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Show HEAVY LOSS OF LIFEJN FLOOD Twenty-three Bodies Recovered Recov-ered From Debris in Cabin REPORTS ARE MEAGER Rescue Parties Carry Provisions Provis-ions and Tents for Relief of All Who Need Aid. Charleston, "W. Va., Aug. 10. Twenty-three bodies have been recovered from the debris carried down by the flood which swept the Cabin Creek valley near here yesterday. Rescue parties have penetrated some distance dis-tance above Cabin Creek junction and meager reports brought back by couriers couri-ers and from tho railroads indicate that the loss of life has been heavy, although no accurate estimate can be made. Persons driven from their homes to the mountains are returning return-ing to find whole villages of mining cabins swept away, while distress and suffering is seen on every hand. Two companies of the Second West Virginia infantry left Camp Kanawha Kana-wha by trolley this morning and were taken to Cabin Creek junction with orders to penetrate tho valley and extend ex-tend relief to all who needed it. They carried provisions and tents. Special Train Carrying Food. A special train was being made up here on the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad rail-road and will go as far as the hastily repaired tracks will permit. From that point numbers of men, provided with provisions, will seek out the spots where destitution is most pronounced. pro-nounced. It is expected that they will le able to go to the entire length of 'the valley and penetrate adjoining adjoin-ing valleys, also hard hit, 'before tomorrow. to-morrow. Jleports reached here today from United States Commissioner Howard C. Smith, who led a relief party for a number of mining companies last night, that looting had commenced and a number of arrests had been made and some property had been recovered. The commander of the militia has been ordered to detail men to guard property and restore order, leaving tho greater part of the elief work to many parties, which will be in the valley before afternoon'. So great has been the loss that coal companies with mines "in the valley estimate that many thousands of dollars dol-lars will be needed to feed and clothe the helpless miners and their families, fami-lies, as scores of them have lost all their possessions. oo |