Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-06-25
JOHNSTOWN HORRORS
PROBABLY EXCEEDED
Rush of Mad Waters In Po-
cahontas Coal Region.
TERRIFIC LOSS OF LIFE
Several Hundred People Believed to
Have Perished-Damage to Coal
Mines Almost Beyond Computation.
Communities Wiped Out.

Mines Almost Beyond Computation.
Communities Wiped Out.
BLUEFIELDs, W. Va, June 24.-This
entire section has been visited by flood,
the extent of which in all probability
will equal or exceed that of Johnstown
in $780, so far as the loss of property is
concerned. Early Saturday morning,
shortly after midnight, heavy down.
pour of rain began, accompanied by a
severe electric storm, which steadily
increased i'll violence until 10 o'clock in
the morning, then ceasing for several
hours and beginning again with renew
ed violence. This continued throughout
the entire day and night, and at 10
O'Clock Sunday morning, while the
storm had abated, the lowering clouds
indicated another terrific downpour at
any moment. Many miles of the Nor
folk and Western railroad track bridges
and telegraph lines are entirely de-
stroyed and communication is entirely
cut off west of Elkhorn, so that 1t is i'm
possible to learn the full extent of the
loss of life and property, but officials of
the coal operations located in the
stricken district have sent out messen-
gers to Elkhorn, the terminus of both
telegraphic and railroad communica.
ton, and have received a report that
conservative estimate as to the loss of
life will easily reach 200. Some of the
drowned are among the most prominent
citizens of the coal fields.
Scene of the Disaster.
The Pocahontas coal field is located in
a basin v it'll high mountain ranges on
either side. Elkhorn creek flows through
the center of the basin, which ranges
from one fourth to / mile in width.
From Ennis, w. Va, to Vivian Yard,
w. Va, distance of 10 miles, miners
cabins, coal company oommissaries and
coke plants line this basin. Elkhorn
creek, being fed by numerous small
streams coming from the mountain
sides, rises very rapidly and this water
spout came so suddenly that the entire
basin between the two mountain ranges
was flooded, and before the terror strick-
en- people realized what was upon them
they were carried down by the flood,
which swept verything in it's path.
It is now certain that the total list of
the dead from one end of the Elkhorn
valley to the other will reach 200. A
full list of the names of the victims can
not be ascertained at this time Hun
dreds are missing, having taken refuge
in the mountains to escape the fury of
the flood.
Several hundred mines are reported
flooded.
At least 300 mine mules were
drowned, and at least % could be seen
swimming about in the flood and max
ing an unusual fight for life.
Passenger train No of the Norfolk
and Western railway reached Vivian
yard, the western terminus of the coal
field. about $3.50 a. m. i, met the food and
was unable to proceed further.
Rescued Through Windows.
The waters reached such depth that
the coaches had to be abandoned the
passengers being rescued by means of
ropes strung from the windows of
coaches to the tops of remaining coke
ovens some distance away. Between
Elk Horn and Vivian yard, distance
of 10 miles, 100 cars are said to be
washed away from the tracks and many
of them carried down the streams
From present indications it will be
impossible to get trains through to Wv
ian and points west of there under a
week or 10 days.
This will render it impossible to get
relief into the stricken district, and
with those who escaped with their lives,
homeless and without food, indescriba-
BILE suffering is inevitable
Families Swept Away.
Three miles west of Tazewell. on the
Higgin botham farm, the home of Paris
Van Dyke, a farmhouse was swept
away, carrying with it Mrs. Van Dyke
and four children, two of the Van Dyke
children, John, aged II, and Charles,
aged 5, being drowned. Mrs. Van Dyke
with the two remaining children, Edgar
and Laura We're found this morning in
dying condition i mile from where
the home stood by Mr.. Van Dyke, who
was absent from home at the time of
the cloudburst. -~--
While the rescuing party was search
ing for the Van Dyke family they
found the body of white woman, well
clad, floating down Plum creek. No
one thus far has been able to identify
her and it is supposed the body had
washed down for some distance.
A report comes from Wittens mill, a
small station between Bluefeld and
Tazewell, that three children, Christian
names unknown, belonging 10 Raleigh
Brush, were burned.
Town Washed Away.
1t is stated that everything in the
town of Keystone was demolished or
carried away by the water save one,
and that barroom which stands on a
hill
The normal population of keystone is
1000, and rs last night was Saturday
night, there is no telling how many mi
ners had gone in-o the town to swell its
population. It Is estimated that 200
lives were lost at Keystone alone.
Dead bodies could be seen floating
along the valley by those who gained a
place OF safety on the heights.
PLAQUE AT OUR DOORS.
An Infected Ship Arrives at "a Pacific