Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-11
SUFFERING Is FIERCE
IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WHERE
FLOOD SWEPT THINGS.
Washington Man, on the Spot, Tells
What He Saw and APP
peals for Aid.

Mr.. William H Hoover, commercial trav-
eler whose home is in Washington. writes
this letter to The Evening Star, under
date of June 6:
Il was laid up in the beautiful mill town
of Pacolet, s. c.. When I say beautiful one
cannot imagine what it is; but they should
see the rugged surroundings, massive
boulders, beautiful foliage, great hills and
ravines. In the midst of all this wonder
full work Of nature lay the course of the
boisterous stream of Pacolet At its best.
In ordinary times, one can wade across. or
step from rock teurock from one side to
the other. This was the picture l saw
Thursday '3' '-z
when the doctor allowed me to exercise
my stiffened limbs, Saturday morning at
$50 o'clock, the little stream had trrned
to mad river; but as yet enc one has
thought of danger. Some of the employees
Of the mill are coming over the bridge to
get provisions before going to work. with
people. who live on the opposite side of
the river, come and go until o'clock. and
the tide of humanity ceases, as it is break
fast time at all the mill homes
Zone man who is little earlier than the
rest came across the bridge two or three
minutes past G. and as his foot touched
the earth in safety the bridge was wiped
away like chip 1t was only the begin
record In South Carolina. In fifteen min
utes the stream was mad, rushing tor
rent tearing madly Between the hills. One
can never remember just how things hap
pen in these times, but by Z o'clock we
were watching thousands Of bales of cot
ton and finished cloth come down the river
bridges, houses, beams, horses, cows and
mules We who saw knew that. some of
the mill towns above US had been washed
away AS yet we never thought of our
own danger; but at few minutes after
the water came with mad whirl over
the banks of the river; then the dam
above the mill broke, and. unfortunately
for everybody the first break was on the
side of the mill property. Nothing could
be done but wait.
Rose Twenty Feet in Twenty Seconds.
THE water rose twenty feet in twenty
seconds then thirty feet and forty feet The
river made a new channel, eating away a
hill in the rear of the mill. 1t rushed
madly past the mill and washed away first
the blacksmith and machine shops, post
office and numerous buildings along it's
seething path. No one, knew the force
of the unmerciful stream until 1t reached
out and bore away more than an acre Of
hillside on top of which. was the Presby
terrain Church.
Following this one of the warehouses.
with over 1890 bales of cloth ready for the
market, was heaved up. twisted and torn
~>N'A
pasteboard Then. one after another the
cotton houses went and between three and
four thousand bales OF cotton were turned
loose tearing down that madiy rushing
stream. ~ r-
"In a few minutes the rear wan of one of
the big factory buildings fell in with
crash. .--a
..Tbe two mills were about 200 or 500 feet
long and worked 800 persons. There were
tons and tons of machinery, but the water
used 1t up in an instant
Help is Needed.
mo one can picture the destruction. By
q O'Clock the destruction was complete.
There was nothing left but the telling Of
the story, and what story to tell Millions
of dollars gone-hundreds of persons out of
employment, not knowing where their next
meal Is coming from. Hundreds without a
cent to buy bread. Who is going to help
these DOOR distracted people? Can't the peo-
pie of Washington, d. c., start the good
work and offer aid to these poor people who
have lost their all in the storm?
There are thousands who need aid. am
on the spot and can predict no end Of suf
fering for want Of food. clothes. and shell