Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-27
n Landslide Which Wines
Out Entire Hamlet.
Netre Dame De Sa|ette, Ontario,
Buried by Sliding Mountain.
II Communication by Wire and Re.
ports Of Disaster Meagre.


the little French hamlet of Notre Dame
De Salette, Is miles from here on the
Lievre river. lies buried tonight under
q sliding mountain and at least 30 of
its little population are known to have
persisted. The hamlet has no telephone
or telegraph connections and is not on
a railroad. Meagre news of the disas-
ter came in by messenger from the
physicians and other rescuers who
were hurried there when the first call
for aid came early this morning.
The River Lievre winds at the foot
of the hamlet, the mountain towering
behind. The rains have been melting
the snow and ice on the mountain side
and streams have been coursing down
to the river. At o'clock this morn
ing, just as the little village began
to stir for early mass, part of the
mountain started to slide towards the
river. 1t tore a path of death and de-
struction and those who were not
killed when their homes were engulfed
were left buried under masses of rock
and earth.
Camille LaPointe's house stood first in
the path of the avalanche. He and his
family Of II are known to have persisted.
Eight others whose names have not been
obtained are known to be missing and in
the panic the rescuers are attempting to
find definitely how many more are miss
ing. Mrs. Desjardins' cottage was also
swept away and she, with her two chill
dren, a domestic and a hired man. are
known to be buried in the landslide.
DeSallette, like many places of its kind.
Mt On liff1o fio1da N
the mountainside, so about half of it was
not in the path of the avalanche. The
sliding mass rushed with a road and
spread. fan-like. over part of the place
and dumped itself in the swollen stream
at its foot.
Cut off from the outside world. messen-
gers were sent to Poupere. the nearest
settlement Those who arrived first esti-
mated that at least a dozen houses were
crushed by the landslide. Buckingham
was appealed to. but the journey of the
messengers across the spring roads was
slow. Those first on the scene found De-
Salette in a panic with the unniured viii
layers packing their belongings for flight.
The first messenger to Buckingham or
dered 25 collins to be sent to DeSalette
and all the physicians of the town were
hurried across country with rescue par
ties.
Further details are very uncertain and
IRE coming slowly. y.
Latest reports from De Salette make
the number of known dead. 80 of
which II bodies have been recovered.
In all 20 houses were engulfed in the
landslide.
DeSalette was built on the two banks
of the River Lievre One house on the
west bank containing the only tele-
phone in the hamlet was the first OBJ
stacle in the path of the sliding noun
tain and in it's wreck communication
with the outside world was cut off
west bank into the swollen river and
across to the east bank and then COW
cred 18 house there The river was
damned and those who were not kill
ed in the avalanche were drowned.
DeSalette was built on a blue clay
which rested on strata of lines )ns
Five years ago. there was a similar
disaster at Roupore and each spring
the inhabitants along the river liz in
fear of landslides. PouhGre then Slid
gently into the river without loss of
life
Landslides along the river are COM
mon each spring with the rains and
swollen streams. The Lievre at De-
Salette was a torrent so yards wide.
Occupants of the houses on the west
bank felt the ground slipping and made
q rush for safety. but were carried
into tho rivor