The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-06-26
THE WEST VIRGINIA FLOOD.
Reported That Number Of Dead Will
Not Exceed Sixty.

Roanoke, Va, June A.-There has
been very little news received here to-
dav from the West Virginia flood. One
train came in this afternoon but very
little new information could be gained
from these passengers. The trains are
running from Bluefeld and Ennis
which places are outside the territory
visited by the cloudburst last Saturday
morning.
All day long today Roanokers who
have friends and relatives in the coal
fields and the coal operators here who
have large financial interests in the
devastated strip have been lounging
aroud the railroad station awaiting
the arrival of the belated trains.
These people making inquiries as to
relatives and property have been be-
sieging the railroad and commercial
telegraph Offices since early this morn
ing. The wires all being down west
of Bluefeld, save one wire which goes
through to Ennis but is being used as
train wire, prevented the public
from gaining any additional particu-
lars.
How many are dead is not definite
| " known and it will necessarily be
several days yet before the exact num-
Der can be given out as official. but
the various reports in circulation here
are that all the way from so to 200
have been drowned. It is probably safe
to assume the first figures as being
more nearly correct than the last.
The damage to property will certainly
amount to hundreds of thousands Of
dollars. Miles of railroad track are
washed out and great gulches have
been created.
The devastated section covers an
area of about 20 miles west of Blue
field. It is very narrow valley not
much wider than broad street in
some places. Coal mines are scatter
ed all along the road. Keystone,
the town reported to have been SO
greatly damaged, and at first believed
to have been wiped out of existence.
is a village of between 1900 and 5000
and is built along the narrow valley
and on the sides of the bluffs. There
is a creek which runs through the
town. over which most of the houses
are built on piles and rock work.
This creek which runs through the
town, the narrow village and has a
gradual fall.
The mountains on each side loom up
for hundreds of feet and the town is so
narrow in places that one is obliged to
90 into the middle Of it to see the sky.
Those familiar with the situation of
the town know that it would be a
death trap if the food was as heavy as
reported. Yet they reason, occurring
in the day time there was no reason
why but few people should have been
caught in the rush of waters. All
reports agree that between 200 and 800
houses were swept away in the Elk
horn valley, but it does not follow
necessarily that the occupants were
drowned. The railroad folks are rush
ing material and supplies to the Elk
horn. One hundred and fifty laborers
came in over the Roanoke and South
ern today on an extra train and went
west and nearly all the work trains on
the road have been sent to the Elk
horn vicinity.
J. ". Croty, fireman on the
Norfolk and Western road, who re-
sides in this city. received message
Yesterday from Bluefeld stating that
his father, mother, one sister. two
brothers. and sister-in-law with her
two children, were lost in the food
Saturday at keystone. Mr.. Croty's
people lived in the centre of the town.
\ neighbor Of the Croty's who escap-
ed the food informed Mr.. Croty at
Bluefeld Saturday that he saw the
Croty house move off into the waters.
So far as getting news from the ter
ritory west of Blueield is concerned,
the Western Union officials say the
situation is unchanged, and they have
nothing new to give out.
The Associated Press was given the
following short statement tonight by
one of the general officers Of the Nor
folk and Western railroad tRestora-
tion of telegraph lines develop that
damage by food through coal fields
was exaggerated. Loss of life will not
exceed 60 or IS, and damage to proper
ty, including repairs to railroad and
coal operations, vii not exceeded $500,
600. It is expected that the railway
will get the line opened through to-