Evening star., 1950-06-26
Flood
Continued From First Page }

Flood
Continued From First Page)
West Fork River, estimated the
damage there at 50 million.
All of Weston except sections
on the hillsides was under water
at one time
Two of the victims at Berea.
Mrs. Clara Bee, 10. and her
brother, William Gribble, 72, of
Cleveland, lost their lives trying
to warn the other four who died
there. !
Mrs. Bee and Gribble, who was
in Berea on visit, tried to reach
the home where Mrs. Grover
Koontz, IS, lived with her two
grandchildren, Lester Sullivan, 10,
and Wilda Sullivan, 8, and Mrs.
Hobart Brake.
Brother and sister were caught
in the flood. Residents of the
town told of hearing them scream
as the surging waters carried them
away.
Family Rescued Through Roof.
At Weston, f1remen had to chop
a hole in the roof to evacuate Mr..
and Mrs. Ernest Peters and their
four children, who had fled to
the attic of their home. The
water was still climbing and they
had no other avenue of escape.
At Troy, to the south in Gilmer
County, an 80-year-old couple
were rescued from their upstairs
bedroom. They were standing on
the bed with water tapping at
their knees.
Ira Reed, a merchant in Troy,
said Most of us just had time
to run to the hills when it struck"
About 240 persons, mostly boys
and girls attending a All camp,
were marooned at Jackson's Mill,
permanent summer camp near
Weston. The camp area was iso-
lated by high waters, but officials
said food and housing were ade-
quate and the campers we're in
no immediate danger. About 20
farm families in the area also
found haven at JackSon's Mill.
Gasoline Catches Fire.
Near Weston, a $50, ,000-gallon
gasoline storage tank was rup-
tured and the gasoline spread over
the water, It ignited, burning a
barn and injuring a farmer and
his wife who lived downstream.
Mr.. and Mrs. Greed Shuts were
burned about the hands and face
and were under a nurses care at
Jackson's Mill.
Dallas Higbee. Charleston Ga
zette news editor who flew over
the stricken area, said he saw at
least 18 house foundations at
Smithburg.
1T looked as if the homes have
been cut away with a knife" he
said. "the cleavage was so clean.
"A terrific amount of wreckage
was piled against two stone and
steel bridges. The ruins of an old
covered bridge almost as long as
the other span was lodged there"
Robert Hough, a Clarksburg
amateur, said he saw at several
places power poles 20 to 80 feet
high with wires and cross arms
covered with flooded debris.
Houses on Tracks.
He said he saw numerous
houses on the main line tracks
of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
between West Union and Smith
burg.
A B. & o. spokesman said very
great damage" was done to it's
main line to st. Louis, which runs
through the stricken area.
National Guardsmen from
Parkersburg moved in on relief
missions, and Red Cross supplies
were on their way to the stricken
areas from Charleston, w. Va,
and Alexandria, Va.
Identified dead from the flood
included:
Doddridge County:
B.. j. Cooper, Vivie Cooper,
Linda, Karen, Rodger and Media
Cooper, all members of one fam
lily at Smithburg.
Mrs. Lorraine Mckinney and
her daughter Majorie and Mrs.
Minnie May Rothwell, a relative,
all of Smithburg.
Mr.. and Mrs. Abe Williams of
Rock Run. near West Union.
Mrs. Clyde Bailey. about so,
and baby believed to be her
granddaughter.
Mrs. Arch Bailey of Kincheloe
Greek.
Ritchie County:
Sherman Moore, rs, of Harris
vile.
Mrs. Grover Koontz, 65: her
two grandchildren, Lester Sulli-
van, 10, and Wilda Sullivan, 8;
Mrs. Hobert Brake, so; Mrs. Clara
Bee, 10. all of Berea, and Mrs.
Bees brother. William Gribble, 72,
of Cleveland.
~