The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1914-01-23

West VIRGINIA NEICHB0RS.
GREAT VALLEYS FLOODED
BUT NO LIVES LOST.

BUT NO LIVES LOSE.
Piedmont, w, Va, Jan. ia
wall of water twenty feet high is
sweeping down the North branch of
the Potomac river, following the
bursting of the dam of the West
Virginia Pulp and Paper Company
at Dobbin, According to reports
reaching here, the inhabitants of the
valley fled to the hills. No loss of
life is reported. The dam is one
thousand and seventy-five feet wide,
backing water for over three miles.
The dam was first noticed TO be
cracked alst night by Waterman and
early today portion of the struc
ture gave away. Shortly before noon
the second break occurred. Half a
dozen of the towns in the path of
the flood are threatened with de-
struction. The monetary loss will be
very heavy.
Reassured that the worst of the
flood which swept down Stony creek
and upper Potomac valleys yester-
day, as a result OF the breaking of
the great dam of the West Virginia
Pulp and Paper Co., at Dobbin, w.
Va, IS over, the hundreds OF ref
ugees who fled TO the hills upon the
first warning began to return to
their homes early today.
The valley is getting itself to-.
esther and counting the damage
from the flood. Although thousands
OF persons We're imperiiled no lives
were lost, so far as has been ascer-
tanned. There were, however, reports
OF many thrilling rescues.
1t is believed that the prompt ac-
tion OF the Pulp and Paper Co.'S en-
ployes in sending out warning of the
impending danger throughout the
velley enabled all in the danger zone
to escape.
1t probably will be several days
before anything like an accurate es-
lA1helbI Vi lLC dSlLAsl5S ~ plOpSl ~
can be obtained, but officials here
fix it at about $200,000.
With telephone and telegraph
communication re-established, def
mite estimates of the loss soon may
be had. The greatest damage was to
railroad property.
The telegraph operator at Schell
is being Landed today as hero.
He stuck to his post until he heard |
the noise of the onrushing waters,
flashing a warning in all directions.
1t was feared he had been lost, but
he turned up safe at Cumberland
later in the day.
The flood warning emptied the
town of Shaw and sent many resi-
dents of Blaine, Harrison, Kitzmiller
and other small places in the path
of the water hurrying to the ridges.
Fear that the waters might rise
still further prevented many of the
refugees from returning to their
homes, even into towns where little
damage was done.
The floodwave apparently expend-
ed it's energy in mad twenty-mile
dash down the valley of the Stony
creek from the face of the bursted
dam to Schell. This valley, however,
was practically unfnhabited. 1t was
owned by the West Virginia Pulp Il
and Paper company as right-of-
way and watershed.
The big dam which impounded a
axe of water five miles long and
which was sixty-five feet high had
been weakening for several days.
night it began to crum-
ole and a farmer from the mountain
dllage of Mt. Storm rode down the
valley warning the few inhabitants
If the impending break.
Early yesterday a part of the big !.
structure gave way and at noon the
weeping waters carried away the
greater part of the face of the dam
n a mass of wreckage. The releas-
ID weight of water in wall-llke
wave swept down to Schell. There
he roadbed of the Western Mary
and Railroad was washed out and
raffic on the road was tied up.
Joal and lumber trains are waiting
IN both sides of the flood.
Below Schell the rushing water