The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-09-25
UNDER ALANDSLIDE.
TERRIBLE CATAsTROPHE IN THE
CITY OF QUEBEC.

ROCK from on
CIiT-Recent Heavy Rains the Cause of
the isaster-Scenes of Woe.
A Quebec dispatch says Thursday
evening people living in the neigh
borhood Of the Citadel were startled
on hearing low. rumbling sound, accom-
panied by a perceptible CULVER OF the
earth. Houses were shaken. dishes ratified,
and even in some cases people had difficult
ty in maintaining their footing. Every
one rushed into the street and IL was
learned that large portion OF Cape Dia-
mond, just below the Citidel, had become
detached, and, sliding down the declivity
TO Champlain street, had buried several
residences and their inmates under from
fifteen to twenty five feet of rock, dirt and
wreckage
At the foot of the cliff is narrow
street, which occupies all the space be-
tween the cape and the river, and this
was filed with the debris which had
crushed out the lives OF at least twenty
five people. The exact number is not
yet known, as the enormous mass of earth
and stone has shown but little diminution,
notwithstanding that a large force OF men
was at work clearing it away in less than
a hall an hour after the horrible disaster
took place 1t is believed, however, that
not less than % have persisted. About
half score of bodies have already been
taken out of the ruins, and number of
people terribly crushed, but still alive,
have also been rescued.
Champlain street, on which the terrible
visitation fell, presents a scene Of unmiti-
gated sorrow and desolation. The heads
OF families are rushing about frautically
seeking their offspring, while children are
"a. ,.x.~ g..
ents. The portion o. the cliff overhanging
this street which started from its place
demolished about eight houses, occupied
by twenty or thirty families. The cause
Of the disaster is said TO be the recent
heavy rains. The amount o. fallen rock is
immense, and completely blocks the road.
The story given by a survivor is that he
was standing in his door when the land
slide occurred, and that as soon as he saw
the huge powders and masses of rock
bounding down the steep incline he rushed
up the street Only in time to escape being
crushed TO death. The houses struck were
all three or four stories high, and gave
way before the avalanche like past board.
Some of them caught fire. This added to
the terror and general confusion, and for
awhile it appeared that those who had es-
capped death by the weight Of stone and
timbers would be cremated. The timely
arrival Of the fire brigade soon dispelled
this fear, and the way was clear for the
eager by-standers to begin their work or
rescuing those imbedded In the ruins
Those who witnessed the fall of the rock
say they heard a long, loud noise, as of
several cannon, and on looking up toward
the terrace and citadel were Mortified by
the sight of a large mass of stones, rock,
and earth breaking loose and rushing
4
doomed houses below. Immediately the
air was filed with dust, so that no one
could see ten feet in front of him and
breathing was made difficult. This was
followed by the sound of timbers crushing
and yielding 10 the immense power of the
avalanche, and the shouting and scream
ing of men, women, and children in all
the agony of despair.
The avalanc che was caused by the hot
weather of the past few weeks cracking
the earth and rock, which were loosened
and driven down by the heavy rain OF the
last few days. The men of the water po-
lice, whose station is near the scene of the
accident, set 10 work at once to rescue the
imprisoned persons, while the general
alarm was sounded which called out the
fire brigade and police. The flames were
soon extinguished, and the men from the
battery began the work of extricating the
unfortunates from the ruins, assisted by
many of the citizens.
A detachment OF Battery ID Canadian
Artillery, under Major Wilson, soon
started at double quick for the scene OF
destruction. The water police and the men
Of the civic police force also worked
bravely, every one present working his
life for his fellow creature in distress. The
soldiers especially distinguished themselves
by their bravery.
After the first few bodies had been ex-
tracted the work proceeded more rapidly
till at last an almost continuous string of
dead, dying and wounded kept pouring
into the marine department, where almost
all the doctors Of the city were assembled.
The spacious rooms of this building were
soon filed with a crowd of Borrowing rela-
tives. 1t is estimated that between twenty
and thirty persons are dead and over
twenty wounded. Two men of the fire
brigade were also injured but not serious
ly Some families have not yet been re-
covered, and it is feared that their mem
bers have breathed their last. The recov-
cred dead are: Thomas Farrell. two Far
rell children, two Burke children, an UNI
known child, Mrs. Berrigan, five unidenti-
fed bodies.
Besides these 1t is believed almost to a
certainty that Richard Mayb laborer,
and wife; Henry Black, grocer and pro-
prietor Of large foundry, and his whole
family; Maggie and Ellen Walsh, Mrs.
Stevens. Mrs. Allan, Mrs. Henry, Richard
Kemp and family, and the Lawson family
can never be reached alive. The rela-
tives, neighbors and workers are afraid to
guess at the actual number Of the dead.
Among the injured so far recovered are:
Thomas Graves, leg broken; Stephen
Burke, injured internally; w. Power, badly
crushed; Mrs. O'Neal, badly hurt; Pat
Fitzgerald, leg broken and badly hurt
otherwise NJ. Reddy, injured internally;
Nellie Deehy, leg broken.
1t will take hours to get down to the
Black family and others, who are believed
TO he beyond all assistance.
The occupants OF the destroyed houses
were the following, with their families:
Charles Allan, Thomas Berrigan, Tim Ber-
rigan, Blacks grocery, Henry Black, Mrs.
w. Bracken, James Bradley, Stephen
Burke, Michael Dehey, Thomas Farrell,
Patrick Fitzgerald, Henry Lawson, Rob-
ert lawson, Richard Leahy, Frank Carl
son, James Hayden, Joseph Kemp, Luke
Kirwin, Henry Mullins, Richard Maybury,
Widow John O'Dowd, John O'Neil, Will
liam Stephen, Thomas Power, John Read
md nh,