The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-03
IRISH MOVING BOG
WIPES OUT VILLAGE
Sliding Down Rosconlmon
Mountain.
H0USELEss AND PENNILEss
Woman, Narrowly Escaping With Life,
Is Deranged and Wanders in
Fantastic Garb.
H0USELEsS AND PENNILESS

{ LONDON. Jan. 3.-Graphic details are
now received of the devastation caused
by moving bog in the county OF Ros-
common. Ireland
The bog, which is known as that OF
Cloonshiever. is three miles from Cas-
tlerea- When it began to slide it moved
covering everything in its way with peat
and water to the depth of eight or ten
feet
Few people can fully realize. writes
a correspondent. what moving bog
really means to the unfortunate tenants
whose lot it is to live on Lord de
Freyne-s French Park estate. The
peasants are surrounded on all sides
with miles of bog and water. Sad is the
story OF the hamlet of Cloonshiever. with
lis forty or fifty little one-story white
washed cottages. Last Saturday the i'm
mense bog. which overhangs the valleys.
without any previous warning swept
down ON them like an avalanche.
Barely Escape.
The first intimation the villagers had
Of this visitation was the bogstun DASH
ing in at the doors of the houses so
rapidly that i was with the greatest
difficulty many OF the unfortunate peo-
pie escaped with their lives.
visited the scene of the disaster and
round the mountain, which is eleven or
we've miles In extent. rent in. torn as
II by an earthquake. The moving por-
tion was about three hundred Yards
square and had been carried distance
fully three-quarterS of a mile The mir,
and destruction which such a mass mas
ieft IN It's train can be more easily
ina gined than described
Many OF the houses have wholly dis
appeared, while all that is to be seen of
the others is the chimney tops.
Farms Disappear.
Here and there a leafiess tree marks
the spot from which well tilted farms
have disappeared practically forever
AT one point 1 found lake of about
ten or twelve acres. which had been
formed in the last few days by pent lIp
Is speedily adopted to drain off this
water 1t viii undermine the entire bog
and disaster of an overwhelming
nature may be anticipated"
A later dispatch shows how imminent
IS the danger n Roseomnlon CORE
spondent. telegraphing yesterday. says
the lake formed by the flow of water
from the mountain has assumed still
! larger proportions and is steadily ex-
tending upward toward Il number OF
houses on the rising ground The land
attached TO the holdings has already
been covered over and the dwellings
Villagers in Misery.
1t would be impossible to exaggerate
the miserable condition of the villagers
Houseiess and penniless, they wander
about the scenes of their former homes
with nething- but want and starvation
facing them and their families AL
though no Irly expected, the catastrophe
has not yet fallen on the villagers OF
CiOOuShieyer, but SUSPENSE and aDXiety
still continue One unfortunate woman
was completely deranged in mind by
the shock A seething mass of bog
burst through her door before daylight
one morning and she narrowly escaped
with her life. leaving all her possessions
| IL the mercy of the invader Her little
home was soon submerged, and now
Enthusiastically dressed, she roams about
the country and, with tears rolling down
her cheeks. implores everyone to save
Ter. She is the mother of a large fam
lily, all the members of which are al
| present away.