The Washburn leader., 1906-01-12
SCORE OF PEOPLE p DEAD.
ROW OF TENEMENT HOUSES TOP.
Piles OVER In LANDSLIDE
AT HAvERsTRAw, N. Y.
EIRE BREAKS OUT in THE WREckA6E
suPPLY OF WATER SHUT OFF BY
DISASTER AND BLAZE HAS
COMPLETE HEADwAY.

Haverstraw, N. Y. Jan. l0.-At least
twenty persons are believed to have
perished in the landslide which carried
several tenement housee down II a
clay pit here during the night.
Undermined by the shifting clay that
had been softened by heavy snow.
tall the several homes, with their
three score of sleeping occupants. top
pied over the brink Of the pit and
xumbled to pieces. The houses,
which were OF wood, we're set on fire
from overturned stoves and the debris
vas soon q mass of flames. Some
fifty or more tenants escaped with
more or less serious injuries. while a
number variously estimated at from
twenty to twenty-five are believed to
have been killed outright OF burned to
leath. s
The landslide occurred on Rutland
street, in the east end of the town,
where two blocks of houses are sup
posed to have been undermined by
workmen digging clay for brickmak-
ing. 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 pit 100 feet deep and when
the clay gave way were carried to the
pits bottom. Those who were not
killed in the crash of their homes
either escaped with many injuries or
were burned to death in the ruins,
which Immediately took fire. The
landslide broke the water mains, shut.
Ting off the supply of water and great
ly impeding the work of rescue. Unre-
sisted the flames spread to other build
lngs and but for the timely arrival of
hundreds OF volunteer fire fighters
might have wiped out the town.
Landslide Occurs Gradually.
The landslide came gradually at
first. The ground, weakened by the
rain and snow OF the last few days,
showed crevices near the edge OF the
street late in the afternoon and In the
evening portionc of the bank began to
give way. The street was not thlckly
populated, for most Of the former
dwellers had left on account OF fear OF
just what happened.
When the final slide came it came
SO suddenly that those who had lin
eered in their houses had absolutely
no opportunity to escape. The bank
caved from twenty to sixty feet with
in at the top and for distance of two
blocks frsm Division to Jefferson
streets lengthwise. A portion OF the
south side of Division street likewise
fell
Those who lived in three houses at
the end of the row and which did not
go down in the wreck were reused by
a frightful roar and crash, above which
could be heard the shrieks of the vic
tins. When the neighbors rushed half
clad from their houses the buildings
close to them had disappeared. Only
gap in the cliffside 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 It was several minutes before any
general alarm was given.
Before this could be done the frame
structure of the fallen houses had
taken fire from the scattered Goals and
liehts In them and soon the whole OF
the wreck was burning fiercely, the
flames rising above the side OF the pit
and compelling the rescuers to abaa'
don their efforts to. save the unfortu-
nate people. NAV IA At .sti.i u ban n