Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-07-19

RECESSION OF WATER
Believed First Estimate of sl5,OO0,-
600 Loss Will Be Exceeded by LateF
Intelligence

! Washington, July 19--Rc1errlni
to flood conditions in the south
President Harrison, of the Southern
Railway Company, said today:
aWhile we have been hard hit b!
| the floods, especially on the Catawab'
j river and the western North Carolins
mountains, the first reports of damage
are greatly exaggerated. Water l:
falling everywhere. We have assem-
bled large forces of men and ample
supplies everywhere there has bee:
trouble and have already begun IN.
work of repair of our lines, which
will be pushed through promptly. 1t
is as yet impossible to estimate time
or cost involved, but the real differen'
ce between this flood and previous
zones in the same territory is that il
has hit US in more places at once
and we arc better prepared to res
tore normal conditions
Atlanta, Ga, July 19 - Flood
waters throughout the stricken dis
tricts Of North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Tennessee and Virginia were
receding yesterday, but added seven
to the death list of Is, making its
total %. The property loss also con-
tinues to grow, and when towns and
cuuntiesa now cut off fronrc~ nmuni-
cation are heard from the first esti-
mates of from S1O,000,000 to S15,-
100000 damage probably will be in
creased.
Railroads APPARENTLY have suffered
| far more than was at first realized
Reports from Western North Caro-
lima are that some lines there will
have to be almost entirely rebuilt.
Bridges were carried away at many
| points in all four states, and serious
washouts and landslides occurred
along the roads.
Cotton mills in North and South
Carolina have been heavy sufferers
from the flood, and thousands of
workers have been thrown out OF en-
ployment. In many instances mills
will have to be entirely rebuilt. and
it will be months before thede are
put into operation.
Reports of damage along the Cat
awba river in N. Carolina continues
to come in, and several cities along
that stream, including Hickory and
Lenoir, still are cut off from COM
munication. Great damage has been
done all along the waterway, and the
waterway, and the same is true along
the Yadkin.
In central South Carolina the
flood waters did not reach the crests
predicted, and yesterday all fears
of further damage had passed. That
and the Piedmont sections OF the
state suffered heavily, however, IN
damage to mills, railroads and crops.
Asheville, N. c., July 19-SeYenn
more deaths were added to the North
Carolina flood toll yesterday. A tele-
phone message from Brevard said
John Heath and his mother and Mrs.
Caldwell santelle, ad child died yes
terday from injuries received when
their homes were caught in a land
slide four miles from Brevard.
Mrs. Edgar Hunter and her two
children were drowned Sunday neal
Bat Cave, N. c., according to re,
ports received here.
Two hundred and fifty passenger:
on the Southern Railway Florida
| Special, stalled by the flood near No
coma since Sunday morning, were
supplied with food late last nigh
and were brought here in automo
biles. twenty-five automobiles wer'
secured by the railway to ply be
. tween the train and Asheville ant
, all of the passengers, which Include
many women and children reached
!, here last night.
Danger of the dam holding water
of Toxaway Lake breaking has pass
ed. Had the dam burst the countr!
below would have been seriously af
fected.
! The French Broad river has fall