The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-06-10
s1ER COTTON MILLS
DEMOLISHED BY FLOOD.
paeolst and Clifton Factories
Swept Away by Raging River.

rains have resulted IN an lncalcuiable
loss TO property between here and
Sparsanburg, S. c., along the line
Of the Southern Railway, and it is
said that number Of lives have been
lest. Is is said that five cotton mills
have been washed away, that three
bridges on the Southern Railway are
lost and two others are badly dam
aged telephone messages state that
twelve bodies have been found floating
IN the Paeolet River and the injury to
property OF various kinds is enormous.
Early this morning tiding of distress
began to reach this city and each re-
port indicated great injury to the
Southern and to many industrial IN
5erssss between Charlotte and Spar
EaHburg.
Three bridges on the main line OF
If,e Southern have been swept away
and all buildings in the vicinity OF the
mills. The bridge over Lawson's Fork,
On the Pacolet River, near Spartan
burg, has gone. It is one span and
IS lA2 feet long.
The bridge over the Middle Tiger
River is destroyed. 1t is three spans
and is 142 feet long.
The bridge over North Tiger River
cannot be used. It is damaged, though
the full extent of the injury cannot be
aseertained yet.
The big bridge over the Pacoiet
River, six or seven miles this side or
Spartanburg, is said by railway officials
TO be very unsafe. lt is still standing
against the fierce tide, but is badly
damaged and IS in very serious con-
dision.
The bridge over the Enoree Riv-
er. lust south of Spartanburg, has
been carried away.
PacoIet Mills No. 1 and No. 2,
near Spartanburg, were washed away
this morning, causing loss which
President Montgomery. OF the COM
pany. says will aggregate 81, 600, 600.
Twelve bodies were seen floating past
the mills on the food and two persons,
names unknown, we're drowned at the
Paeelet Mills. The hotel and Pres
byterian 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
Esrd No. 2, while the third plant is
N Imminent danger, the river rising
apidlry.
a BIC ware house containing LOCO
bales of cotton and 600 bales Of yarn
was also destroyed and the goods car
ried down stream. 1t is estimated
that altogether $500 bales of cotton
and A.00O bales of cloth were destroy
ed.
dispatch to the Observer this
afternoon, giving later details OF the
losses, says:
Pacoiet Mills. No. 1 and No. 2 and
part Of No-3 are gone. The loss IS
$3.50, 900. Twenty-Five lives are lost.
& The big Clifton Mill at Converse
were completely obliterated.
THE DISASTER AT CLIFTON.
A srecial from Clifton, S. c., says:
Converse Mill, with 81, 0o0 spindles,
has entirely gone. Clifton Mill. with
1850, is half washed away. Dexter
Mill, with 3O,5O0 is half gone.
These belong to the Clifton Manufac-
suring Company. Five hundred peo-
p1e are homeless. It is estimated that
Efty are drowned. Four thousand are
ont Of employment. There were many
thrilling rescres from trees and houses.
B. S. johnson lost his wife and all
his children. So did r. A. Finley
and >. d. Owens. The following were
drowned: Fleeta COSTA and child,
Maggie Kirby, Mr.. Long and his
wife and NoTia Simms. Other names
are not obtainable.
The river has fallen to eight feet
aboFe the normal. Immediate help
Is needed. A relief committee is to
bs organized Immediately. The Rev.
~. J. Snyder viii receive and turn
over to the committee any moneys for
Warded.
Spartanburg, June Special to
The News and Courier, Spartanburg
County is the scene Of one of the many
terrific and disastrous foods that have;
occurred in this country since the
famous Johnstown Hood. Indeed,
many say the loss of property is far
more than that of the Pennsylvania
diaster, but that is wild talk, as the
property loss at Johnstown was more
Than ten million dollars and the loss
Of life more than 200. a conserva-
tive estimate of the damage done at
Clifton, Glendale and Pscolet is fully
s., 500, 900. From the information
that could be obtained the loss of life
will be in the neigborhood OF fifty
i've. At Clifton alone forty peo-
pie were swept away by the water be-
fore they had time to get out of their
beds. Fully 1850 operatives will be
left without employment, but most OF
these unfortunate people will be look
ed after by the mill authorities for the
present. Indeed, at Clinton Mills
arrangements have been already made
for furnishing houses and food for the
saFerer.
THE DAMGAE OF RAILROADS.
The amount of damage done to rail
road, telephone and telegraph COM
panies is enormous. All along the
railroads bridges, trestles and tracks
have been swept away by the fury OF
the foods. Spartanburg is entirely
shut off from the outside world. No
trains have left or arrived here today.