The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-09
SLIDE TO DEATH.
Two Blocks Of Houses and Their
Inmates Sink
Into a Pit 100 Feet Deep With
out Warming.
RUINS CATCH FIRE.
The Water Mains We're Broken
by the Collapse.
Bodies Of Victims Consumed in
Their Burning Houses.

Haverstraw, n. Y. Jan. 9.-At least
IA persons are believed to have perish
ed in the landslide which carried sew
eral tenant houses down in a clay pit
here last night. Up to o'clock this
morning none of the bodies had been
recovered and it was believed that all
the missing were dead. A large force
of men was kept at work in the search
for bodies.
Firemen, reinforced by hundreds of
volunteers, We're working desperately
early today to subdue flames which
were slowly but surely consuming the
bodies. There is little hope that the
victims, including men. women and
children, will ever be identified. The
list of missing constitutes the only
roll of dead.
The landslide occurred on Rutland
street in the east end of town, where
two blocks of houses are supposed to
have been undermined by workmen
digging clay for brick making. The
catastrophe occurred without warning
and while the victims were asleep.
Seven houses went down in the crash.
They had stood on the brink of a pit
a hundred feet deep and when the
clay gave way were carried to the pits
bottom.
1nOSe VINO We're not Killed IN the
crash of their homes either escaped
with injuries or were burned to death
in the ruins which Immediately took
! fire. The landslide broke the water
mains, shutting off the supply of water
and greatly impeding the work of
rescue. Unresisted the flames spread
to other buildings and but for the
timely arrival of hundreds of volunteer
fire fighters. might have wiped out the
town.
The Dead.
Those known to have persisted are:
MR.. NELSON. furniture dealer.
BENJAMIN NELSON, his son.
MRS. SILVERMAN.
-+ SILVERMAN, a boy.
| A JEWISH RABBI
MR.. AND MRS. COHEN.
FIVE COHEN CHILDREN.
The Missing.
The missing include:
/ Mrs. Bailey.
Two of the Mannion family.
Entire Lanny family.
/ Seven Hebrew laborers.
The landslide came gradually at
first. The ground, weakened by the
rain and snow of the last few days,
! showed crevasses near the edge of the
! street late in the afternoon and in the
tevening portions of the bank began to
give way. The street was not thickly
/ populated, for most of the former
/ dwellers had left on account of fear of
I lust what nappGDeQ
MANY of the residents left their
houses early in the evening, before the
/ final crash came. The Nelson's We're
endeavoring to move their effects, and
the rabbi was assisting them. rms
was also the case with Mrs Sliverman
1 and her son.
When the final slide came it came so
suddenly that those who had fingered IN
/ their houses had absolutely no opportu-
/ nity to escape. The bank caved from 20
to 60 feet within at the top and for a dis
/ lance of two blocks from Division to JEFF
ferson streets, lengthwlse. A porIlon OF
the south side of Division street likewise
fell. Those who lived in three houses AT
the end of the row and which dld not go
! down in the wreck, were reused by
/ frightfuI roar and crash, above which
| could be heard the shrieks of the VIC
! Tins. There was a plunge shivering of
the earth all around and then there was
stiffness
A Gap in the Cliff.
When the neighbors, rushed half clad
from their houses, the buildings close to
them had disappeared. Only a gap in
the cliff side told the story. It was very
! dark with no street lights. and those
| who had been spared were so wild with
! alarm for their own safety that 1t was
several minutes before any general alarm
Before this could be done the frame
structure of the fallen houses had taken
fire from the scattered Goals and lights
in them, and soon the whole of the wreck
was burning fercely and flames rising
above the side of the pit.
AS crowds hurried to the scene and the
IRE department galloped up. a second
landslide occurred. IN it several persons
who had ventured too near the edge OF
the pit were nearly carried over to death
It was necessary to move the fire appa-
ratus to insure its safety, and so uncer-
tain was the earth that the efforts Of the
rescuers were greatly retarded.
From below men entered the pit: but
could not get near the wrecks Gf the
houses because of the flames The whole
Dit grew so hot soon that those who
sought to attack the flames or rush in
have survived the fall. could not ap-
proach the wreck. Large forces of men
who worked in the brick yards by day
were mustered to aid in the work Of res
cue. but their efforts were in vain. All the
tenants of the houses still standing were
driven out, as the structures are in mo-
mentary danger Of following the others
into the pit
The frightened tenants we're cared for