Hi Folks,

Though I was born there and knew about flooding in Pax, W. Va. on many

occasions, I had never seen the water up. That changed Sunday July 8,

2001.

Hill until after 3:00 A.M. reliving the past with the proprietors Larry

and Sue Navicki. I got back to the Ramada Inn in Bradley about 03:30

and went to bed.

I was awakened by loud thunder at about 07:30 and looked out the window

to see some of the hardest downpour you have ever seen. After shaving

and my shower I went to the snack room for coffee and more watching of the

rain. About 9:30 it slacked off enough to get to the car and drove to

Kelly"s Korner restaurant in Pax.

The rain stopped at about 10:30 and the creek which I had been watching

was about 2 feet from the top. Since it had stopped raining we felt

safe.

Fifteen minutes later the creek was into the road and rising. I moved

My car to higher ground three times finally putting it on the hillside

above the restaurant.

We watched the water from a front lawn (Pettry's) and most was going

under the bridge and some going down the road. Shortly thereafter the

ground we were standing on was four feet under water.

Kelly's Korner Restaurant is built high off the ground with the front

porch about six feet off the ground and maybe 10 feet higher than the

road. The water kept rising until about 8:00 P.M. before it slowly

started to recede. It reached the top step to the porch meaning about 4

to 5 feet of water was under the restaurant..

We couldn't get out and no one could get in. We were stranded. We built

a makeshift bridge outside the back door to higher ground.

Anyone outside the area had to park down near the turnpike entrance and

walk up the railroad tracks to Marie Billups' place then walk down the

hill to Kellys' place.

There were rumors that the flood waters had caused a retention pond in

Oswald to let go and a wall of water had demolished Kilsyth. With no

Way to get news we worried a lot.

Along about 8:00 P.M. Bill and Faye Tyree, my mother Evelyn and myself

walked down the track to Bill's car and drove to Kilsyth via the

Turnpike, North Beckley, Bradley and Price Hill. The story about Kilsyth

being demolished was not true. They had had about two feet of water in

the road and yards but most had receded by the time we got there. Some

women there said they only got a small amount of water in their house on

the back side. Big relief! No casualties that we know of at this time.

Back to Pax and the walk up the railroad tracks.

Vicky had prepared a huge buffet dinner to be served starting at 11:00

A. M. but the only ones there to eat it was the ones stranded in the

first place. Lucky me I was there first in line. The buffet was to be

"THE LAST SUPPER" because Vicky had decided to close the restaurant part

of Kelly's Korner effective Sunday night. We are hoping that after she

gets her health up to par she will reopen the restaurant.

My mother was staying with her sister Marie Billups and they had an

extra bedroom so I had a place to sleep Sunday night.

After coffee, toast with applebutter and a little visiting, mother and

I departed for Cleveland at about 9:30 A.M. Monday morning. We made it

safely to Cleveland but the cleanup and other problems for the West

Virginians are just beginning. You ain't lived, I guess, until you have

had to clean up the mess of four feet of muddy flood water running

throughout you house.

Damn! Do I have fun or what?

jimmo