Evening star., 1936-03-20
WHEELING DEATH
TOLL SCARS TO L
Thousands Left Homeless
as Waters Recede From
55-Foot Peak.

copyright, 1885, by the Associated Presso
WHEELING, w. Va. March 90
The Ohio Rivers death-dealing flood
waters rolled out of the stricken
Wheeling industrial valley today,
leaving at least II persons reported
dead and thousands homeless.
The surging waters topped SIS feet
here. a swirling, muddy torrent LASH
ing the lowlands and boring into busi-
ness and residential sections. River
men said the city would be under
water at least three more days.
The flood struck hardest in the
Wheeling district at the heavily
populated island" a broad expanse
of land in the midst of the wide Ohio
River.
On the island, the water poured
into the second and sometimes the
third stories of homes, showed dwell
ings from their foundations and swept
away the tabernacle, a frame struc-
ture built to accommodate 5000 per-
sons at church meetings.
Police said there was no means Of
checking Immediately persistent re-
ports the deaths mounted above II.
Refugees Seek Relief.
In the wake of Wheeling's subsid-
ing flood, miserable throngs of refu-
gees, tired, hungry and desolate, came
to the county court house for relief.
Elsewhere, policemen and members
of the American Legion searched for
other sufferers, and looked for addi-
tional dead
For many miles. up stream and
down, the river valley from here was
a scene of desolation. Mud and flood
debris were everywhere the waters had
touched. Some sections still remained
submerged.
In the background as the waters
subsideo urked the threat of disease
always a menace in the wake OF
floods. Medical authorities, however,
were fully aware of the danger. and
were taking every precaution possible
under the circumstances to prevent
any epidemics from developing.
Among the thousands of men, wom-
en- and children driven from their
hcmes. there were many tales today
of thrilling rescues as well as fearful
accounts of losses and bereavement.
Many told of spending hours await
ing rescue in skiffs and motor boats
manned by police and volunteers.
Two women drowned in an attempted
rescue They were with five other per-
sons in a boat caught in a whirl-
pool and overturned at the intersection
of streets. P. w. A. workers, under
direction of H. F. McAteer, recovered
their bodies. McAteer and his crews
have been doing relief work since the
food started.
On the island more than 800 were
removed before the flood came near
its crest far above the flood stage OF
36 feet. Hundreds of others made
their way across four bridges to safety
on either the Ohio or West Virginia
shore.
But many more remained to "sit out
the food"
Warned Of the coming flood, they re-
fused to leave. AS the waters surged
upward they moved upstairs.
Many remained on second floors,
homes, mostly frame dwellings erected
on the island directly off shore from
the main business section of Wheeling
Beaten by the swift current, more
than 100 boats fought their way from
window to window in low sections Of
Wheeling as well as on the island, lift
ing babies, women and men to safety.
More than 100 rescues were credited
TO a single crew-Col. c. B. Hopkins
of the Reserve Officers Training
Corps, and Frederick Libbey, who
cruised about the stricken areas in a
motor boat.
Names of Dead Unavailable.
Names of the dead were not lmme-
diately available as rescue crews car
ried on their task.
One patrolman located four bodies
in flooded home. He heard a cry
as he turned back toward the shore.
A baby girl was wedged in the wreck
age. She was saved
An explosion of leaking gas shat
tered home. Four died there.
A baby fell from a porch on the
island and was swept downstream.
Four others drowned on the island and
in South Wheeling.
Flood refugees told of seeing two
men clinging to a roof top among
the scores of houses swirling down.
stream. Their fate remained unde-
termined.
Power and water supplies were un-
affected. A food shortage was not
expected, but high waters have flooded
kitchens. making preparation of