Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-01-06
From the Troy Budget, Extra, January 2.
Dreadful Calamity Several Lives Lost.


! From the Troy Budget, Extra, January 2.
Dreadful Calamity Several Lives Lost.
Early last summer, many of our readers
are aware large mass of clay burst from
the hill on the cast section of the first ward
OF this city, followed by gushing stream of
water, and doing no other injury than cover
ing large portion of ground at the base
with the bowels of the hill Last evening
about o'clock, similar occurrence took
place on the same spot, but we regret to say,
greater in extent and exceedingly fatal in its
consequences. An avalanche Of clay came
tumbine from an eminence of nearly 500
feet moving down the base of the hill to level
land and then continued fron the impulse il
received to the distance of about 500 feet,
covering up acres of ground, accompanied
with cataract OF water and sand, which
kept up a terrible roar. The mass moved
along with great rapidity, carrying with it
two stables and three dwelling houses and
crushing them and their contents in thou
sands of pieces The stables and horses
were moved TO distance of over 200 feet in.
to an hollow on the corner OF Washington
and Fourth streets.
In its way the avalanche also encountered
a brick kiln, buryng it partially over and
crumbling 1t together, from which few min
utes after the flames rushed forth and lit up
the city as with great con1agration. This
signal was the first intmation that was had
Of the catastrophe to those not in the imme-
date vicinity
The three dwelling houses destroyed were
of light structure. and one occupied by Mr.
John Grace, another by Mrs Lavensworth and
f.. IL al. l..
fortunately vacant ot the time of the calami.
ty In Grace's house was himself and wife
and little boy, the fioo former uere extriea-
ted from The ruins dead, and the little boy
was taken out alive, very little hurt, bare
footed and bare headed, the building having
been shattered in thousand pcces-which
is undoubtedly one of the most singular es-
capes that ever came TO our knowledge
There were four OF Mrs Leavenswot's iami.
" in her house-herself and three children.
Two OF the children were in bed at the time
and probably asleep, and were afterwards
taken from the midst of the wreck dead,
crushed almost TO a Jelly and were undoubt-
eddy thrown Instantly from natural sleep
into sleep of death Mrs Leavenswouh
was taken out shockingly bruised and was
barely alive when we last heard from her
Fortunately three Of the family were at
church at the time, and escaped an awful
death
The stables were owned by Mr. Bingham,
in which were % horses, and all carried
along with the mass together, with nine or
ten dirt carts. Six horses were taken from
the ruins alive--the other sixteen were killed
The dead bodies OF The horses can this NOR
ming be seen mingled among the ruins MIR
Binghams loss must be considerable.
We learn that the body Of person was
found, name unknown, who was probably
employed in the brick kiln or stables-which
makes in all FIVE DEAD BODIES taken
from the ruins las, night There are prob
ably othels buried among the ruins, as it is
likely some persons n, the time were in the
stables or brick kiln.
The avalanche passed over a public high.
way which leads 10 the mill and nail factory.
and might have carried along with it some
Struggling traveller. The clay is piled up
in masses to the depth Of from 10 TO 40 feet
over large surface Ii must have moved
with great rapidity, and ii is fortunate tina, it
had not happened nj the time when the labor
ers were employed in digging from The hill
At the time it was showing freely, and this
morning the scene was entirely covered with
white veil
The scene that presented itself in the early
par, OF the evening was awful in the highest
degree The horrors of an earthquake
could not have presented more dreadful
spectacle la The midst Of mass OF con-
yulsed earth, multitude Of human beings
were moving TO and lro-some carrying
torches and others digging among the ruins,
and dragging from the midst the remains OF
some lifeess body, or were rescuing some
one in whom life had not yet become extinct
some werecrying "hol ropes ropesl" help"
"shoves" &c.-while the scene was dimly
Illuminated by the flames from the burning
brick kiln, which is yet smouldering like an
almost exhaustless volcano. The scene
must have been witnessed to be realized-we
can give but faint description of it.
Five large trees were preclpltated from
the hill, some of which are now standing
erect at the bottom, and others in slightly
inclined posture. The whole is considered
singular phenomena, and its immediate
cause is the result of much speculation
Melancholy Suicide.-Last evening, atthe