The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-08-01


A correspondent of the Philadelphia
Press describes a journey which he
took from Van in Turkey to the viii
lage of Shandalen in Armenia, fifty
miles distant, the scene of terrible
snowslide last March. We take up
his story from the time he arrived at
Shandalen:
Arriving, at length, at our journeys
end, we began to realize a little the
severity of the accident that has oc-
CURED, but of which only the seeing and
hearing on the spot can enable one TO
form an accurate idea. Since leaving
the top of the pass we have descended
more than 1000 feet, but we find the
situation of the village exceedingly
wild and romantic. 1t is built at a
point where another branch of the
Tigris converges with the one we have
followed. Even here the space be-
tween the mountains available for
buildings is not more than 400 or 500
feet, and the houses are built as closely
together as possible, and in such pc
culiar fashion that the roofs of the
first story form the streets that are
most used, being connected with others
by bridges over the narrow lower
streets, now mostly filled with snow.
The comparatively few second story
rooms rise above these roof streets.
AS you stand and look about you the
mountains rise in majestic grandeur
on every side here blank perpendic-
ular wall Of rock; there a steep noun
tain side where few trees, perhaps,
find standing room, and you feel as if
shut out from all the world. 1t was
down this steep ravine, beginning from
I point some three miles away, that
the avalanche swept, leaving destruc-
tion in its path.
After two or three days 'of steady
snowfall the people of the village
were cheered by the bright shining
forth of the northern sun. Until 10
o'clock on this warm day they were
busy about their usual avocations,
when they were suddenly startled by a
noise like the firing of 100 cannon,
simultaneously the bright sun was
overclouded. while the inhabitants of
one end of the village found great
trees crashing in upon them and their
houses falling about their heads. The
people of the south end of the village,
as they were able to come forth,
which, for some minutes they could
not do, the great pressure from with
out making the opening Of doors i'm
possible, found several inches of snow
on their roofs, but the north end was
buried under mountain of snow.
Along the hither edge of this snowy
mountain one and another were seen
TO be wholly or partially buried, and
the affrighted survivors set to work to
extricats them from their peril. About
100 persons were thus taken out alive,
but under that debris were buried fifty
nine souls, destined never more to see
the light of day. From the house thus
swept away few Of the people were
absent at work; some happened to be
at other houses, and quite number OF
children we're at school. These were
soon wailing in agony over the loss OF
those most dear to them. The scenes
of that day beggar description. To-day
The snow, which was piled fifty
feet high, above the river, and fol
two hours blocked its course
has now most melted away
and one can Judge a little of wha
really happened. The first and great
est mischief was not from the snow it
self. but from the violence of the wind
it forced before it. Great trees tina
had stood the tempests for scores o
Years, torn up by their roots, thei
~fboughs wrenched away, and larg
trunks often broken off or twisted int,
kindling-wood, just as cyclone treat
it's victims, had been brought fifty o
one hundred rods and strewn in will
ruins upon and among the houses am
in the bed of the river and on the banl
beyond, and then snow had been pile
upon them. 1t was the cloud of snow
thus tossed into the heavens and car
ried for a half mile or more by thi
terrible wind that darkened the sun a
midday. Such powerful wind is sal,
not to be usual accompaniment o
ayalanches here. The explanation
given is that the snow was light ant
fresh, not compacted as is usual, ant
so, rising in a column, it pressed tn
air of the narrow valley before it wit
resistless force.
1 have been TO the graveyard an,
seen where fifty-seven victims ar
sleeping together in common grave
One victim was a Turk, buried else
where, and one woman, the wife o
the village priest, who had gone to tn
spring for water has not yet beer
found At one end, little by them
selves, lie the daughter of anothe
priest, thirteen years of age, and tn
young husband TO whom she had lee
welded but three days before. On
woman and child were rescued aliv
after they had remained three day
buried, and doubtless many died b