The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-06-26
AN AWFUL CALAMITY.

BLUEFIELDs, w. Va, June PA
cloudburst in Elkhorn Valley on Satur-
day night wrought terrible destruction
along the line of the Norfolk and
Western Railway. Thirteen prosperous
little mining towns dotting the fifteen
miles of track we're swept by the Elk
horn Greek, and all were entirely or
partially destroyed.
The stricken district is practically
cut off from telegraphic communica-
ton. The work of the food, so far as
is known at present, is summed up as
follows: Loss of life, variously esti-
mated at from $50 to 600; town OF Key
stone entirely destroyed, a dozen others
partially ruined; thirty miles of railroad
track gone; more than 100 miles Of
road unsafe; score Of coal plants dam
aged and put out Of operation for
weeks; 100 cars swept away % bridges,
perhaps more, missing; steamboat sunk
and pounded to pieces in the raging
current.
CHARLESTON, w. Va, June 24.-At
midnight Secretary of State Dawson,
in the absence of Gov. White, who is
at Parkersburg and cannot be reached,
sent a message to Col. John o. Hewitt
at Bramwell to take full charge of the
situation. A company of the national
guard at BramWell is ordered to assist
in guarding property, and more troops
will be sent. a supply of tents has
been ordered for the homeless If the
railroad cannot be made ready before
noon relief train OF wagons will be
sent overland.
ROANOKE, Va, June "a. - Some
survivors Of the food III the Elkhorn
Valley reached here this morning..
They think the loss of life has been
over estimated and that it will be about
100.
BLUEFIELD, W. Va, June 24.-This
section of the State is the scene of a
disastrous food, involving an immense
loss of property and the destruction of
many scores Of lives. 1t is the conse-
quence of heavy rains which began
Saturday, accompanied by electrical
storms, and which increased steadily in
violence and quantity of rainfall. On
Sunday morning the storm had abated,
but the lowering clouds indicated
further terrific down pour.
Many miles of the Norfolk and West
ern railroad tracks were washed out,
bridges entirely destroyed and COM
munication entirely cut off 30 that it
was impossible to learn the full extent
of the loss of life and property, but a
conservative estimate as to the loss of
life is 200. Some of the drowned are
among the most prominent citizens of
the cool fields.
The locality of the disaster is thus
described: The Pocahontas coal field is
located in a basin, with high mountain
ranges on either side, Elkhorn creek
flowing through the center of the basin,
which ranges from one-fourth to one
mile in width. For distance OF ten
miles miners cabins, coal company
commissaries and coke plants line this
basin. Elkhorn creek being fed by nu-
merous small streams coming from the
mountain sides, rises very rapidly and
this water spout came 80 suddenly that
the entire basin between the two noun
tain ranges was flooded, and before the
terror stricken people realized what was
upon them they were carried down by
the food, which swept everything in
its path.
Keystone, witha population Of about
1000, seems the greatest sufferer, prac-
ticslly the entire town being washed
away. 1t is the principal town in
the Pocahontas coal fields and is located
near its center. 1t was TO great ex-
tent headquarters from which the min
ing population purchased supplies. The
mining population is occupying the
banks OF the streams below, catching
the merchandise and barrels of whis-
key and beer as they float down. A
great number Of the coal and coke
plants in the Pocahontas field are
wrecked and entirely washed away.
A passenger train OF the Norfolk &
Western railway met the flood and was
unable to proceed. The waters reach
cd such depth that the coaches were
abandoned, the passengers being res
cued by means of ropes strung from
the windows of the coaches to the tops
Of coke ovens some distance away.
Elkhorn and Vivian yard
distance Of ten miles, 100 cars are said
10 be washed from the tracks and
many OF them were carried down the
streams. A score of bridges have been
swept away. Trains cannot be run to
.he stricken region for week or ten
lays, rendering it impossible 10 carry
relief 10 those who escaped with their
ives, homeless and without food suf-
iering indescribsble hardships.