The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-04-06
DAMAGE BY FLOOD
IN BIG FIGURES
Railway Tracks Must Be Repaired
Two Months Work.

Knoxville, Tenn, April Z.-FloouS
following unusually heavy rains did
widespread damage in this section
last night and today. Ten miles of
the Little River railroad company's
tracks in the mountains above Knox
vile were completely destroyed and
from Is to 20 miles more were either
destroyed or badly damaged. The
damage to the road is estimated at
more than $50,000 and will take two
months or more to repair.
The Knoxville and Augusta railway
also suffered considerable loss from
washouts and lost two trestles be-
tween Maryville and Walland and
Maryville and Caulder Wood
A long stretch of the Southern rail-
ways tracks between Morristown
and Asheville was inundated and
trains were running late but no seri-
Gus damage was reported.
The Louisville and Nashville rail-
road suffered severe washouts be-
tween Etowah and Copper Hill on the
Altnta division causing one train to be
annulled and necessitating the trans
fer Of passengers on others.
Seveirville, 26 miles east of Knox
vile, was completely under water to-
day and many families were forced to
fee from their homes. The light and
power plant was put out OF commls-
sion and the town was cut off from
Knoxville when the high water cover
ed the railroad tracks.
At Knoxville the Tennessee river
has reached a stage Of % feet but
soon is expected to begin falling.
Much damage was done by swollen
creeks, the banks of which are thickly
populated. Last night and early this
morning police reserves were called
out to assist in bringing families to
safety.
Chattanooga, April with a At
foot stage of the Tennessee river pre-
dicted by Sunday night, and many OF
the low sections of the city already
under water, city officials moved to-
day to furnish relief to food suffer-
ers. Early today motorcycle police
men were sent into all threatened
territory and the inhabitants were
warned to move out at once. The
armory, tabernacle and school build
ings have been set apart to house the
homeless and food relief headquarters
have been established at the office OF
Mayor Chambliss.
Railroad and street car traffic IS de-
moralized, long fill on the Southern
railroad near Tyner having collapsed
this morning necessitating the detour-
ing of all traffic between Chatta-
nooga and both Knoxville and Allan
ia via Hartman.
Several important bridges near the
city house were washed away and
the street line in Roseville, Ga, is un-
der water. Numerous manufactur-
ing plants have already closed down
and virtually the entire city will have
to close operations by Sunday.
Colonel Foltz, in command at Fort
Oglethorpe, Ca, has offered as many
army field kitchens to the city officials
as needed, but states. he could not
spare any troops to aid in relief work.
The first fatality of the flood oc-
Cured this morning when Is year
old boy named Ward was drowned
when his father drove team over
bank into the swollen water of
Chattanooga creek near the city. The
father. John Ward, was caught in
tree, from which he was rescued by
men in boat several hours later. The
two horses were drowned.
Reports from other sections along
the river show that the flood stage
has been passed at Knoxville and
Charleston, above the city; at Flor
ence and Riverton, Ala, below
Chattanooga.
Asheville, N. c., April 2.-Heavy