The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-11-17

Ee8L6u Uy u ul6bluCbiy hSN0- l
ment OF the ground, and by the frequent
rafting down of stones and debris from
the rocky precipiees behind him. These /
were sufficient Indications OF danger to |
the praeLioed ear OF the mountaineer.
He knew too well the portents OF those
overwhelming catastrOphes that are
continually to be dreaded; and On listen
ing more attentively, he became con-
vinced that serious peril was impending.
Even as he watched, several large boul-
ders became detached from the lace of
the mountain, and rolled down to a con-
siderable distance; while at intervals
the bling m0t tlon OF the ground was |
too evident to be mistaken.
IL was growing late in the afternoon,
and darkness would soon fail on the |
valley; SO hastily quitting his work, he /
made the best Of his way down TO the
nearest village, and with the excite |
ment naturally caused by anxiety and
fear, he told the Inhabitants OF the
alarming indications he had just wit
messed, aud urged them to make their
escape without loss OF time from the
threatened danger. Strangely enough,
| they seem to have attacued no value to
| the signs OF approaching mischief which
| the man described to them; aud 1t would
appear that they considered the falling
debris to be attributable to some accl-
dental snowslip, caused possibly by the
| warm rays Of tue n0Onday sun.
Whatever they may have thought, they
paid no heed to the warning, aud the
charcoal-burner having done all he
could TO save them from the threatened
calamity, went on as fast as pos.
slble to carry his terrible news to three
! other villages, wlich were all directly
Iexposed to the Ike danger. But they
also utterly dIsbelieved in 1t, and
laughed at the fears OF the poor man,
whose breathless and agitated condition
clearly testified to the truth OF his con-
viction that very great peru Was close
at hand. One anu all, they refused to
luuit their dwellings, and the charcoal
burner, having valnIy endeavored to
laWakeu them tu sense OF their dagger,
Quilted the spot himself and sought smell
Ter elsewhere.
Hours passed, and no further disturb
ance OF auy kind taxing pace, The Wi
layers concluded the whole thing to
nave been false alarm, and at night all
retired to rest as usual, without appar-
emily a shadow OF mlsglying.
Suddenly, i'll the midst OF the silence
and darkness, a fearful crash OF failing
q rocks sounded far and wide through the
b. valley, and when the first rays Of The
a sun ltgnted up the mountain peaks, q
< terrible scene OF ruin and death was re-
yealed, The four little hamlets had en-
II, tirely Disappeared; two of them, tAOse
e that lay nearest To the slopes OF Monte
n Pezza, were completely buried under an
l. immense mass OF fallen earth ana rocks
b the other Two were submerged beneath
The waters Of the river COrdeyole, winch
p had been driven from It's course Dy the
a mountain fall, and mad spread out into
q what is now known as the Lake Of
II Alleghe.
d None of the unhappy victims had a
moments time for escape, even haC
ESCAPE been possible. The rushing dowI
t of the mountain was instantaneous, and
q buried them as they lay sleeping, and
{ The water flowed with lmpetuous rapid
J ty inlo the unprotected villages, not one
. inmate OF which survived 10 relate tht
" experiences Of That awful night.
'' Some months passed, ana the firs1
l, horror of the catastrophe had LITTLE
: aded, when another mountain tall took
: pace, again followed by lamentable
a. Consequences. ltoccurred in the IN Ontt
" Of May, and in daylight; but a mucl
IL smaller loss of life WAS Inc result, thougl
the destruction Of property was ever
Ia greater than on the previous occasion.
n Owing to the tremendous force exert
q ed BY the falling deDris, the waters o.
t. the lake, which bau never subsided since
It its formation, instantly arose into al
Il enormous wave and rushed violently u
& The valley, wrecking houses and iarm
Ii buildings, destroying the fl Jurlshing or
chards and c0rn-tields, and carrying
away portion OF the parish church OF
~ village which had been recalled Alleghe
te after the suDmersion OF the first OF tina
II9 name. The organ Of this church wa
- lorcib bly, swept TO considerable dis
!. tance, and q tree born along OH tn
~ mighty wave was dashed into the ope
40 window OF the cures house, wh 10 II
was sitting at dinner, the servant VIII
,u was attending on MIN being Killed o
Is Lhe spot. Many lives were lost durin
oI this second great berg-tall, and terriDI
VI tconsteruatlon was created IN the mind
a, Of the inhabitants OF the district, whlc
OF seemed TO have been so speclall
x singled out for misfortune.
u Since that LIme, however, no other 81
rious disaster mas belalIen them; tn
o. huge mountains OF the neiguborhoo
q lhaYe not again hurled death and ruin o
10 the smiling valley at their feet, and th
le little lake OF Alleghe, the principal M
be mortal OF the catastrophe, is only q
n added beauty to the lovely scener
- which surrounds 1t and lies here in s,
in rene tranquility, all unconscious Of II
Lh beating hearts forever stliled beneat
It's waters, OF the happy homes rendere
of dark and desolate NY It's cold, cru
v. wave.
4. More than a hundred years hay
ps passed since then, many generations
a villagers have lived and died, and u
at recollection OF the great berg-falls oil IT
"a has faded into mere tradition OF u
th place; but yet, looking down into tn
n. clear depths OF the lake, Oh day whe
no tners Is no wind TO raise ripples oD /
surface, the outlines Of the submergt
villages can be distinctly traced. Roo
s' and walls Of houses can yet be dlsti
ls- guished; 1T is even said that the belIry
~ the church 10 visible. flights OF stair
80 and many other reIlcs OIL the past lie
IA the drowned Inhabitants.
1t,
" wIEr,S VIEW nE nUEfINF1