoudb Adds to Terror.
The storm increased in violence every
minute and finally eliminated in cloud
burst which precipitated a great volume
of water into the Elkhorn valley, already
flooded to the danger point by the rains
of the preceding forty-eight hours.
The great mass of water started down
the valley with a roar that was heard
above the storm. 1t swept everything
before it-trees, telegraph poles, huge
powders. whole buildings, railroad ties,
steel rails, box cars, and coal sheds.
Into the mass of tangled wreckage OF
the flood were swept helpless men, wom-
en- and children, caught in its path, and
as all were swept along in the fury of the
storm they went to their death with none
to hear their last cries for help.
buildings Float Away.
The valley was peopled almost entirely
with miners and their families. Their
frail cabins and cottages offered no re-
sistance to the impact of the food and
the buildings were tossed upon the front
of the great wave which was rushing
down the valley. There was no chance
for escape for the unfortunate people,
GduEuL NituUul NdIUluEs
The food began to make its terrible
force felt at Ennis, and it extended the
entire length Of the valley TO Vivian. As
the crow flies the distance is fifteen OF
sixteen miles, but by the tortuous path
of the river it is thirty-fve
The Elkhorn valley at this point is a
great gorge, cutting its way through
the mountain range. 1t is a mile wide
at one place and then it narrows to a
width of only 800 feet At its narrow
est point its rocky walls rise to a height
OF from 700 to 1000 feet.
1t was through this gorge that the
storm tore its way. The great wave OF
water which swept everything bet 3re il
wrought its destruction in a few miautes
In twenty minutes it was all over but
the desolation.
Like Johnstowu.
In many ways the crash came ike il
did at Johnstown. The pent-up waters
suddenly descended down a channel
whence they could not escape save by
tearing everything before them in TIE
rush 10 the rivers beyond
A series Of electrical storms and cloud
bursts preceded the deluge. To add Il
their horror. they attained their greatest
violence between midnight and 8 O'Clock
Sunday morning. Darkness intensified
the sudden terrOrs Of the valley frorz
which hundreds u the victims fei IL
vain. Finally. the Elkhorn. fed stimuli
taneously by its mountain branches. leap
ed over its banks and rushed down N,
valley. the crest Of its food water;
spreading out until they touched III,
mountain walls on both sides.
These bituminous coal fields are in The
southeastern part Of West Virginia. an.
the western part Of Virginia. on ethel
side Of the dividing line between n:
States. The Norfolk and Western Rail
road taps the coal fields and carries the;l
products 10 Norfolk, Va. Erervwber.
ridges Of mountains-spurs Of the Cum
berlanis-cross this country. Towns
whose prosperity is due 10 the coal IN
austry. line the railroad. with eoIlieries
'atipples" (great structures for loadin.
cosl cars, coke ovens and miners cot
cSEss-