The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-10-09
4 FATAL LAND. Slide.
Part of the Heights Of Quebec
Fall on the Houses Below.
Many Homes Demolished and
People Killed and Injured

People Killed and Injured
A landslide occurred at Quebec from the
face Of Cape Diamond, below the Citadel,
at twenty minutes past seven in the evening,
crushing the houses beneath it and imprison-
ing the inmates below the debris, which was
piled to height, in some cases, Of twenty to
thirty feet over the houses which were stand.
Two fearful days of rain and flood succeed
| ing month Of dry weather filled the crew.
ces of the soil Immediately below and beyond
the southern extremity Of Dufferin Terrace,
| and on enormous mass was detached from the
! cliff, and hurled as with the noise Of many
thunders, slowly and majestically at first,
| but rapidly increasing in momentum through
its slide Of couple Of hundred feet over tie
retaining wal, cushing half dozen houses out
| of its way and crushing most of them beneath
| its weight as though they had been so many
paper boxes. Some Of those who saw the
slide were standing at the doors Of their
houses, and were too paralyZed to move out
of its way. Others ran to place Of safety.
The debris Of rock filed up the narrow
street to the depth of some thirty feet and cut
off all communication between the portions
of the city north and south of it. On the
wharves behind where the houses had stood,
scattered timbers and the earth and rock that
| partly covered them were mingled with huge
piles of coal that left little passageway be-
tween them and the river.
The river policemen, whose station is close
by, and the city police from Champlain Market
were among the first to rush to the relief Of
the imprisoned, tie wounded and the dying
sufferers. As soon as an idea was OBJ
10; ,al of he nf fhn
aster the whole force of municipal
police was turned out to render assistance,
and Chief Colonel Vohl applied to B Battery
at the Citadel for assistance. A strong force
Of the military under command of Major
Wilson, turned out to aid in the removal Of
the debris Fire broke out almost immediate
ly in some of the ruins, but the brigade when
summoned soon eXtinguished the flames and
set to work to assist in the search for the dead
and dying.
Nearly all the doctors of the city were in
attendance and did all that was possible for
the relief Of the sufferers, for whom, in the
absence of the Mayor from the city, stimu-
lants were promptly obtained in the name OF
the city.
Quebec's famous promenade, Dufferin Ter
race, has been fearfully shaken by the slide,
especially that portion Of it lying nearest the
Citadel, which almost overhangs the cliff
last kiosES it has parted so much from the
rock to which it clings that it has been con-
demned and closed to traffic by order of the
CITY Engineer, there being also a wide rent
in the rocks between it and the Citadel.
The mass Of rock detached from the cliffs
side left vacant space Of extraordinary d.
mensions. The houses in that locality were
built of stone and brick, and inhabited by
ship 1aborers, etc.
The officers and men of the Royal School
of Cavalry and the Redemptorist Fathers
went to the rescue with ropes, picks and
shovels About GOO men were put to work.
The damage is estimated at 500 600, and
the killed and injured at about fifty.
Later Details.
With the break of day was started afresh
the work Of removing the debris OF the do
molished houses, and willing hands dexter
ously welded picks axes and shovels OBJ
tained for them by the City Engineer. The
ROYAL Canadian School Of Cavalry, under
command of Captain Howard and Lieuten.
ant Lessard, which, with Battery, had
done excellent service throughout the night
and had retired at a late hour in the morn
ing for necessary repose, returned to work in
good time and continued the valuable aid
given by them during the night.
About twelve o'clock noon the spectators
~
procession Of more dead bodies from the ruins
and they came one after another borne upon
stretchers erected by the men Of Champlain
street. They were carried into the River Po-
lice Station.
Mrs McCann, one of the victims had been
paying visit to some friends. When found
her position was as If she was about tying the
strings Of her bonnet.
Mrs Burke, one Of the victims, met most
cruel death. When found she was lying un-
der cross-beam, terribly strained At four
O'clock the crushed bodies of Mrs. james
Bradley and one of her children were taken
from the ruins Of their home. The body Of
Mrs. Martin Ready was also taken from the
debris
Still another sad incident came to notice in
the rescuing Of Mr.. Farrell at the time Of the
calamity. He had his babe in his arms.
The two were found together.
The dead were all laid out in the Water
Police Station, whence about ten were re-
composition as having already set in, and
said that the rats were swarming in immense
numbers from the wharveS, so that he had
to have coffins constructed as rapidly as pos
sible.
Honore Mercier, Prime Minister of the
province; Joseph Shebyn. Provincial Treas
urer; Owen Murphy NJ. P. p, and Mr.. Fitz-
patrick, Crown Prosecutor, went around and
viewed the bodies in company with the Cor
oner, theSisters of Charity and many priests,
Altogether between eighty and one hun
othor.
Sir A. P. Caron and Sir Hector Langevin
both telegraphed their sympathy with the
sufferers, and the former sent down a milf
tary engineer from the Royal Military Col
lege, Kingston, to inspect the cliff.