The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-16
HUNDREDS FLEE FOR
LIFE AS DAM BURSTS
Residents in Potomac Valley
Find Refuge in Hills
From Torrent.
WATER WRECKS BRIDGES
Loss May Reach Thousands as
Swollen Rivers Destroy
Many Homes.
WATER WRECKS BRIDGES

CUMBERLAND. Md. Jan. IA Mood
that threatened large loss Of life and
property came when the dam OF the
West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company
In Stony River. near Dobbin. W. Va.
broke this morning. While It Is ex-
pected that property loss will amount to
thousands of dollars the loss will be less
than was reported at first.
The dam was s. feet high and i.l0o
feet wide and held back three billion
gallons of water. Part Of the force OF the
flood was broken by the opening OF the
siuices at the base of the dam.
Cracks in the dam were noticed last
night and warnings were sent out to
those living along the valley. When the
dam broke wall Of water 30 feet high
swept down tho valley and into the
Potomac River. but those in the valley
had moved to the hills.
The first part OF the food reached the
Western Maryland Railroad near Scheli.
W. Va. twenty miles below where the
Stony River empties into the Potomac
River. at about 8 o'clock and that place
soon had a food stage of rs feet OF
water. several feet higher than ever be-
fore In the history of Schell. There it not
only went over the railroad tracks but
It washed away about fifty feet Of railroad
tracks and bed for the Western Maryland
railroad Company. the repairs to which
will not be completed before some time
tomorrow TO let trains pass.
Bridge washed Away.
In Its course down stream 1t washed
away the Grant county bridge and at
Scheh II carried away a large footbridge
across the Potomac River The railroad
company took the precaution to weight
Its bridge down at that point. AZ at :
o'clock the water was falling at Stony
River and the water reservoir back OF
the dam had fallen to the river no
further trouble is feared at the bridge
except from large timbers that may yet
come down stream.
All the towns along the Stony and
Potomac rivers were flooded, but the
flood decreased In force as II went down
stream because Of the widening OF the
river. The stony River is 400 feet wide
at the dam. while the Potomac Is between
500 and 700 feet wide at Cumberland
The Western Maryland Railroad. which
runs through the flooded district. suf-
fered heavily from the sweeping away OF
tracks. Two bridges were washed out
Traffic on the road will be tied up for
thirty-six hours.
Refugees In the hills carried most of
their household goods with them. NO tina.
the greater part OF the loss will he In
buildings. No estimate Of the damage
can be given because the flood dis
trict Is practically cut of from the out
side world because of interrupted tele-
graph and telephone service.
Mining Towns Inundated.
on Its course down the Potomac River
the Hood struck the mining towns OF
Gleason. Blaine. Shaw and Barnum. w.
Va. and kitzmiller. the largest town In
Garrett county. Md. outside of Oakland.
The lower sections Of all these towns
were inundated and while no houses havS
been washed away the property loss to
the people will be very great. so far no
loss OF life is reported In that section.
Many men. women and children spent
the greater part OF the night around fires
on the hillsides waiting for the break
which they felt was inevitable. Even the
people at the tri-towns Of Piedmont w
warned and In the lower sections OF those
places the inhabitants had moved to
higher ground. Long before the water
had reached Luke, where the company
has an immense pulp and paper mill. the
other towns OF the Potomac River Valley
from Schell were suffering from the Hood.
At les o'clock this afternoon the water
reached Piedmont and IN about ten min
utes the river had risen five feet. At 8
o'clock the lower parts OF the towns OF
Piedmont. Westernport and Luke were
flooded. About forty minutes later the
high waters had reached Keyser. W. Va,
where people living along the Waterfront.
had been warned In time to get their
families and their best belonging to places
of safety.
The rushing waters carried away much
OF the telegraph line OF the Western
Maryland Railway. West Virginia division,
and at 6 o'clock tonight all wire COM
municatiOn west OF Piedmont was cut
of.