Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-06-26
FLOOD IN WEST VIRGINIA.
Loss Of Life Estimated from Two 10 Five
fIuudred-Property Loss Heavy.

PAoPeity ID CoHcerheu. Eariy yeBCerQay
morning, shortly after midnight, heavy
downpour of rain began, accompanied
by n severe electric storm, which steadily
increased in violence until 10 O'Clock in
the morning, thon ceasing >for several
hours and beginning again with renewed
violence. This continued throughout
the entire day and night, and at 10
O'Clock this morning, whilo tho storm
had abated, tho lowering clouds indi-
Gated another terrific downpour ut any
moment. Many miles Of the Norfolk
and Western railroad track, bridges and
telegraph lines are entirely destroyed
and communication is out off west of
Elkborn, 80 that it is impossible to learn
the full extent Of tho loss of life and
property, but officials of the coal opera
tions located in the stricken district
have sent out messengers to Elkhorn,
the terminus of both telegraphio and
railroad communication, and have re-
oeived a report that conservative esti-
mate rs to the loss of life will easily
reach two hundred. Some of the drowned
arc among the most prominent citizens
! of tho coal folds.
The Pocahontas coal field is located in
basin with high mountain ranges on
either side. Elkhorn creek flows through
the confer of the basin, which ranges
from one-fourth to one mile in width.
From Ennis, w. Va, to Vivian Yard,
w. Va, distance of ton miles, minors
cabins, coal company commissaries and
coke plants line this basin. Elkhorn
creek, being fed by humorous small
streams coming from tho mountain
sides, rises very rapidly and this water
| spout came so suddenly that the entire
basin between tho two mountain ranges
was flooded, and before the terror
stricken people realized what was upon
them they wero carried down by the
flood, which swept everything in it's
path.
At Keystone tho water began to riso at
O'Clock Sunday morning, and by II
o'clock tho flood had spent it's fury and
Mt least two thirds of tho little city had
boon washed away or demolished.
1t is known that sixteen residents of
the north sido lost thoir lives, and at
least fifty of those living on tho south or
lower side wore drowned.
At Burko, asuburb of Keystone, a num-
Der are missing and eight arc reported
dcad. 1t is now certain that tho total
list of tho dead from one end of the Elk
horn valley to tho other will roach two
hundred. Hundreds arc missing, having
n xn i'll t1o @.>
the fury Of tho flood.
At least three hundred mino mules
wero drowned, and as many as twenty
| five could bo scon swimming about in
the flood and making an unusual fight
| for life. But little damage is tlono to
mino property. as tho drift mouths wore
high up the mountain sides. Several
hundred are reported Hooded, but it is
impossible to ascertain the oxtcnt of tho
damage.
CAMPING IN THE MOUNTAINS.
| On tho North Fork branch of tho Nor
| folk and Western, which is five and one.
half miles long, there was no loss of life
as far as known, but hundreds wcro rem
dcrcd homeless and arc now camping i'm
the mountains. The damage to property
on this branch is very heavy, only one of
tho ten collieries located on it escaping,
| it being located ut tho head of tho stream.
In tho Elkhorn valley IL is estimated
that tho loss to tho railroad and coal in
| tcrests will reach into millions. Out of
| twelve milos Of main double track ONLY
ono mile remains, and all tho bridges arc
gone. Some of them were Of the heaviest
masonry and iron, but they could not
resist tho force of tho flood. Tho
Cozcr Company, ono of tho largest in
operation, lost a thousand horse power
electric plant, many buildings and coke
ovens. Their loss is said to be $50, 900.
The Houston Company is damaged somo
$4,000. Tho Tierney interest, consist
ing of four collicrics, will lose $75, 900.
PASSENGERS TAKEN THROUGH wINpo VIZ.
At I.andgraf, tho beautiful homo of
General Manager Ord, is reported gone,
but his family is said to be safo. Pas
scngor train No. 4, Of the Norfolk and
Western Railway, reached Vivian Yard,
the western terminus of tho coal field
about $50 n. m, mot tho flood and was
unable to proceed farther Tho waters
reached such n depth that tho coaches
had to be abandoned, the passengers
bcing rescued by means of ropes strung
from tho windows of coaches to tho tons
of remaining coke ovens somo distance
away. Between Elkhorn and Vivian
Yard, distance of ton miles, 100 cars
are said to be washed away from the
tracks and many of them carried down
the streams.
rough estimate places tho number
of bridges washed away botwcen Blue.
field and Vivian Yard, distance of
twenty eight miles, at from fifteen to
twenty, and from present indications it
will be impossible to got trains through
to Vivian and points west of thore under
a week or ten days.
This will render it impossible to get
relief into tho stricken district and with
those who escaped with their lives,
homeless and without food indescriba-
bio suffering is inevitable.
HEAVY LOSS or LIFE
Owing to tho fact that the telegraph
lines wero Frustrated by tho storm the
Norfolk and Western officials detailed
messengers by foot to cover the territory
as hcst they could. They returned in q
short time with reports of the terrible
obstruction which had been done in their
respective territory. One of these mes
songcrs, in walking over the devastated