Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE LARGEST Circulation of Any Newspaper in the Fifth Congressional District of S. C. The Ledger. SEMI-WEEKLY-PUBLISHED TUESDAY AND FBIDAY. WE GUARANTEE The Reliability of Every Adver tiser Who Uses the Col umns of This Paper. A Newspaper in all that the Word Implies and Devoted to the Best Interests of the People of Cherokee County. ESTABLISHED FEB. 16. 1894 GAFFNEY, S. C., TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1903. $1.00 ▲ YEAB. FIERCE, FEARFUL AND FURIOUS FLOOD DEALS DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. Millions of Dollars Worth of Property Swept Away Many Lives Lost. and GIANT COTTON MILLS WIPED FROM THE EARTH. Terrible Cloudburst Saturday Morning Plays Havoc With the Six Big Cotton Mills at Clifton and Pacolet, Destroying Three Millions of Dollars Worth of Property and Many Lives and Rendering Hundreds Homeless and Out of Employment. Details of the Death-Dealing Disaster. To thoHP who have visitei the mill villages along the backs of the Paoo- let no description whatever is neces sary. but to the many who have never enjoyed a peep at them a little de scription is necessary to give an idea of them. The writer fully realizeshis inability to picture to the mind’s eye either the beauties of the places be fore the calamity of Saturday as the awfuluess of the disaster that over came them, or tbe misery and despair that is liable to be the lot of the un fortunates should aid not reach them in a few days. Imagine a silvery stream springing out from the mountain side, away up near the summit, trickling its way through the ravine and leaping over tbe rugged crags, playing hide and seek with itself ic the hills, L ur g*‘ D K and galloping along, gathering strength as it goes, until it becomes a brook and later on a river which grows and grows until finally it loses itself in tbe great ocean. The peace ful Pacolet has flowed on for thou sands upon thousands of years, only now and then laying claim to a humaa life, singing a song of content ment, satisfied to remain in its car row channel that winded its way through alps that rose above alps and hill that peeped o’er hill. Man. made in the image of the Creator, conceived the idea of harnessing the power that God had created, but which was daily | wasting away, and make it pay hom age to his genius. The splendid water powers which have brought the great cluster of cot ton mills to the Piedmont country of South Carolina have now brougnt in jury and destruction to these indus- i tries, loss to their owners and suffer ing to their operatives. A series of rivers run down from the mountains of North Caiolina, gradually merging until in the middle section they form the great streams of the low country. First on the east is Pacolet river, which runs east of Spartanburg and west of Gaffney. Between Jthese towns the Southern’s main line crosses it at Clifton, where the big bridge was washed away. Above Clifton oa the river is the old Fingerville mill and at Clifton is the cluster of mills which represent tbe energy of the late D. E Converse. Fourteen miles lower down, just two miles to the west of the South ern’s line from Spartanburg to Co lumbia, are the Pacolet mills—the life work of the late John H. Mont gomery, who lost his life last year while inspecting the new Pacolet mill, at Gainesville, damaged last week by a cyclone. Next to the Pacolet river on the west is the South Tyger, whose banks for miles are dotted with cotton mills Abovt Greers, between Spartanburg and Greenville, is the Arlington, now flooded, and just east of Greers is Tucapau. Also just east of Greers, the Southern’s main line crosses fhe Tyger—the bridge having been washed away. Tbe Saluda river water shed, upon which are the great mills of Pel- zer and Piedmont, seenm: to have es caped tbe flood. Tnis river runs be tween Greenville and Pickens and Greenville and Anderson counties. From headwaters some miles across the mountains from the sources of the Tyger and Pacolet rivers, another flood has come down. Starting in the beautiful Sapphire coentry, above Toxaway, and just west of Brevard, the waters burst the grand artificial lake at Sapphire and have rushed down the Keowee on into the Seneca, and are making their way to the ba- engine room. It fell with a crash. About G o’clock ten feet of the mill went, and about G :30 the smokestack. That was an awful, but grand sight. The great stack fell out into the vater and the spray therefrom flew as high as the railroad bridge, which is about eighty feet. The remainder of the mill went in about five minutes, j Tbe only thing left of the plant is the i cloth room, the slasher room and the supply house, which were an ell to , the main building. Four houses on this side and twelve on the other were washed away.” DEAD AND MISSING. The missing at Converse Mrs. John Owens and three children. William Kirby and wife. Fleda Goshia. Sam Swingleton and wife. Garland Long. Mr. and Mrs. Cobb. Clifton No. 1 is not a total wreck, but a good portion of tbe mill build- i ing is washed away. There is not the least trace of the company store. River street, containing eight dwel- lings, was wiped out, but the occu pants succeeded in escaping. At Clifton No. 2 the loss of life was pany store No. 2, was sleeping in tbe second story. When he awoke the water was pouring in the second story window. He managed to get to the roof of the building. Persons who saw him declare that he was the cool est man they ever saw. He sat down, removed his clothing, taxing off everything, put on his pants and shirt, remained on the building until it began to go down when he jumped into the water. He floated around until he reached the same tree in which were Mrs. iJane Williams and son and daughter of T. M. Massey. They were all rescued. An amusing story is related of Mr. are: Stribbling. After be reached the spires pointing heavenward. Winding walkways, rustic bridges across ra vines, dells and dales abound on every side. These mill villages were in habited by a contented and happy people. The ripple of the river which sang a merry accompaniment to the whirling spools and clashing looms, now sings a requiem to peace-parted souls, the victims of tbe raging tor rent. Young motherhood that sang the greatest and the mill is almost a a lullaby to baby now sings a song of sorrow. Brave young fatherhood, doting old age and light hearted beaux and belles mourn departed kindred and friends. Imagine an Eden, a paradise, a rustic, romantic, beautiful village set upon a hillside, made gorgeous by the foliage of nature, ; with silvery stream coursing through tbe midst of it. and then you will have imag ined faintly what Converse, the two Clintons and Pacolebs were last Friday. Imagine, if you can, that peaceful silvery stream being momentarily changed into a raging, roaring, rash- ing torrent, rising thirty feet above the ordinary, carrying with it tons upon tons of brick aad stone and massive machinery, houses and household goods, and worst of all human beings, and you get a faint idof what it was Saturday. Imag ine again, houses toppled over, tons and tons of debris wedged in partly wrecked mills, men and women and children without food or clothing, barefoot and sore, without where to lay their head, with everything they possessed in this world sw:-pt away, witnout kindred, without friends, and almost without hope in the future, and you get a faint idea of the situa tion Sunday. NEWS OK THE CALAMITY. The news of the awful calamity reached Gaffney late Saturday after noon. It was so sweeping in effect that the people were averse to giving it credence. It was not thought the situation could possibly be so bad as pictured. But the brief sentence which said, ‘‘The Clifton and Paco let mills have been washed away,” gave the story in a nutshell. Sunday morning vehicles of every description began to leave Gaffney laden with people eager to see and learn the truth for themselves. When The Ledger man reached the livery stable every vehicle and horse In it had either started or had been en gaged to go to the scene. Luck was perched upon his banner and it was not a great while before the scribe, accompanied by Mr. H. L. Spears, seated behind a tassel-tail secured ' from Mr. Vic Spurgeon, started on the fifteen-mile drive through tbe country. The roads were heavy, due to recent excessive rains, the animal was slow, which made the trip more or less tedious; but a jovial com panion did much to lessen the dis tance by bis quaint speech. Toe road was lined with people and tbe nearer the destination the denser the crowd. Several thousand p ople from this county visited the scene during tbe day. SCENE AT CONVEKSE. Converse was the first stopping place. Here a scene of devastation and destruction met the eye. Where once stood tbe splendid structure of the Converse mill there was nothing to be seen but the rock foundation and a portion of the building that stood back on tbe hill, not out nf reach of the water, but so far out that tbe water could not move it. Tons of debris were scattered all around. On the north bank, near the water’s edge, spinning frames and looms, twisted and broken into splinters, iron twisted like line wire. total wreck. The missing at this place aref A. Calbert, wife, son and daughter. B. S. Johnson, wife and four children. I. H. Hall and family of ten ; one of whom was saved. Mar tha Waddell and son. Four children of T. M. Massey. Mrs. Jane Wil liams and two children. Mrs. J. R. Finley. Mrs. Henderson. Julius Biggerstaff. Ed. Robbs and two chil dren ; Mrs. Robbs was found on an island with her dead baby in her arms. J. W Elders, wife and baby and bis mother-in-law, Mrs. Quinn. Bub Hembree; his wife and children were visiting at Buffalo and escaped. N. D. Sima All of these resided on Santuc street. Forty-two people who resided at tree a rope was thrown him. The end lodged on a limb above him. He started after the rope. When be reached the limb he came face to face with a huge black snake. He hesi tated a moment, knocked bis snake- ship into the whirling waters, grab bed tbe rope and was pullea ashore. DK. BATES’ ESCAPE Dr. Dugar Bates, formerly of Gaff ney, lost all his drugs, medicint'S, etc. His office was in the second story of the No. 2 company store. Dr. Bates and family had a narrow escape. The water was knee deep in his house when he got his wife and baby out. He thought tu get out some things anc went back He had barely time to get bis watch and get out, and as it was the water was near ly up to his shoulders. He had just reached the ground when his house floated away. The rapidity with which the water rose was something wonderful. In side of five minutes it rose fifteen feet. Wm. Camp conducted a livery stable in the Santuc settlement. His stable, containing three mules and a horse and some cattle, went down with the rest. One mule was found An Appeal from the Governor. Governor Heyward Saturday night issued the following appeal: To the People of South Carolina: An awful calamity has befallen the people of Clifton and Pacolet, whereby not only has a fearful loss of life occurred, 50 people having been drowned, hut 500 men, women and children have been rendered homeless and 4,000 thrown out of employment at Clifton. While no loss of life has occurred at Pacolet, nearly as many will be out of employ ment, or at least there will be great suffering there also. Such a catastrophe, coming with such suddenness and without warn ing, places these people totally without means and without shelter. Local aid is not sufficient to overcome the great destitution and suffering and greater hardships; even death may result unless prompt aid is extended. Representative citizens living at these places and who are familiar with the circumstances, have informed me that assistance is urgent and re quested me to call upon the people of the State to come to the rescue in order that further and more serious suffering may he prevented. I feel that it is only necessary to let the true condition be known in order that the generous hearts of the people of the State may be touched to a quick response. The people have never failed to respond when calamity afflicted any of our people. Those of us who in the providence of God have been spared and are still prosperous, will not look with indifference upon the terrible devastation that has been wrought and the untold disaster which some of our people are now undergoing, and I am sure that a prompt and liberal response will he made to the appeal. Let us all contribute in accordance with our ability, however small it may he, but above all, let it be prompt. Mr. T. Hasell Gibbes, of the Columbia Bank, has kindly consented to receive all moneys that may he contributed, and whatever may he sent him will he promptly dispatched to the aid of the sufferers. 1). C. HEYWARD, Governor. vaunah. Thia flood has inundated the formed a sort of cape and hundred of Newry mille, and may have endan gered the Norris mill at Gateechee; it passes in sight of Olemsou College; has washed away the high trestle- over tbe Seneca river on tbe Blue Ridge railroad, between Seneca and Anderson, and has damaged Auder- Bon’s water and electric power plant at Portman Shoals. From tbe borders of Cherokee couoty to the east boundary of Geor gia, all along tbe Piedmont, the flood extends. THE MILLS. Tbe Pacolet Mills and the Glifton Mills were built upon the banks of this stream. Clifton was about seven miles above Pacolet and tbe two Gliftons and Converse are about a mile apart, each, and were hid from each other by towering bills. Tbe banks on both sides of tbe stream are lined with white-painted cottages, oburcbee and scbocl-boaiei with relic-hunters were there picking up bits and fragments as souvenirs of tbe flood. ** STOKY OK AN EYE WITNESS. An eye witness to tbe work of tbe waters said: ‘‘It bad been raining ail day Friday and tbe river was con stantly rising that night. A man had been set to keep watch on tbe ; bridge, bat he decided a short while after midnight that tbe river had about reached its limit, so be went to bed. It was about 5 o’clock Satur day morning when I was aroused. Tbe bridge bad been washed away and tbe water was still rising, having reached the lower tier of bouses on tbe bank. Then an effort was made to get the people out, but tbe river rose so fast that sixteen of the bouses went down, many with their occu pants. Tbe first to go was tbs boiler bouse of tbe mill. It crumbled away like a sand pile. Tbe next wae tbe thin mill were lost. Forty-one com pany houses, tbe company store, and eleven stores ind dwelling houses be longing to private parties were swept away. The dead body of Mrs. Henderson was found in the wrecked mill by Miles Cash, formerly of Gaffney, and brother of Barlow Cash, of this place. A THKILLING EXPERIENCE. T. M. Massey was caught in the current and his body shot into the mill ana he was saved. Mrs. Massey floated on a raft and was rescued. Hho succeeded in getting her four children t u the raft with her. Her experience was indeed a thrilling one. The raft floated around until it came within reach of a tree. Mrs. Massey succeeded in getting three of her children on the raft, but one became fastened between the timbers and she was compelled to watch her child float out to death. People on the shore tied two bales of cotton to gether, floated them out to the tree and the oldest daughter got on it and was rescued. About this time float ing debris struck the tree with such force as to knock it down. Mrs. Vtassey managed to get her boy on a floating raft, and a rope was thrown to her. 8be caught tbe rope and was saved. The raft floated off with the boy and that was the last seen of the poor little fellow. A HEART RENDING SCENE. Another scene that made strong men weak and hearts weep was that of a raft on which was seated a little child, apparently about two years of age. The merciless waves splashed over tbe little thing and it time and again was seen to wipe tbe water from Its face. Finally the raft struck an obstruction, parted and went down, carrying with it to a watery grave tbe little darling. Ab, cruel waves, bow merciless and unkind! ▲ 000 L CLERK. H. Stribbling, a clerk in tbe corn- seven miles below with barely a scratch, but not a trace of the others was to be found. John Stewart managed to get his family out, but not a thing was saved except tbe night clothes in which they were robed. L. E. White, a clerk in company store No. 2, gives a graphic account of tbe flood. Mr. White is a brother- in-law to J. E. Ezell of this place. He did heroic work. Mr. Ezell went over Sunday and brought Mrs. White and baby to Gaffney. Bruce McClure rescued a man by means Of a rope. The man was float ing to certain death ou a frail raft when Mr. McClure threw out the life line. Dr. Gunter, a dentist, bad an office near the river bank at Clifton No, 1. The office was carried away, together with Its effects, and now the river runs where formerly the office stood. SANTUC SWEPT AWAY. The street known as Santuc was as completely swept off the lace of the earth as it was possible to do it. Fragments of drawing cans, pots and pans, stoves, chairs, Tbe thrieks of some of the dis tressed could be heard above the roar of the torrent, while some went down to their doom without a murmur. Men forgot their own danger and performed heroic service in an effort to save human life. Few pen picture* can describe the dire oisaster; none can exaggerate it. The immense iron bridge of the Southern railway just below Converse was the only thing that stood the test, and the fact that not a great ceal of it was in the water is the only reason it did noi go. PEOPLE DUMFOUKDED. The people are dumfounded. They either have not had time to res ize the awful fix they are in or are so overjoyed at having escaped with their lives that they do not realize the condition of affairs They laugh and talk of it as a mere incident Some haven’t food enough to keep them from hunger for an hour; oth ers are more fortunate. Certainly none of them have enough to keep them going a month. Even if the company determine to rebuild at once it will be months before enough can be done to start the machinery, as the machinery would have to be be bought and hauled and put in place. RESULTS OK THE KLOOD. As a result of the flood from five to eight thousand people have been de prived of a means of livelihood, over $3,000 000 worth of property has been destroyed and families torn asunder and human lives sacrificed. This catastrophe has been likened unto the Johnstown flood of 1890, and while it was of a like nature it is not to be compared; but we have no desire of wrenching that listinction from Johnstown. In that flood, if memory serves us right, 2,500 lives were lost and $15,000,000 worth of property destroyed. THE CAUSE. No definite cause has beet as.-igned for the flood, unless it was a water spout up the river, assisted by the bursting of a dam. That is only con jecture, as no news has been received from the regions eh-'vo Converse 1 hr iiigti a hid t lie • ‘ ihe riVtt fl.vva in •» channel at Converse and some of the surrounding hills rise to a height of 120 feet abc ve the river Many of the houses are away up on the bill- i side and only those that were down in the valley were destroyed. WORK OK VANDALS. A distressing thing to relate is the work of vandals. The river had hardly subsided before a goulisb gar g of human buzzards began to flock around and pick from the dead carcas - scs of the corporations such things as they might be able to pick up, Borne were seen carrying off belting, pul leys and such fragments as they could Home down the river have fished out of the swollen stream bales of cotton, cloth, etc., and even de clared they were going to appropri ate it to their own use. Nothing but the basest kind of humanity would stoop to such deeds of flendisbness, even with a corporation in distress. I'hese people are in distress and they need assistance. Now is the time to help. Do not delay. CONTRIBUTIONS RAISED, During Sunday probably two thou sand people visited the stricken dis trict. Hundreds went fnm Gaffney. Those who went contributed liberally to the relief of the distressed. Mayor J. Q. Little, of Gaffney, and Mayor Arch. B Calvert, of Spartanburg, were on hand and did what they could for tbe relief of the sufferers. Yes terday tbe ladies of Gaffney raised $175 and collected three large boxet of clothing and sent them over. A large quantity nf provisions were also sent from Gaffney. Much of this was contributed by the people from the country and all was given with a liberality that was refreshing. More will ,follow today. Tbe Merchants and Planters bank will receive contributions for the flood sufferers at Clifton and Pacolet, and forward same to tbe proper au thorities. way which furnishes the power for the mills. Some idea of the im mensity of the flood may be gathered from the fact that it is not known at this writing whether the dam has been washed away. A PHENOMENAL RISE. Inside of 40 minutes the river rose from its normal confines to the fourth story of the first mill, a height of 41 feet. The mill operatives were just going to their early breakfast when the sound of a mighty rush of waters broke on their ears. From their cot tages that dot the hillsides they wit nessed a scene, for there was actually not time enough for many of them to get to the banks, that will live on their memory. With one great bound the floods urged down the valley. An ornamental swinging bridge that con nected North and South Pacolet was swept away as if it bad not the strength of a cobweb. Tbe mill opera tives. some of whom had hastened down to the water’s side in hopes of being able to get across to their work, backed up tbe hill horror stricken. Id five minutes it is said that the water rose more than 20 feet. CHURCH SWEPT AWAY. The Presbyterian church, which was picturesquely located on the river side just between the mills, was tbe first Building to go. It stood out on a little promontory of land that made it a great mark for the waters. Tbe flood surged upon it in a twinkling. It had served as t> school bouse and place of worship for every congrega tion in the village until the town grew to its present proportions, and is the most historic building in the village. For a few minutes its fine masonry withstood the battle of the Niagara-like onslaught, then without a moment’s warning the foundation gave away and it went down on tbe maelstrom as if it had been made of straws. DESTRUCTION. the fascinated specta- AT PACOLET MILLS. The Story an Sent to The State by an Eye Wltneea. The following is tbe story from Pacolet as sent in to Tbe State Satur day by Mr. Randolph W. Smith: Pacolet Mills, June 6:—Twelve barber chairs, lives, $2,500,000 in mill and other scales, disb pans, and debris of all property lost, with 4,000 men indefl- kinds were scattered around, but not oitely out of employment, is the sum a vestige remained to indicate that total of tbe disaster that has appalled only a few hours before a score or this whole section from Clifton to more of bouses stood in the hollow Pacolet. basin. Not since tbe Johnstown flood has Tbe bed of the river was changed there been such a calamity of the three hundred yards to the right, waters and small wonder that the In- Threads of yarn were to be seen lodged thirty feet up id tbe trees. There was not a vestige of a bridge left. Every dam was broken. Tbe electric car line was carried away and wbat remained of tbe rails was twisted as so much wire. Tbe wooden bouses floated upon tbe waves like chicken coops until they would strike a shoal or some kind of obstruction, when they would crush like wooden match boxee be tween the palme of a strong man’s handi. habitants of this valley are awed into awfnl silence at the scene of desola tion that confronts them. Tbe information received here is that the cloudburst broke just above Cliftou early this morning about G o’clock. Within an hour tbe mills at that point and a score or more of farm bouses along tbe river bad been carried away and tbe debris came with a mighty rneb to this point. Just above the great structure known se Mills No. f and 2 is tbe dam that courines the natural water- QUICK Hardly had tors recovered from this scene when the little flat of buildings comprising the postoffice, market, barber shop and blacksmith shop went down be fore tbe inrushi n g flood These build ings were near th >-.ni noi at the loot of the road 01 u. s.rtet of tbe village. They went down in the rush of waters one after the other so quick ly that tbe spectators differ as to which went first. By this time the river had risen 10 feet higher until Sts waters were surg ing through tbe third story windows of the mill* built to withstand ordi nary freshets, but in no contempla tion of a flood of such proportions as tbe existing one. Tbe walls of tbe building known as No. I and No. 2 mill were seen to be trembling and the crowds of villagers were watching them closely when a scene on the red torrent arrested their attention. AN APPALLING SCENE. A raft which looked like the side of a house was coming down the great red turbid mass of waters at light ning speed. Seated on tbe rafters near tbe edge was a child in his night dress. A rift in the clouos had let the sun through brightly and the face of the baby was turned up to the light, pale and appalled. The raft struck tbe falls just below the dam with an ugly smash and the child step ped off into the waters. The great tor rent turned the little body over and over, dashing it against the rocks until it disappeared around the bend of the liver. GREAT PROPERTY LOSS. In a brief space of time the great warehouse in which were stored gome 5,000 bales of cotton was swept away. Three thousand bales of goods and 3,649 bales of cotton were lost in this wreck, and ic is now difficult to see just where the foundations were. CRASH HEARD FOR MILES Hardly had tbe warehouse wrecked been swept out of sight when there was an ominous cracking in the mill buildings, No. 1 and 2. The river in stead of receding as tbe wiseacres bad said it would do certainly, when it reached 30 feet it went up with a rush to 40 feet and tbe old part of No. 1 and 2 went down. The other sections of tbe building gave away rapidly and tbe entire structure went down with a great crash that the mill people say could be heard for miles. A small section of tbe building is still standing bnt tbe force of the waters has utterly destroyed every thing on tbe small part of tbe build ing that was left standing. OTHER MILL FOLLOWS The mill No. 3 was the last one to go, and a part of tbe structure was left stsDding.tbat it is thought can be restored. The end ot the mill nearest tbe town is wrecked, the slasher room, engine room and boiler room are also gone and Mr. Victor Mont gomery, the president of the mill, has already made arrangements to sell some of the machinery that was recovered as old junk. RAILROAD WASHED AWAY. The branch of the Southern rail way that passes the mill has been washed away, a freight car that was standing In tbe rear of tbe mill No. 1 and 2 was picked up by the waters and turned over at the foot of tbe road, despite tbs faot that It was [CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE,]