The record-union., 1896-12-29
A Huge Mass Of Earth Sweeps for Miles
Down Valley,
Carrying Rocks, Trees and Every
thing Before 1.-THE Residence of a
Farmer Engulfed in the Earth and
Debris, and All Its Occupants, Con.
sisting of Father, Mother and
Seven Children, Killed.

DUBLIN, Dec. 2S-A landslide has
occurred near Baltimore, County Kerry,
doing great damage to property and
causing the loss of at least nine lives.
Heavy rains have fallen in that port
of Ireland lately, with the result that
some places that are generally dry now
resemble vast morasses. Near Rath-
more there is an eminence about 1 1000
feet high known as Boy Hill, and it was
here that the landslide occurred The
rains percolating through the ground
gradually loosened a huge mass of
earth, and on Sunday night, apparently
without the slightest warning, a large
part of the surface of the hill began to
slide toward the valley. Gaining mo-
mentum as it moved, it swept down.
ward with a roaring sound, carrying
rocks, trees and everything before it for
miles.
In some places the path of the land
slide was a mile wide and as it moved
along it buried everything, entirely
changing the aspect of the section over
which it passed.
The residence of Mr.. Donnelly, stew
ard of Lord Kenmore, one of whose
seats, Killarney House, is at Killarney,
was engulfed in the mass of earth ana
debris, and all of it's occupants, Mr..
Donnelly, his wife and seven children,
were killed 1t is supposed that the
house was swept from it's foundations
by the crushing mass, overturned and
buried into a great depth. AS the pres
ent locality is not known it is hardly
probable that the bodies will be recov-
cred.
All the cattle, pigs and horses on the
place were also buried, and there is
now a scene of utter desolation, where
on Sunday stood the neat dwelling and
outbuildings Of Mr.. Donnelly.
The movement Of the landslide was to
the southwest in the direction Of the
river Flesk, into which large portion
of the earth slipped, blocking it up.
The current of the river was employed
| in running dynamos, which furnished
electric light for the Kerry Lunatic
Asylum and some buildings in Killar-
ney. The blocking Of the river of couTs Sc
stopped the current and rendered the
dynamos temporarily useless. All the
| buildings using the Light from this
source We're plunged into darkness, ami
it was some time before lights could be
obtained.
The part Of the hill where the slide
began was bog, and much of the earth
| that moved was very soft. Huge guam
! titles plunged into the river and there
| is danger of the backwater flooding the
| country around about, unless the cur
rent is able to carry the debris down
| with it,
If anybody was passing along the
roads at the time the slide passed over
the highways. they would surely have
| been buried. There have been no re-
| ports of anybody being missing, and
on this is based the belief that there
was no loss of life outside of the Don
| nelly family.
| The thatch which formed the roof of
| the Donnelly house was found floating
| in the river, and some people surmise
that the bodies of some of the family
| may have been carried that far as well.
| The bog was still moving this after
| noon, but no further damage can result,
unless it be the more effective damin3
| of the river,