The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-11-18

TbIeh were to be found all the best
Enropean goods. Above this, on the
rivht, some hundred yards or more on the
,ide Of the mountain, stood the Victoria
Hotel, which was usually crowded with
visiLors, The soil upon which this build:
Inc stood was known 10 be soft shale and
not upon solid rock as upon the opposite
aide OF the lake. Some years previous there
had occurred q land slide near the came
spot which did some damage, but as
nothing Of the kind had occurred since,
the place was considered inhabitable, and
visitors continued 10 occupy the hotel and
thropg the chop and assembly rooms, oil
unconscious ofwhat might In moment
occur. To resume the account oil the sad
occurrence, the water having poured
down all through Thursday, Friday and
Friday night, the drains were hlled TO
and one large one especially
lust above the hotel could not contain. the
large quantity which rushed down from
above. On Saturday morning, therefore,
the soil became 30 loosened from above
that there occurred small land slip at
ibis place which threw down some out.
houses Of the hotel, killing about thirty
natives and one European child. Realizing
that the place was dangerous and taxing
warning from the accident OF the morning,
the visitors at the hotel left, taking rooms
at other hotels or cottages In the station
where there was less danger. But in order
To save the building and recover the bod.
les OF those buried In the debris oil the
fallen clubhouse, the Magistrate, superin.
tendent Of Police, number OF policemen,
and fifteen or twenty soldiers from tue
barracks, under command OF o captain,
came upon the ground and endeavored TO
turn the channel OF the stream pouring
down the hillside, aud exhume the bodies
OF the unfortunate creatures buried alive
but short time before. A number OF per-
sons, among them chaplain, Mr.. Robin
son. who last year was stationed at Sitapur,
and a surgeon major from Allshabad, and
other officials were there, either Tor the
purpose OF rendering assistance or attract.
ed by curiosity. The verandah oil the hotel
was full Of natives stopping there out oil
the cold and wet. In the store below
we're Mr.. Bell, one Of the merchants, five
or ak clerks and assistants and several
yisitors. There was, as usual, number OF
ladies and gentlemen In the library at the
Assembly Rooms. All were talking, laugh:
Ing, reading, buying, selling and employed
In the various ways Ia which such persons
would usually be occupied. Tbs working
party ut the hotel had found they could
20 nothing toward either exhumtng the
bodies OF the dead or turning the torrent
from It's natural channel, and were about
10 leave; the soldiers were formed up, the
police were dismissed, the captain stepped
back to light cigar, when, suddenly, in
a moment, without seconds warning,
the whole hillside above the hotel-more
than one hundred toms oil earth and trees
and rocks, slid out and down, carrying the
hotel with 1t, and rushing on, took thestore
room with It all; and then. with one
sweep, wiped the Assembly Rooms and
all their contents right into the lake !!
Such scene can be better imagined than
described. The magistrate, superintend-
emit, captain, and all their party, were
killed instantly, and out OF the thirty
seven Europeans In all swept away, but
two or three escaped with their lives, and
they with broken and mangled bodies.
This occurred at two o'clock In the alter
noon OF Saturday, September 1S:h. The
rain was pouring In torrents. The dead
were buried beneath forty feet Of debris.
No help, such was the fright OF the natives
in the place, who believed that the day Of
Judgment had come and that the whole
station was falling to pieces,
could be obtained. Night came
on while the few European officers ard
civilians were trying to rescue the lew
they could Gnd. One little babe was found.
1t was discovered apparently unhurt, but
1t aiterward died, having, no doubt, TO-
ceiyed some internal injury, A lady was
discovered sitting among the great pile OF
rubbish, without mark upon her-phys.
icalIy unframed, but out OF her mind
hopelessly insane. Her husband and
child were both beneath the ruing. Moth
ing could be done to exhume the bodies
that day; the rain poured on, the fog set.
tied down, soon darkness drew her pail
oyer all, and the awiulEcene was covered
from the sight OF men. Every other house
was abandoned, and great fear fell upon
al. Occasionally house fell with q crash,
or rock loosened from above came thun.
deYing down. But still the rain poured
on. Thirty inches had fallen. The prop
erty OF the Methodist Mission had to
be abandoned. First one house was filled
Will NhlcI anu 6luIC uhA hAlt AVN abNtOI
(the site OF the Mission being next to the
hotel on the right OF the course OF the
cayed slip) and had to be abandoned and
then another until the whole was unit
for habitation and in danger OF being
wiped out OF existence. The Sanitarium,
the Parsonage, the Presiding Elders
house, the Chapel, and the native preach
or house, all were abandonded on that
fatal Saturday, and the missionaries fed
for their lives. Rev. and Mrs. Buck, Mr..
Cheney, Mr.. Thomas, Mrs. Nudge and
Others found their way in safety, but
through thousand fears, to the houses Of
friends. The site upon which the build.
ings stand will no doubt be pronounced
unsafe, and then the valuable property,
before estimated at almost $4,000, will
have to be given up. Truly, I'm the midst
OF life we are in DEATH" Those, who but
q day before, the gayest Of the gay,-"last
eve 50 full Of lusty life''-were in mo.
ment, and without warning, hurled into
eternity. SIN such an hour as We think
not the Son Of Man cometh." Does not
such calamity preach powerful sermon
to "Be ye also ready?" May the Heaven.
ly Father care for the suffering, Borrowing
survivors, and may we all learn from this
most awful calamity It's intended lesson.
Your son, ELLSWORTH.