Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-09-03
FOOD is GROWING SCARCE
Pennsylvania AND WEST vlR-
cINlA LOCALITIES ALMOST
STARVING.
TRAFFIC. IS BADLY BLOCKED
THIS CAUSES DELAY IN BRINGING
succoR TO SUFFERING
PEOPLE.

Pittsburgh, Sept. 3.-The number
of fatalities arising from the floods
Of Monday morning in western Penn
sylvania, the Panhandle of West Vir
ginia and eastern Ohio, was increased
to forty today when it became known
that John Demstel, his wife and two
children were missing from the ruins
Of their home on CHARTERS creek near
Canonsburg, Pa.
Food in some sections is scarce be-
cause railroad communication has
been cut off, but caravans of loadod
wagons are making their way over
badly washed roads, bearing needed
supplies. Sanitary officers in the west
ern Pennsylvania towns are already
at work and large forces of men are
cleaning streets and buildings. In
some villages entire families are
shoveling mud out Of their houses.
The CHARTERS valley from Washing
ton, Pa, to McKee's Rocks. Pa,
where the little stream empties into
the Ohio river. is a scene Of devasta=
ton Ten thousand acres Of growing
corn have been ruined. Thousands
Of tons Of hay floated away on the
muddy torrent. The damage to manu-
featuring will be very heavy
Many cities spent Monday night in
total darkness, both electric and gas
plants being flooded. Among the
larger towns which suffered from the
rise Of the water were Washington,
Beaver. Burgettstown, Canonsburg,
and several smaller places in the
CHARTERS. Cherry and Beaver valleys
Of western Pennsylvania, while in
West Virginia, Golfers and the sur
rounding territory suffered great
loss.
The list Of fatalities is as follows:
Golfers, w. ", 1S drowned.
Cherry Valley, Pa, drowned.
Burgettstown, Pa, 4 drowned.
Avella, Pa, 8 drowned.
Canonsburg, Pa, drowned.
Woodlawn. Pa, drowned.
Wellsburg, W. va. / drowned.
In the various localities attempts
are being made to take care of the
homeless and to repair in part the
damage caused by the floods Crews
Of railroads arrived Monday night at
the different places where washouts
occurred and are hard at work today
putting tracks in shape to restore
traffic which has practically been at
8 standstill for 4S hours While great
0damage was done by the storm in
eastern Ohio, no loss Of life has yet
been reported.
AS communication with afflicted
sections becomes established, stories
Of heroic and thrilling rescues are nu-
merous. one particularly spectacular
feat was the rescue of Henry End
Ier, his wife and two children Of
Avella in washington county, by
Rev. B. r. Heany, pastor Of Inc Pres
byterian church there.
The EndIer home was crashed
against railroad culvert, and the
family washed down stream. Three
children we're hurled on the bank and
escaped. while Endler, his wife and
two other children succeeded in
catching hold Of a tree where they
were marooned.
Mr.. Heany heard their cries and
procured help. Getting rope he fas-
tened it around his waist, and. while
six men held one end Of it, he plung-
ed into the torrent and made for the
marooned family. Eight times he
was washed past the flood victims
refuge and was hauled out to try
again. Finally he reached the tree,
the rope was fastened about Mrs.
Endler and she was dragged through
the torrent to safety. TO return the
rope to the marooned pastor and the