Evening star., 1916-07-18
Nineteen Persons Known to
Have Lost Lives in
Southern States.
GENERAL CONDITIONS
GRADUALLY IMPROVE
Some Railroad Lines Must Be Built
Anew-Many Factories Re-
sumo Operations.

Flood waters throughout the
stricken districts of North Caro-
lima, South Carolina and Tennes-
see were receding today, and lat
est reports did not increase the
death list of nineteen. The prop
erty loss, however, continues to
grow, and when towns and coun-
ties now cut off from communica-
ton are heard from the first esti-
mates of from SIo,ooo,ooo to
SI5,ooo,ooo damage probably will
be increased.
Railroads apparently have suffered
far more than was at first realized Re-
ports from western North Caroline. are
that some lines there will have to be
be almost entirely rebuilt. while
bridges were carried away at many
points in all four states and serious
washouts and landslides occurred
along the roads.
Conditions in Virginias.
Greatly improved conditions are re-
ported in Virginia and West Virginia.
Streams are falling and normal condi-
tions are being restored. The New river
valley suffered estimated property loss
of approximately 100000, the Nor
folk and Western railway sustaining
about one-half the damage. Giles
county is said to have been damaged
to the extent of S2,o00,000. Pearsburg
was entirely inundated.
The Holston and Clnch rivers are
receding after causing damage that
probably will reach million dollars.
Railroad officials believe it will be
several weeks before normal train
schedules are restored.
Four more deaths were added to the
North Carolina flood toll today. A tele-
phone message from Brevard was that
.yohn Heath and his mother and Mrs.
Caldwell Santelle and her child died to-
day from injuries received when their
homes were caught in a landslide four
miles from Brevard.
Mills Resume Operation.
GREENvILLE. S. c., July 1s.-with
recession of the food waters which
for the last two days have tied up the
power plants and other public utilities
in this vicinity. cotton mills in the
Piedmont section of South Carolina to-
day resumed operations. Other indus
trial plants also were running today.
Railroad traffic still was badly Grip
pied Eighty three ears of peaches,
valued at thousands of dollars, and
consigned to northern buyers. are
standing in the railroad yards here.
1t is feared they will be a total loss.
The Greenville and Western Railroad
repairing the bridges and track washed
out between Marietta and River Falls.
Great rocks, which fell from noun
tainsides. blocking the tracks. are
being dynamited. 1t is thought that
traffic between Marietta and River
at least.
Trains Passengers Rescued.
ASHEVILLE, n. c.. July 1s.-Two
hundred and fifty passengers on the
way stalled near Nocona since Sunday
morning, were supplied with food late
last night and today they are being
brought here in automobiles. The
Southern railway has asked for twenty
five automobiles to ply between the
train and Asheville. and it is believed
all of the passengers. which include
many women anG children, will have
been brought here by tonight.
Every Indication points to the fact
that the dam holding waters of Tox-
away lake is holding and that danger
from this score has passed. 1t is Ger
tain that had the dam given way It
would have been known very soon, as
country below there would have been
seriously affected.
The French Broad river has fallen
ten feet since yesterday morning in this
section. Industrial companies have
started to clear wreckage from around
their plants and the city health depart
ment is scattering disinfectants to pre-
vent disease. Worthless debris is being
destroyed.
A limited electric power was avail
able today. 1t is not known when
transmission lines and plants will be
restored to normal.
Damage Along the Catawba.
CHARLOTTE. n. c.. July 1s - The
waters Of the Catawba are falling fast
today. Railroad. telegraph. telephone
and power companies are gathering all
available forces for making temporary
repairs at the earliest moment. The cleo
trio power that was cut off from this
city last night is working today 1t will
be weeks before railroad trains will he
making schedules in Piedmont AMI west
ern North Carolina. and hundreds Of
thousands Of cotton spindles will be idle
for. months.
Weeks from now reports will be CON-
ing in as to property damage along the
Catawba. Hickory and Lenoir, near the
headwaters. have not yet been commLn:-
Gated with. Reports available from the
Yadkin river country bring untold dam
age and losses. Railroads reaching into
the mountains OF Ashe, Watauga, Ale
ghany and Wilkes counties will require
almost complete rebuilding. Some re-
ports state that in some places rivers
have completely changed their courses
Thirty-two feet was the highest mark
ever reached by the Yadkin river This
was in September, 1898. Reports state
that this river was nine feet higher thar