The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-08-16
4 In Cabin Creek Valley Of
West Virginia.
PROPERTY DAMAGE 81, 100000
Many Lives Lost In the Fright.
full Flood Which Swept
the Valley.
SCORES HOUSES WASHED AWAY

Charleston, w. Va, Aug. TO-
Twenty-three bodies have been re-
covered from the debris carried
down by the flood which swept the
Cabin Greek valley near here yes
terday. Rescue parties have pene-
trated some distance above Cabin
Creek Junction, and meager reports
brought back by couriers and from
the railroads indicate that the loss
of life has been heavy, although no
accurate estimate can be made. Per-
sons driven from their homes to the
mountains are returning to find
whole villages of mining cabins
swept away, while distress and suf-
fering is seen on every hand.
Two companies of the Second
West Virginia Infantry left Camp
Kanawha by trolley this morning
and were taken to Cabin Creek juno
ton with orders to penetrate the
valley and extend relief to all who
needed it. They carried provisions
and tents.
A special train is being made up
here on the Chesapeake & Ohio rail-
road and will go as far as the has
tily repaired tracks will permit.
From that point numbers of men
provided with provisions will seek
out the spots where restitution is
most pronounced. 1t is expected
that they will be able to go the en-
tire length of the valley and pene-
trate adjoining valleys. also hard
hit.
So great has been the loss that
coal companies with mines in the
valley estimate that many thous-
ands of dollars will be needed to
feed and clothe the helpless miners
and their families, as scores of them
have lost all their possessions.
At least eight villages and mining
settlements in the district were eth
er wholly or partly destroyed. while
many others felt the effects of the
storm more or less. Those practi-
cally destroyed or badly damaged
we're Acme, Ronda. Dry Branch, Mi
ami, Sharon, Dawes. Kayford and
Eskdale. Between Acme and Kay
ford sixty persons are reported to
have been drowned.
Local officials of the Chesapeake
& Ohio railroad to-day declared that
it would be at least two weeks be-
fore travel could be resumed in the
Cabin Greek Valley. They also said
that the company's yards at Kay
ford had been destroyed and will
have to be rebuilt. Reports said
that portions of the track of the Vir-
ginian railroad between Robson and
Deepwater had been washed out and
that service on the road had been
temporarily suspended.
Eleven bodies have go far been
recovered, three at Cabin Creek
Junction and eight at Dry Branch.
Scores of houses have been swept
down the two streams, which, swol-
len by the heavy rains. overlooked
their banks, carrying everything be-
fore them.
More than thirty houses were
counted passing one point in Cabin
Creek yesterday. Many of the
houses crashed into the piers of the
Chesapeake & Ohio railroad bridge
which had been earlier washed out,
and were demolished. Yesterday a
boy was seen on top of one of the
houses. An effort to rescue him
failed and he disappeared in the wa
ter. A large bridge on the line of
the Charleston Interurban Railroad
Company was washed away near
Cabin Creek Junction.
The damage to railroad. coal, oil
and gas properties throughout the
district is especially heavy. Prac-
tically every coal operation as well
as the plant and lines of the Virgin
ian Power Company are idle.
Indescribable conditions exist on
Cabin Creek. at the mouth of which
forty or fifty ruined houses have
been dashed to pieces. Looting had