Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-07-21
THE ST. GERvAIS DISASTER,
One Hundred and TWenty-slx Bod
les Already Recovered.

les Already Recovered.
The Loss of Life Reported to he Fully
20O--some Wonderful Escapes From
Death Notwithstanding for the
Dead.
PARIS, July ID idnigh,.-'F lat
est dispatches from St Gervais say that
1876 bodies have been recovered.
The st. Gervais officials are doing
everything in their power to facilitate
the work of rescue. From the time the
alarm was first sounded through the
nearby villages rescue parties were
organized who FASTENED TO the scene Of
the disaster and volunteered their SER
vices, which were at once thankfully
accepted The inhabitants of Bonnie
Vile and Sallanchas sent several rescue
ing parties, which did excellent work,
Some marvellous escapes from most
horrible death are reported. Fifteen
persons, who were staying al the baths,
were saved by the presence Of mind Of
the resident physician, who, hearing the
roar of the coming water ard debris,
opened the doors of the bedrooms
nearest to him aud called to the occu-
| pants of the rooms to flee for their lives.
| The physician led them through win
dow and up the mountain side to a
| place Of safety Tho hair dressers at
the baths also showed much GOODNESS in
the face of danger. They hastily i'm
proyised bridge across the Bon-Nant,
and on this 20 persons crossed.
| A force of gendarmes, armed with
long poles and hooks, has been posted
along the banks of the Arve to catch the
bodies Of the victims as they float by.
The deep and rapid stream, unusually
muddy from the melting Of the snow, is
now perfectly black with mud.
Hundreds of persons are watching
the scene from the bridges and other
points of vantage.
Gangs Of men are trying to form a
dam so as to divert the water from its
course, in order TO assist in the work of
recovering articles of value from the
debris.
Most Of the visitors at the wrecked
hotel belonged in Geneva Among those
who escaped is the wife Of the director
of the Compagnie Transatlantique of
Paris.
1t is reported in Geneva that 200 lives
were lost Telegraphic communication
with Sallanches has been stopped.
The torrent brought down masses of
rock weighing several tons. The course
Of the stream, ordinarily few feet
wide, spread to over hundred feet. A
mill, in which the mill owner and his
family dwelt, was carried quarter of o
mile from its foundation. Two of the
) inmates were killed, and the others were
rescued alive.
The whole side of the ravine from the
village Of La Fayet to the valley is
covered with malodorous mud three
feet deep. Seventy-tiye bodies have st
far been recovered. A man who was
an inmate Of one Of the bath establish
! ments says that there were number d
English and American guests staying
there, and that eight arrived the sam,
evening, but he does not know thci
names.
,, 1t Will be long time before all tn,
bodies are identified, owing to the mutt
!, lation of the bodies and the fact tina
! most Of the victims Wore only thei
= night dresses. In many cases even til,
! night dresses were torn off and TIL
:. bodies were naked when recovered.
!, 1t is now certain that rs persons stay
J. ing at the hotel, 40 servants and Is peas
ants Of La Fayet were killed.
Picnic acid and other disinfectant
:, have been widely distributed over tn
I. scene of the disaster,
q Laborers have been busy all day dig
:, ging graves for the bodies. Many per
:, sons have arrived TO identify the bodie
: of friends 1t is stated that the meltln
/ Of snow and ice continues, and anothe
% disaster is feared. The village of lie
!. Ouches, ON the banks of the Arve, is i
4 danger.
q A party Of guides who assembled til
. mountain yesterday to make an eXpIoi
) alton were on the ice all night long in
position Of extreme danger
PARIS, July l4.-'rhc bodies of man
of the people who lost their lives at 5
ie Gervais les 6ains, in the terrihl
e accident that occurred there Tuesda
~ morning, have been claimed by friend
y The project has organized speci,
70 service to facilitate the despatch Of II
Is mains that are to be sent abroad. A lare
Y trench has been dug in the church var
&c to receive the remains of peasants, bat
II employA, and those who are mutilate
10 beyond recognition.