Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-08-10
WEST VIRGINIA
INUNDAT|0NS
Cloudburst Causes Wall Of
Water to Sweep Down
Valley
ONE HUNDRER DROWN
Five Thousand Homeless-Loss is
Placed at One Million Dollars
Relief Plans

Huntington, W. Va, Aug. 10
Governor Hatfield, who arrived here
last night to attend the State Re,
publican Convention today, ordered
special relief trains to the Goa
River and Cabin Creek districts where
according to reports, more than 15O
have been drowned and 5000 made
homeless.
Two companies of Second Regiment,
West Virginia National Guard, have
been ordered with tents to the flood
ed districts. SO serious is the situa-
tion that Governor Hatfield left the
city last night to go to the scene o!
devastation.
Governor Hatfield received official
word of the flood soon after he ar
rived. He at once got into telephone
communication with Camp kanawha
where the Second Regiment is en-.
camped, and instructed Adjt. Gen.
John c.. Bond to secure all available
foodstuffs, tents and clothing in
Charleston and place them on spc-
cial train to be run to the flood dis
trcts without delay.
The Governor s'as informed in an
appeal from CABIN Creek that the
loss of life would exceed 100 and that
more than 5000 were homeless.
Efforts to get into communication
with the stricken district were un.
available.
Reports were received at Montgom-
cry that at least 100 persons had lost
their lives. but confirmation was lack
ing there, as it was in Huntington
and Charleston where the same re-
port was persistent.
Chesapeake and Ohio division of.
ficerS here were unable to learn the
fate Of their trains in this district
when the last wire went down at
2:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
Six bridges on the Chesapeake and
Ohio railway are reported to have
been washed out and in number of
places the tracks are said 10 have
been swept from the right of way.
The Kanawha and Michigan ard other
roads in the valley also suffered
heavily. Wire communication with
the Cabin creek valley district is
practically paralyzed.
Charleston, w. Va, Aug. i0-Ac-
cording to officials Of the Virginia
Power Company at least $50 persons
have lost their lives in the flood that
swept the Cabin Creek Valley yes
terday. Eleven bodies have so far
been recovered. Many persons have
been seen clinging to debris in the
flood, but no assistance could be given
them.
The damage to railroad. coal, oil
and gas properties is estimated at
S1,OOO,000, but nearly all the coal
operations as well as the plant and
lines of the Virginia Power Company,
which operates from Cabin Creek
Junction, are idle.
Scores of houses were carried away
by the flood, telephone lines were torn
down and numerous washouts along
the railroads in vicinity were reported.
A large bridge on the 1line of the
Charleston Interurban Railroad Com
pany was carried off its piers near
Cabin Creek Junction.
Eighteen bodies have so far been
recovered, three Of whom have been
identified, a Mrs. Lykcns, her daugh-
ter and a Miss Pauley. The entire
Lykens family, consisting OF eight
persons, is missing.
The cloudburst occurred at the head
waters of Paint and Cabin Greeks and
Coal river. The torrent which surg
ed down Coal river swept its banks
almost clean of villages, while the
Kanawha river, raised several feet,
carried on it's crest houses and build
ings of all kinds. Near St. Albans
are marooned. two passenger, trains,