The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-17
STORM ON EAST COAST


ana railroad service was pduiy lHtcT-
rupted. The Southern Power COM
pany's plant, near Spartanburg. was
flooded, tying up interurban lines.
From Georgetown, S. c., came re-
ports of damage to water front prop
erty and stores. The Seaboard Air
line tracks washed out by the flood
were about repaired and train service
was being resumed
Buildings Carried Away.
In southwest Virginia flood waters
carried away bridges and tracks. tying
up traffic on the Blueffeld and Bristol
division of the Norfolk and Western,
but workmen were busy today making
repairs. The VirgiEian railway also
suffered in that section, as did the
Virginian and Southern around Bris-
toll, Va.
Besides the damage to railroads in
southwest Virginia, many buildings
were washed away, Including some at
while ferrying across the river at that
place. In eastern Tennessee floods
also interrupted traffic on the Vir-
ginian Carolina, on the Eastern Ten
and the Carolina and Linchfield rail-
roads.
Vanderbilts Are Heroines.
Asheville, N. c., July 17.-Floods
that devastated Biltmore, on tho Van
derbilt estate, have left 500 persons
homeless and have enrolled Mrs.
George Vanderbilt and her daughter,
Cornelia, among the heroiues in this
section. Personally in charge Of the
rescue work on the estate, the mother
and daughter took many grave risks
often being compelled to wade
through water to their waists to save
themselves. The known dead here
Lem Troxler, Charlotte and Louise
Walker, sisters, all of AshevilIe. VIM.
Cooper and R. Bell are missing.
Most of the houses in Biltmore were
flooded to their second stories and
many families that remained in the
upper stories were rescued with great
difficulty. They are cut off from
communication however, and it is i'm
possible to learn the extent of damage.
City Seizes Food Supplies.
Danger of food famine in Ashe-
vile caused the city authorities to
seize the food supplies. Gasoline
prices scared to 81 a gallon, and the
than 500 persons are homeless. The
flood came so suddenly that many
had to wade from their homes. Those
drowned at Biltmore were caught in
the current and swept away.
Washington, July 1.-THE South
ern railroad today practically sus-
pended traffic south of Washington.
of disaster from floods in North and
South Carolina. A second bridge on
! the Charlotte division went out at
| a. m. Trains are unable to proceed
beyond Salisbury, and no wires are
| in operation south of that point, At
lanta being reached by way of Chi
cago and New Orleans.
| Ten million dollars of property de-
stroyed, five persons known dead
| hundreds injured and missing, rail-
I
| graph communication demoralized, is
the toll of the floods sweeping the
Carolinas and Virginias, known te
date. Meager, disjointed details are
drifting into Washington over the
crippled lines of communication. The
floods are the result of the hurricane
of wind and rain which struck the
south Atlantic coast Thursday, liftins
| rivers and streams far over theil
banks.
Drowned Trying to Get Food.
Asheville, N. c., the famous resor
city, is hard hit. The French rive
has broken its course near there
lower part of the city. Two person
were drowned attempting to put foos
into the upper stories of the Glen,
Rock hotel. Many are marooned II
their residences along the river, Will
rescue parties fight against the rush
ing current to rescue them. Ashevill
was without lights last night and wa
ter is flowing in swift streams dow
many of the streets of the lower city
The Southern railway depot All,
buildings in the vicinity are f1oode,
to depth of six feet. Westerl
Northern Carolina is reported facin
a serious situation. Lake Toxaway'
big dam and two dams at Henderson
vile, are reported to have collapse,
setting free hundreds of tons of water
) Catawba river at Belmont, N. c., wa
washed away carrying Is men int
the river. 1t has not yet been learne
whether they were saved.
Many Reported Missing.
The missing reported to Washing
ton in scattered dispatches are:
H. P. Griffin. road supervisor
engineer at Charlotte; C. S. Barbee
section foreman, Charlotte; R. e
Thomson, section foreman, Belmont
w. L. Fortune, section foreman. King
Mountain, N. c.; G. C. Kale, B. {
Gully, c. w. Klutz. derrick men, Char
iel Heath, Sloan Adams and Wi
Cathey, colored laborers; A. b. Black
well. Western Union line crew boss
VIM. Cooker, and r. Ball, AshevilIe
and three linemen.
Water Wall 40 FIT. High.
: The Seaboard Air line bridge owe
the Catawba river at Mount Hollocl
N c.. has collapsed as has that owe
the Catawba on the Salisbury-Ashe
vile line. An earth fill at the Look
out Power dam, near Shelby, brok
and the East Monde, West Monde
, Liladoun and Alspauge cotton mill
are under water A wall of water 4
feet high was reported rushing dow
from Lookout Shoals last night
Great crop damage to the sur
rounding country is reported fror
Spartansburg. S. &C.. due to heav
rains of the last 4S hours. Practical
ly all railway traffic in southwes
Virginia and eastern West Virgin
was tied up yesterday by slides an
washouts.