The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-06-09

Charlotte n. c.. June 6.-The heavy
rains have resulted in an incalculable
loss of property between here and
Spartanburg. 5. c.. along the line of
the Southern railway. 1t is reported
that a number of lives have been lost.
Five cotton mills have been washed
away, three bridges on the Southern
railway are lost and two others dam
aged. and telephone messages say that
twelve bodies have been seen floating
| in the Pacolet river.
Early this morning tidings of distress
began to reach this city and each report
Indicated great injury to the Southern
| railway and to many industrial inter-
ests that are located between Charlotte
| and Spartanburg.
| Three bridges on the Southern rail-
| way have been swept away and all the
| buildings in the vicinity Of the mills.
| The bridge over LaWsOn'S Fork, of the
| Pacolet river. near Spartanburg has
gone. 1t haG one span and was 142 feet
| long. The bridge over the middle
! Tiger river IS destroyed. 1t had three
spans and was 142 feet. long.
The bridge over North Tiger river
| cannot be used. 1t is damaged, though
| the full extent of the injury cannot be
| IaScertained.
The big bridge over the Pacolet river
six or seven miles this side of Spartan
| burg is said by railway officials to be
very unsafe. 1t is still standing against
/ the fierce tide, but is badly damaged
| and is IN a very serious condition.
| The bridge over the Enoree river just
L.
| ried away.
| PacOlet mills Nos. and >. near Spar
tanburg. We're washed away this morn
ing, causing a loss which President
| Montgomery, of the company. says will
aggregate a million dollars.
Twelve bodies We're seen floating past
the mills on the flood and two persons.
names unknown. were drowned at
iPacolet mills. The hotel and Presby-
terian church at Pacolet were also
washed away.
The river was flooded by the inces-
SAINT rains and the first mill No. l, was
carried away. and a short time after
ward No. >. while the third plant is in
imminent danger. the river rising
rapidly.
4 big warehouse containing 1O0J
bales of cotton and 1000 bales of yarn
also was destroyed and the goods car
!. ried down the stream. 1t is estimated
L
: and four thousand bales of cloth, etc.
were destroyed.
/ The Pacolet mills are among the
largest plants in the south. belonging
to the same company whose plant was
destroyed at Gainesville. Ga, last week
l They manufacture brown sheetings anC
l drills. They operate Sc, $50 spndles q
100 looms and 400 cards. The capital is
100000: j H. Montgomery of Spar
hamburg. :. c.. being president.
FIFTY PERSONS DROWNED.
Chrlotte. \. c.. June "a specia
from Clifton, s. c.. says: The Convers,
:, cotton MILL with $1,000 spindles. ha!
been destroyed by the flood. The Clifton
mill with 27,50O spindles is half washed
away. The Dexter mill with 5000
:. spindles is half gone. These mills be
,. long to the Clifton Manufacturing Com
[. pany. Five hundred people are home
[ less. 1t is estimated that fifty ar
[ drowned. Four thousand people ar
out of employment. There were man,
| thrilling rescues from trees and houses
. b. E. Johnson lost his wife and all hi
D. children. So did r. a. Finley and
:. D. Owens. The river has fallen to eigh
feet above the normal.
(. Immediate help is needed \ relic
, committee is to be organized irrmcdi
ately. Rev. W. J. Snyder will receiv
and turn over to the committee an
moneys forwarded.
HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE.
Charleston. S. c.. June 6.-Preside-
i Twitchell of the Clifton mills telegraph
,s to F. J. Pelzer, this city. one Of tn
| largest stockholders:
II 1t is reported that No. mill va
IF wrecked: Nos. and partly destroyed
a several warehouses We're swept ava,
Of Hevy loss of life. Glendale mill (No.
Converse) is intact but the dam ar
49, several warehouses were swept away.
in FURTHER PARTICULARS.
IN Spartanburg, s. c., June 6.-Befol
the waters of q terrible flood, Pacole
:. c.. has been swept from the ms
and several of the great cotton mil
of Spartanburg and Clifton. have bee
wiped out by a storm which swept tn
4 part OF the country late last night
Up TO the present hour it has bet
aE impossible to ascertain the loss of lif
ne Twelve bodies have already baen set
"a drifting down the stream. Fifty pc
~ pie are reported drowned at Clifton al
twenty-five at Pacolet.
Pacolet and Clifton are situated
ns the defiles Of two valleys. Most Of {
homes of the Workmen were located