The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-03-22
OVERWHELMED BY ALANpsLipE.
A Hin FaiIs Away. Burying a Mouse
and It's Inmates.

A calamity resulting i'm the death OF
three persons occurred in the lower
part OF the city OF Troy, n. Y, on the
18th INST, when tons OF clay and
moistened earth swept down Warren's
hill, and carried before it a double
brick house. Not an intimation of
the approaching disaster was received.
The residents Of the locality went to
their rest the night before unconscious
OF the impending doom. They had
lived under the shadow OF Warrsn's
hill for years and felt secure. The
frst note OF warning came when at
3 o'clock q roaring sound was heard
almost Immediately followed by a
crash that sounded for blocks away
and awakened householders to a
scene which they will never forget.
The first arrivals at the spot were en-.
veloped in clouds OF dust, and through
the gloom @ pile OF debris was all that
could be discsrned. Two hows
elapsed before the extent OF the acci'
dent could be learned. Conflicting
stories were told OF the number Of
people buried in the ruins Of the house,
and the facts we're difficult to obtain
until daylight. The occupants of The
house were sixteen in number. The
killed are: Mrs. Johanna Hogan,
aged 40 years, widow; Mrs. Mary
Nconan, her mother, aged SS years;
Annie Burns, grandchild OF Patrick
Canfeld, aged IL years. The persons
killed occupied sleeping apartments
in the rear part OF the buildings.
Others who escaped miraculously
were in the front OF the house. The
senior Garfield was slightly bruised
about the legs, but was able to walk.
Hundreds OF volunteers, under the di-
rsction OF Sergt. Lawton, OF the First
precinct, and Officers Cunningham and
Fox, commenced work at once upon
the debris, and at $50 tho body OF
the child was taken from the ruins
and removed to Burke's undertaking
rooms. Her back was bruised. The
aged Mrs. Noonan was found q few
minutes later, and near her the body
of Mrs. Hogan was discovered. The
remains were taken to Nealon's under
taKlpg rooms. Mrs. Hogan was so
badly disfigured about the head that
it was impossible to recognize her.
The injuries ot Mrs Noonan consist OF
a broken leg. The two women were
undoubtedly sntfocated beneath the
wreck.
Patrick Garfield, Sr., was seen IN
the vicinity OF his former home. He
said, in answer to questions concern
ing the affair: "Wo knew nothing
about it in the house. The first warn.
inc had OF the landslide was when !
awakened and found the walls falling
about me. The sound was one that
confused me so greatly that l could
not tell for some time what had hap
pened. All know about 1t is that
as soon as could collect my
senses | crawlsd out OF the ruins,
and found that / was not injured ex.
cepting where my leg hurt me little.
The girl, Annie Burns, is my grand
child. She was sleeping with the 9th
er two children in the back bedroom.
How they escaped do not know"
One OF the most singular features OF
the disaster is the fact that all the
persons in the building who were no5
killed outright succeeded in extracting
themselves from the mortar, brick and
timber unassisted. Before help had
arrived they were safe on the street,
mingled with the crowd, and helping
in the search for the buried bodies.
The clay bank is hundreds Of feet high,
towering at an angle OF 45 degrees
from the dwellers on Havermans
avenue. The portion which became
Ioosened started 200 feet up the slope,
and by the time it had reached the
Canfield's house the force of the tons
upon tons OF dirt was terrific. Next
to the brick house on the north is a
two-stcry wooden house, occupied by
the family oi James Carroll. The
landslide did not touch this building.