The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-06-27
HUNDREDS LOSE LIFE in FLOODS
Fearful Cloudburst Sweeps Down
West Virginia Valley.

least h1cy OF those lVlng on the SOutn
or lower side were drowned.
At Burke, a suburb Of Keystone, a
number are missing and eign~ are re-
ported as dead.
It Is now certain that the total list
Of the dead from one end Of the Elk
horn valley TO the other. will reach
two hundred. A full list OF the names
OF the victims cannot be ascertatned at
this time. Hundreds are missing, hav-
ing taken refuge in the mountains to
escape the fury Of the food.
At least three hundred mine mules
were drowned, and at least twenty-five
could be seen swimming about in the
food and making an unusual fight for
life.
But little damage is done to mines
proper, as the drift mouths were high
I'D the mountain sides. several hun
dred are reported flooded, but it is im-
possible to ascertain the extent OF
damage.
On the North Fork branch Of the
Norfolk and Western. which is five and
one-half mites long. there was no loss
of life as far as known. but hundreds
were rendered homeless and are at
preser. campingin the mountains. The
damage to property on this branch is
very heavy, only one Of ten colleries
located on this branch escaping, the
Ashland, it being located at the head
Of the stream.
The Mcdowell Coal Company lost
twelve residences. The Roanoke Com
pany lost three boiler houses, and the
one hundred horsepower boilers were
swept four miles down the stream.
The Louisville Company's store
house is wreck and the stock Of
goods total loss.
At Rolfe a large number OF miners
houses were swept away. as we'll as
the handsome residence of the COM
pany's physician. Twenty-Five houses
are jammed together in one complete
mass of broken timbers and debris.
At the Giiiiam Company's colliery
the powder house and fourteen houses
are demolished.
At Indian Ridge the company store
was considerably damaged and the
stock lost The house of Captain Bots
ford, the manager. Is wrecked; also
the North Fork track is nearly all
washed away, all the trestles being
gone except one.
In the Elkhorn valley it is estimated
that the loss to the railroad and coal
interests will reach INTO millions. Out
Of twelve miles Of main double track
only one mile remains and all the
bridges are gone. Some Of them were
Of the heaviest masonry and iron, but
they could not resist the force OF the
food.
The Cozer Company, one Of the larg-
est in operation, lost thousand horse
power electric plant and many build
ings and coke ovens. Their loss is said
to be $50,000. The Tierney interest,
consisting of four collieries, will lose
$4,000.
There are over twenty collieries
whose damage is great, many miles OF
their tracks leading to ovens and
mines being gone. In some instances
nine locomotives and cars have been
swept for miles down the stream.
Fifteen hundred laborers have been
rushed TO the scene to work On repairs,
and it Is expected that telegraphic
communication will be established in
q short time.
Later advices from the Clinch val
ley division confirm the reported
drowning Of ten persons. A family
named Hook, living near the river at
Rounding Mill, were all drowned, six
perishing.