Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-27
ZOO ARE HOMELESS
AND ) DEAD AFTER
FLOOD IN VIRGINIA
Hospital and Homes of Town
Nearby Filled With
Disaster Survivors

ABINGDON, Va, Dec. 25.-Five
persons were known to be dead aud
two hundred estimated homeless as
Christmas day dawned upon the
workers securing the Iolston' river
valley below Parmatown, Va, for
other victims of the flood which
swept over the town last night.
The hospital and private homes of
Saltville, Va, near the scene of the
disaster, were said to be filled with
men, women and children who sur
yived the icy waters into which they
were thrown when muck dam
across the north fork of the river
is reported to have collapsed without
warning at 10 o'clock last night, and
loosed a veritable wall Of water upon
the town.
The valley and town today were
reported virtually ruined. For miles
below the town articles of furniture
and small outbuildings had been de-
posted by the waters along the
banks of the river, while dozens OF
houses were reported to have been
swept from their foundations and
carried along by the swirling waters.
Hundreds of people in Parmar-
town were in the midst OF pre-
Christmas celebrations when, with
out warning, the muck dam Oh the
Mathieson Alkali works, a quarter
of a mile above the town, is SAID 10
have given way under pressure OF the
water and sent it down into the val
lev to trap the joymakers In thelf
homes.
Hedged in by the hills, the waters
noured in upon the celebrators anu
the men, women and children feIil-
I inc to await the coming of Santa
to the little town along TIE river
banks. Houses were swept Mong by
the waters. the lev chill ofNhe river
awakening sleeping children ana
hurting them from their beds.
Those caught by the swiftly-moV,,
ing current had no warning until
their homes were lifted, or the WIN
dows crashed before the sudden ava
lanche of water, and the survivors
stumbled from the houses INTO the
cold river to make their way 10 the
banks in the best manner posslole
Hundreds OF those lrappeu W
the waters escaped from their MONIES
and made their way TO the p"hN9'
where they later were plcked up W
rasouers or were able to make thels
way to other nearby towns lor alu
The addition of the water from
the broken dam to that Oh the az
readv swollen river caused the north
fork of the stream TO rise "a ;
endancering scores of other homes
fnrther down the stream. In many
places below Parmartown the river
AL, WV
out of its banks.
Telephone operators at Abingdon
and other places in this section were
kept busy notifying persons IN the
danger zone and scores of people
left their homes to avoid the HOOD.
News of the flood spread quickly
to other towns and dozens of rescue
parties hurried to the scene, spenu-
ing the night in searching along the
river banks for other survivors or
the bodies of other flood victims.
Five bodies were reported to have
been found and carried to undertake
ing establishments for Identification.
Reports reaching Abingdon early to-
day were that one of the victims was
a. Colonel Scott, a brother of j. -.
Scott, of Saltville. Other victims had
not been identified early today.
Rescue parties divided their at
tenton during the night between
searching for dead and caring for
the injured, rushing survivors TO
nearby towns after administering
first aid
The valley itself today was re
ported virtually to have been swept
clean by the flood Of the night The
homes of approximately 200 people
who lived in Parmartown were said
either to have been made inhabi-
table by the waters, or swept from
their foundations into the stream
and carried down the river.
No exact estimate of either loss
of life. injuries to persons or damage
to property could - obtained early
today but 1t was expected the morn
ing would see all injured cared for
and estimates made.
Virtually all residents of the town
were said to have been employees OF
the alkali works and officials of the
company spent the night i'll aiding in
the direction of rescue work and as
sisting in preparing an estimate of
the damages.
The muck dam was t Il vn ross
the north fork of the river ,alf q
mile below the main dam of the
alkali works plant and a quarter of
mile above the stricken town. With
its collapse it looSed an immense
amount of water accumulated from
the recent heavy rains in the noun
tains above the town The cause OF
! the break had not been determined
: early today.