Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-09
"A DEAD IN LANDSLIDE
Several Tenements With Ten
ants Are Destroyed.
IN HAVERSTRAW, NEW YORK
Houses Toppled Down Clay Bank
Nearly 100 Feet.
THE RUINS CAUGHT FIRE
Those Not Killed in the Crash Were
Burned to Death or Escaped
With Many Injuries.

HAVERSTRAW, N Y. January 9.-At
least fourteen persons are believed to have
persisted In the landslide which carried
several tenement houses down In clay pit
here last night. Up to O'Clock this MORN
ing none OF the bodies had been recovered,
and It was believed that all the missing
were dead. \ large force of men was kept
at work IN the search for bodies.
Undermined by the shifting clay that had
been softened by yesterdays snowfall,
the several homes with their three score
of sleeping occupants toppled over the
brink of the pit and crumbled to pieces
The houses, which were of wood, were
set fire from overturned stoves and the
debris was soon mass of flames.
Some fifty or more tenants escaped with
more or less serious injuries. while num-
her yariously estimated at from fifteen to
eighteen are believed 10 have been killed
outright or burned to DEATH
Crash Came Without Warming.
The landslide occurred on Rutland street
in the east end of the town, where two
blocks of houses are supposed to have been
undermined by workmen digging clay for
brickmaking. 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 hundred feet deep. and when the
clay gave way We're carried to the pits
bottom.
Those who were not killed in the crash
Of their homes either escaped with many
injuries We're burned to death in the
ruins which immedia tely took fire
The landslide broke the water mains,
shutting OFF the supply Of water and greatly
impeding the work of rescue Unresisted,
SDrpaG tlliiIiQp-S
hut for the timely arrival of hundreds of
volunteer firefghters might have wiped out
the town.
The List of the Dead.
Those known to have perlshed are:
Mr.. Nelson, furniture dealer.
Benjamin Nelson, his son.
Mrs. Silverman.
- Sllverman, a boy.
\ Jewish rabbi
Mr.. and Mrs. Cohen and five children
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 crevices near
the edge of the street late In the after
noon and in the evening portions of the
bank began to give way. The street was
not thickly populated. for most of the
former jewellers had left on account of fear
of JUST what happened.
Many Of the residents left their houses
carly in the evening before the final crash
came. The Nelson's were endeavOring TO
move their effects and the rabbi was as
sisting them. This was also the case with
Mrs. Silyerman and her son.
No Opportunity to Escape.
When the final slide came, It came so
suddenly that those who had fingered in
their houses had absolutely no opportunity
TO escape. TIE bank caved from twenty
to sixty feet within at the top, and for a
distance of two blocks from Division to
Jefferson streets Icngthwise. A norton
wise fell.
Those who lived in three houses at the
end of the row and which did not go down
n the wreck We're reused by a frightful
soar and crash above which could he
heard the shrieks of the victims There
M.tS plunge sniverins of the earth all
around and then there was stiffness
Nhen the neighbors rushed. half clad
ron their houses the buildings close TO
mem men mad disappeared. Only gap in the
with no street lights, and those who had
Leen spared We're wild with alarm for
theIr own safety that It was several min
''eS "eLo'e any general alarm was given.
Wreck Burned Fiercelv.
HefoFe this could be done the frame struc-
tore Of the fallen houses had taken fire
from the scattered Goals and lights in
them, and soon the whole Of the wreck was
burning Hereby, the flames rising above tho
side OF tn pit
As crowds hurried to the scene and the
hTe department gaIoped up a second land
slide occurred. In it several persops who
""o Eehtured too near the edge of the pit
We're nearly carried over to death. II was
necessary to move the fire apparstus 70
insure It's safety, and so uncertain was +ba
oartu '3at the efforts Of rescue were greatly
From below men entered the pit. but
could not get near the wrecks of the houses
because of the flames. The whole pit grew
:" hot soon that those who sought TO at
tack the flames or rush in and If possible
rescue some WHO might have survived the
1au could not approach the wreck
Large forces of men who work in the
brick yards by day were mustered to aid
IN the work of rescue. but their efforts were
IN FLih' All the tenants of the houses still
standing We're driven out, as the structures
are In monentary danger of following the
others into the pit
The frightened tenants were cared for h,,
UcigibOrs.
Twenty or More Thought to Be Dead.
At II o'clock today it was estimated that
twenty or more persons were dead as a
result OF the falling away of the ground
and the fire that followed The names
OF those supposed to have been killed fol-
low: Joseph Albert. the Rev. Mr. Alden
Jewish rabbi; Mrs Bayler. Abraham Bias
John Bonnet. Mr.. and Mrs William Cohen
and their five children, Thomas Hughes,
BARTLETT McGOyern, Mr. and Mrs Mannion
Harry Nelson, clothing merchant and
his son Benjamin; Mrs. Silverman and
child.
A large force of men worked desperately
today to uncover the ruins of the houses
carried down. Up to IL O'Clock there had
been little success owing to the great mass
where the houses had burned the debris was
80 hot that the work was very slow