Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-08
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
GIARrS SuIrzERI AND Sent 10

GVn1I6 OLAId OF BRAVE R0SSO Bho
Correspondence of The Evening Star
GLARUs, SWITZERLAND Sept. 13 1881.
Since the destruction Of Goldau in September,
1906, by land slide from the Rossberg, Switzer-
land has not been visited by more fearful dis
aster than the utter demolition, on Sunday
| afternoon, September 11th of a large portion of
the picturesque village of Elm, in the canton of
Glarus. nestled under the lee of the great
Tschingel Alp, at the base of the Laaxer and
Stoekli glaciers. The geological formation of
the Tschingel consists largely of argillacious
schist, and the perils of a land slide were from
time to time predicted; but familiarity with i'm
pending danger dulls apprehension, and not
until after two days of heavy rainfall, on the 9th
inst, when the great and widening assures ap-
peared in the mountain sides. did the villagers
commence to realize that measures should
De taken to avert catastrophe. A
local engineer was called on to devise
means calculated to meet the emergency. But
alas. too late; and now the site of the lower
portion OF the village, comprising twenty-one
dwellings. with most Of their inmates, numerous
houses, stables. cattle, horses and we'll
stocked barns. beautiful gardens. orchards and
meadows, lies buried beneath from twenty to
forty feet of fragmentary rocks. crushed trees
and mountain debris. On Sunday afternoon of
the day of the terrible catastrophe, it was no.
UiCCu ny uiucIcuC groups Ol Villagers SlUUlnS In
front of their dwellings that fragments of rocks
would from time to time come bounding down
the mountain side, until about four o'clock
larger mass descended, crushing in it's course
the offices and other buildings of the slate quar-
ring company located heA. Still no serious
harm to the village was apprehended People
sat quietly that Sunday afternoon before their
doors, watching listlessly the passing clouds and
planning for to-mOTrows work. When sud
denly as it were in moment, an unearthly
ln,l,
thick cloud of dust was thrust, as it WERE over
and into the village, envelopng everything
In deep darkness, followed Immediately
oy whole mountain side of
and great patches of sward. the whole tumbling,
grinding and sliding forward in inexplicable con-
fusion with irresistible force into the valley
where but few moments before had so peace
fully and attractively stood Elm with its one
thousand thrifty inhabitants. Then all became
silent as cemetery, and the clouds of dust
slowly lifting revealed to the horror-strcken
deniZens of the upper end of the village the
fearful extent of the disaster visited upon their
fellow citizens. Help help, was the cry from
every quarter and nothing daunted MANY strong
and willing hands rushed forward to the rescue
OF those who lay buried deep beneath the debris
OF mountain side. Hardly were the picks
swung and shovels desperately doing duty when
another oninOus rumble was heard followed
almost Immediately by terrible crash an ire
sistible column of wind and, an immense area of
the mountain side hurled into the valley. bur-
ing the rescuers whilst at their noble work,
whom the first land slide had over
taken in their homes. So powerful was
the pressure of the column of air which
preceded these landsdes that an iron bridge
Weighing some twelve tons was bodily lifted
and set up endwise by it-persOns on the street
were raised by it and then dashed to the ground
and sulfocated. Children were thus crushed in
full view OF their parents; wives torn from the
SIDES OF their husbands and killed. woman in
confinement was being removed on a stretcher
TO place of safety when the second crash came
and remorseessiy buried her. the infant and the
rescuers. There is hardly family left which
mouIns not the loss OF one or more of it's men,
bers and some households are entirely extinct
VI the town council two members persisted OF
some 100 persons missing only ~ corpses have
as yet been unearthed OF the beautiful forest
tract above the villages, whereof the timber was
valued at 600. not veStige remains. tine
site OF its former shade being cut clean, as
though reaper had passed over it. The width
OF the mountain side which has thus been pre-
cIpitated into the valley below is not less than
one thousand feet ana the area covered by the
debris fully one mile square. The federal au-
thorities at Berne at once, on learning
of the catastrophe, dispatched the engineer in
Chief to the scene to render advice and aid, and
commission, consisting of the President and
Secretaries Of the Interior and Agricultural de-
partments promptly visited the place to inspect
anu A0Poil. AHc CoIpSeS. DIS from time 10 Time
they are brought in and laid out in the village
church, which escaped destruction. and has been
converted into morgue. look CHASTITY dsflgured.
many faces being crushed almost beyond recog-
nition-limbs and portions of different bodies
lay side by side. From all quarters relays of
rescners have arrived and, unceasing is the
work Of rescue going on. but alas corpses alone
are secured-the fearful avalanche of rocks did
its destructive work too effectually. Apprehen-
sion of a further slide exist. as numerous ex-
posed assures in the mountain side indicates
such. The stream which meanders through the
valley is partially damned. and its waters perco-
lating through the fallen rock and debris will
convert it into mass of stone and mud, and so
suffocate any Of the unfortunate who. though
buried alive. may. perchance, have escaped being
crushed by protecting tmbers and walls Great.
indeed. is the cry of distress.
Re Not Afraid tn pray