The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-08-17
Loss in Upper Keowee Valley
Especially Heavy---People
in Need of Help


ern part of Pickens county near Keowee
river suffered heavily from the damage
done by the water which came from
Lake Toxaway when the Toxaway dam
broke. The greatest damage, accord
ing to reports, did not extend far be-
; low Chapman's bridge. The water got
above Nimmons bridge, but the bridge
still stands. John Chapman estimates
that the water was thirty-five feet deep
straight, which is about nine feet high
or than ever 8nown before.
News that the Toxaway dam had
broken reached Pickens about o'clock
Sunday night. Immediately two auto
mobiles carrying Messrs. Larry Thorn
ley, Walt Ilangston Furman Holder and
Sentinel reporter left town bound for
Whitewater Inn, which was in the path
OF the water and where were the fam
lilies OF MesBrs. Thornley, and Langsten
besides several other Pickens people. 1t
was about ten o'clock when the first
automobile got as far as John Chap
mans about twenty miles above Pick
ems and they could get no farther for
the water was then at it's highest. Ike
owee river looked like an ocean in THE
moonlight, AS it was impossible to 90
any farther Messrs. Thornley, and
Langston returned home and the others
waited until daylight to see what dam
age was done.
IN 70 CT h,,s<lr \
four or five hundred feet down the riv-
er. Gus dtobinsons house was washed
away and his wife barely succeeded in
escaping an scanty clothing. They lost
all they had. R. B. Bryant and family
barely escaped with their lives and ev-
erything in the first story of their house
is ruined. John Chapman, who notified
this family Of the rising water, was
caught before he could get back home
and was forced to swim for his life.
The water moved Bob Moseley's barn
and left it in the middle of the road.
Several other small buildings were NOV
ed and damaged. The house Of. Mrs.
Alice Mathis several miles above was
overfilowed and everything in it ruined.
Some of the people along the river are
without anything to eat, the water
running their groceries. The Sentinel
reporter succeeded in walking through
mud up the river side to Elias Hsmil-
toms, near where ToXaway and White
water come together making Keowee
river and being nearly famished when
we got there the people at this house
divided their last meal with us.
Whitewater Inn, Pickens county's
famous mountain hotel, suffered heavily.
The water backed up into the building
six feet, practically running everything
on the first floor. and leaving mud sew
eral inches deep. There were good
many guests there at the time. Among
the guests from Pickens who were there
were Mr.. and Mrs. G. r. Hendricks,
Mrs. L. G. Thornley, and daughter,
Mrs. j. w. Langston and children,
Miss Frances Bruce, Bertran Porter
and Edwin Earle. They have all re-
turned home, coming by way of Seneca.
Mr.. Hendricks automobile at the hotel
was covered with water.
Tom Cantrell, who lives on Toxaway
about two miles above Whitewater Inn,
lost his house, cattle, hogs, chickens
and verything he had. He barely sue
ceeded in saving his wife and children.
In the excitement his wife tainted and
it was necessary tor Mr.. Cantrell to
carry her and the children in relays to
the top of the mountain. At one time
Mrs. Cantrell was nearly covered by
water when her husband got back to
her.
Just above and below Chapman s
bridge was the hardest hit section so
far heard from. All crops along the
river are absolutely ruined and the peo-
pie know not which way to tnrn. The
only way to travel along the river side
is thru mud from ankle to more thar
knee deep. The odor of the mud is
sickening. Thousands of cat fish anc
white suckers of all sizes were washed
out of the river and left in holes in the
mud. Many people were picking up the
fish Monday morning, some having fine
strings while others had sacks full
Without seeing it would be difficult fo,
one to realize the great number of fish
washed out. In some places a persof
could hardly walk without stepping up
on them.
Allalong the river sides may be see,
great numbers of trees which hav,
been washed away. Some have bee,
uprooted whine others have been twist