The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-08-11
KANAWHA FLOOD
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from F1rSI FaSe'J
cooperating in an effort to relieve
the suffering Of the thousands OF
homeless. OF the ten thousand
homeless, practically none saved
any Of their personal be lon9ings,
and the appeal sent out by reliet
parties tonight is for clothing
for women and CHI dren.
A Chesapeake &7Ohio Railroad
train on the Coal river branch Of
the Chesapeake g. Ohio Railroad,
which carried a picnic party and
which was marooneo. arrived at
ST. Adams this evening, after the
passenges spent "a hours in the
day coaches high up in the noun.
tains, without any food.
On the Cabin creek branch is
another Chesapeake g. Ohio pas.
senger train lying on its side in
a ditch, and no tracks near il.
The passengers all escaped yes
terday morning except one man,
who was on a stretchcr, on his
way to hospital. After the
crest of the flood had passed, res.
cuing parties returned to the train
and found the man safe and none
the worse for the wreck.
Bury Victims To-day.
The first victims Of the flood
will be buried tomorrow, il cot
fins can be sent for the purpose.
Even this feature is d serious one,
because of the lack Of carrier
communication.
While the rescuing parties are
working their way UP Cabin creek,
rescuine the dead from the debris
OF the flood which swept an area
of 400 square miles and left in its
wake unprecedented destruction
of life and property for this re-
qion, plans are being made for
Wholesale relief Of the destitute.
President George w. Stephens,
of the Chesapeake & Ohio Rail-
road, and corps Of assistants are
on the ground and are lending
every aid in the relief work. This
afternoon Assistant General
Freight Agent w. o. Sydnor an
nounced that all supplies Of any
kind would be handled by the rail-
road free Of charge.
Red Cross to Help.
The National Red Cross this
afternoon telegraphed to w. A.
Cracraft, d local banker. that the
national relief body would send
any kind of assistance needed,
but the local authorities believe
they can cope with the situation.
The most serious aspect of the
situation here is the relief Of the
homeless ones, because of the geo.
graphy Of the country. Not only
have all the railroads been wash
ed out, but the county roads, in
some instances little better than
mountain trails. have been washed
away. and the creek beds along
which the roads went arc piled
high with debris which will re-
ouire months to remove.
It is probable that the only way
the su pplies can be sent to the
needy will be by pack trains.
The mining and lumber indus
tries in the flood zone; have been
so impaired that it wiiPtbe months
before they can resume bperalIons
in full and in the meantime thous.
ands Of employees will be thrown
out Of employment.
Villages Washed OF Earth.
Seth and Comfort, two villages
in the Coal River valley, were COM
pIctely washed off the earth. At
Seth there is not house or store
left while the saw mill Of the High
land Lumber company was COM
pieteIy wrecked and many miles
of it's track destroyed while the
flood carried away on It's crest
more than 100000 feet Of manu-
featured lumber.
On Joe Greek, the Joe Greek
Lumber company lost its mill and
about 100000 feet Of nanufac-
tured lumber, and it will require
months to get these plants into
operation.
At the plant Of the Webb Coal
Mining company, at Ferndale. on
4 spur Of the Coal River Branch Of
the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad,
only eleven company houses out Of
a total Of 70 remain, and fifteen
dead bodies have already been
gathered from the ruins and along
the bank Of the small creek.
Graphically Describes Conditions.