The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-08-15

| Liz SNSAAL Az N<>LSO~SOS~ W.
a record crowd this year.
Miller, Tram Ashley and Jake Lit
tie.
The 1OO-year-old home of S. V.
Alexander, we'll known citizen OF
the Crumpler section, was des-
troyed by the flood waters OF the
river as was the home OF Ed
Shepherd, near Grassy Creek, and
that of Rev. Arthur Ashley, in
the Chestnut Hill section. Incom-
plete reports from that section
also revealed that many outbulld-
ings were destroyed.
Water flooded a number OF
homes in Laurel Springs, War
rensville and Lansing resulting IN
untold damage to properties. Ell
mer Jones, who lives on the river
near Warrensville, kept his home
from being completely washed
away by removing the windows
and doors and allowing the sWol-
len waters to pass through.
Churches were no exceptions
in this catastrophe. A church at
Helton is reported to have been
washed down the river as far as
Crumpler, jamming the bridge
and resulting in its destruction
The large tabernacle at Fig was
washed away as was the Oak
Grove church near Warrensville.
Nothing was left of this except
a few of the foundation rocks.
The municipal power dam and
building at Warrensville were
washed away, and several feet
down the river, the generator
could be seen, Wednesday.
Bridges and Highways
The swollen streams probably
reached their highest mark short
" after 100 o'clock Wednesday
morning and carried with them
most of the bridges that spanned
their waters.
Surveys made early yesterday
morning by highway officials ana
others revealed that five bridges
across the South Fork of New
River had been destroyed. These
include the bridges near Mack
Absher's at Nathan's Creek. on
Glendale Springs highway 10; at
Fleetwood; at Beaver Creek and
Obids; and on the Idlewild-West
Jefferson highway. Five bridges
were also reported out on the
North Fork of New River. 1nclud-
ed in this group were the one
near the Mouth of North Fork, at
Weaversford, at Crumpler, Phe-
nix Creek near Silas Creek. The
bridge over Horse Creek at Bina
was also washed out, as was the
low water bridge at Pine Swamp.
The highways in several sec
tons of the county were badly
undermined, washed out and da-
mayed by land slides. The War
notwithstanding road was very
badly damaged, as was the high
way leading to Boone.
Early yesterday morning crews
were at work attempting to keep
several of the roads open and
clear them of debris. Captain
George Doggett, highway fore
man Of this county, pointed out
that his forces were doing all that
they could to reopen roads that
are safe for travel at the present
time. He stated that it would take
at least five years to repair and
rebuild the roads and bridges
damaged by the flood.
Jeffersons Flooded
Located several miles from the
river, the Jeffersons nevertheless
received an overdose of flood wa
tiers from the branches swollen
several times their usual size, and
the overlooking ravines draining
the surrounding countrysides.
Several feet of water covered
the highway leading into Jeffer-
son late Tuesday afternoon, and
practically surrounded the house
formerly owned by ]. T. Prevette.
The tiny stream which usually
flows placidly by Langdon SCOTS
residence became roaring river,
destroying the fences and badly
damaging outbuildings on his
property. This swollen stream
practically covered the Wayman
meadow and continued on its way
directly into the Vannoy manu-
featuring plant where some dam
age was done.
Perhaps the worst flooded
home in West Jefferson was that
of MIR. and Mrs. Carl Coward.
Here the water arose 10 inches.
Mr.. Coward reported that prac-