The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-10
Rush of Waters in Coal River
Section Carries All Life Be.
fore 1t
RAILROAD BRIDGES ARE
DESTROYED BY FLOODS
c. & o. and Virginian R Railways
Suffer; Wire Communities
ton Crippled Militia Gives
Relief

Charleston, w Va, Aug. a.-Mora
than a hundred persons were drown
ed, property was damaged to the ex-
tent of more than million dollars
and five thousand persons are home
less and without food tonight as a
result of a cloudburst in the Coal
River Valley, north of this city, short
ly before noon today.
The extent of the disaster was not
realized here until tonight. when telc-
phone communication with the devas-
tated district was sufficiently restored
for the transmission of a few mes
sages.
Governor Henry D. Hatfield had
gone to Huntington to attend the State
Republican convention. which meets
tomorrow, and could not get back to-
night, but he instructed Adjutant
John c. Bond at Camp Kanawha.
where the West Virginia National
Guard is eneamped' to secure al
available food, tents and clothing and
to rush supplies on special train at
daylight.
1t is feared that the train cannot
reach the sufferers, as all bridges on
the Chesapeake and Ohio have been
washed away and a bridge on the
Charleston interurban line was lifted
off it's piers and carried down Coal
Creek.
Flood Comes Suddenly
The food which followed the cloud
burst came so suddenly that all the
small streams overlooked their banks.
and as the country is hilly. the creeks
were converted into torrents which
swept everything before them. Many
families of miners remained in their
homes while they were surroundei
with water. and then. when the houses
were lifted off the foundations ard
carried down stream. they had no
chance of escape.
The entire John Lykens family OF.
eight are believed to be dead. The
bodies of Mrs Lykens and one of her
daughters have been recovered. also
the body OF Miss PeuIey and those OF
several unidentified women and chit
dren.
Out of a population of $4,000. all
miners ana their families. along Paint
and Cabin Greeks and part of tho Coal
River Valley. fully one-third are said
to be homeless tonight.
Sunday School Excursion Marooned.
The coal companies have suffered
heavy losses
Many of their mines are flooded and
buildings swept away.
The Virginb Power Company with
headquarters at Cabin Creek Junction
was put out of commission. Two nas-
senge- trains. one containing a Sum
day School excursion party. are ma
coined near st. Adams.
Tonight many miners homes and
other buildings fioated on the
Kanawha River past Charleston,
Relief arrangements are -~oceeding
and supplies will be started by rail
al wagon at daylight.
Governor Hatfield is expected to re-
tGrn and take personal charge in the
morning.
Immediately after receipt at general
Offices of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway yesterday afternoon Of word
that Paint Creek, Cabin Creek and
Coal River. tributaries to the
Kanawha River had gone on rampage
following cloudburst. destroying prop
erty and life, ]. Paul Stevens. general
manager Of the c. & O., who was in
the western part Of the State. was
communicated with. Late last night
he was In West Virginia, on the scene
Of the foods ravages, endearoring to
restore conditions, with reference to
and to relieve the suffering among
the victims Of the disaster.
G. s. o. Doing Relief Work.
Fragmentary reports drifted into
the general offices of the c. & O.. and
as they were pieced together tho.
told of tragedy similar to those en-
acted recently in Natures outbursts
In Alabama, and the Carolinas How
great the damage and how wide-
spread the suffering resulting from the
downpour of yesterday morning in the
Coal River district may not be known
for several days. The c. & o. put
into operation all its machinery for
relief of suffering and for restoration
of service on its branch lines into the