The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-08-10
BODIES OF GREAT FLOOD
VICTIMS ARE PICKED UP
Hundreds Of Houses Roll Down
the Valley as the Waters
Sweep Down on Them.
BODIES ARE WASHED AWAY
Into the Kanawha and Ohio
Rivers and May Never Be
Recovered.


CHARLESTON, Aug. 1O-With
ronfictlng reports from all sources
In this and neighbOring counties, it
is considered probable this afternoon
that no fewer than 1875 persons lost
their lives in the flood that swept
down from three West Virginia
mountain streams yesterday.
Iwenty-three bodies have thus far
been recovered near Cabin Creek
junction, while for miles up the
stream reports come in of the finding
of other bodies. Many bodies are be-
lieved to have washed down the
streams and eventually into the K"-
hawha and Ohio rivers and probably
never will be recovered. Thousands
of persons made homeless are on the
mountain side.
One battalion of militia from
Camp KanNwha is forcing way into
the devastated section with collins,
cots, tents and thousands OF pounds
of provisions for the hungry and
homeless This afternoon they had
beenable to penetrate no farther than
Ronda, four niles from Cabin Creek
Junction, where the creek enters the
Kanawhn river. Cabin creek valley
is sixteen miles long.
Roads are washed out, tleStles and
bridges carried away and the r0ad-
beds of the railroads are Obliterattd
to such an extent that progress can
only be made as fast MS Il road to
be Travelled on can be improved.
A telephone llneman who covered
thirteen miles OF the Cabin creek
valley telephoned that forty known
dead had been recovered and that
conditions further on were much
worse.
In Boone county JarrOld's valley
on Coal river is reported tloOd-swept
by the storm and 400 houses washed
away. No reports of loss of lives
have been obtained
About thirty miles on Cabin creek
escaped flooding but sidetracks and
tlpples were carried away and opera
tors say the mines will be tied up
thirty days. All coal contracts have
been cancelled.
An exclusion train carrying about
400 Sunday school picntckers was
marooned between two creeks with
Tashouts on either side and relief
train was sent from st. Adams.
All rivers and mountain streams are
sweeping down wrecked houses, logs
drowned cattle and wreckage that in
dicates a wideswept area.
Already wrecking crews and con-
Btruction gangs are at work on the
railroads and the larger bridges
washed away are being replaced first
especially along the main line OF the
Chesapeake and Ohio.
Camp Kanawha has almost been de-
pleted Of equipment and provisions
All blankets, and cots and all tents
available have been sent into the
stricken section with the soldiers re-
lief expedition Twenty-Five travel
rations were also sent to the suffer-
ers. 1t is expected that it will be a
week or ten days before the actual
damage will be known but there is no
expression Of hope that the actual loss
of life ever will be known.
Stories Of the damage began reach
ing here this afternoon and indicated
that the first estimate of several mil
lion dollars was none too small. The
Cabin Creek Coal Company lost 1875
cars loaded with coal when the wall
OF water struck It's yards at Crane
Fork. The coal was swept away and
the tracks buried under fifteen feet
of mud and sand which will cost
several thousand dollars to remove.
Reports this afternoon from De-
Sofa say that five men were killed
\ BY a landslide after the flood had
! passed.
It is also stated that five were
drowned at Eskdale, sixteen at Fern
dale, eight at Miami, ten at Dawes,
five at Giles, four at Holly and four
at Dry Branch.