The L'Anse sentinel., 1922-07-07
Word Of Appalling Disaster in
Kansu Province, China, lust
Reaches United States.
MOUNTAINS MOVED IN NIGHT
Villages Were Swept Away Under Rls-
Ing Sea Of Loose Earth, Crevices
Swallowed Houses and Camel
Trains-Dragon Waggles Tail.

Wdshington.-"One of the most ap-
palling catastrophes in history and
perhaps, the most poorly advertised
calamity that has occurred In modern
times" is the way the National Geo
graphic Magazine describes the earth
quake in Kansu, China, "Where the
Mountains Walked"
Though the tremendous shaking-up
occurred in December, 1920, the story
is only now beginning to spread be-
yond the narrow defiles which guard
the entrance to Kansu province" says
the article.
Mountains thst moved in the night
landslides that eddied like waterfalls,
crevasses that swallowed houses and
camel trains, and villages that were
swept away under rising sea of loose
earth, were few Of the subsidiary oc-
currences.
"Mr. Josef w. Hall (Upton Close).
who visited the earthquake area under
the auspices of the International Fam
inc relief committee. has brought back
one Of the first accounts of the devas-
tated country and the strange things
that happen when the earth turns IT.
self into contortionist. The area of
destruction. 100 by 300 miles In extent,
contains ten large cities, besides nu-
merous villages.
"One of the most dramatic episodes
of the disaster was the burial of Ma
the Benevolent, famous Moslem
fanatic. and 300 of his followers, just
as they had met In conclave to pro-
claim a holy war. The cave In which
they had gathered was sealed by ter
rife avalanche, while the group knelt
on their prayer-mats.
Watchman Alone Escaped.
by some miracle, the watchman at
the entrance to the cave escaped with
his life, but the others were buried
so deeply that, despite months of dig
ging over an area Of mile, the Mos
lens have failed to recover the bodies
Of their leaders.
"In another district Mr.. Hall and
his party found that a whole mountain
topped. by-a temple had. slid into a
valley. A little beyond they found
that 'road bordered by poplar trees
had ridden the crest Of slide for
three-quarters of mile, without ap-
parent damage to the trees or even to
the birds nests In their branches.
"The most appalling sight of all was
the Valley Of the Dead. where seven
great slides crashed into gap In the
hills three miles long, killing every
living thing In the area except three
men and two dogs.
I'm a small town on the highway
two strangers had put up at the inn
on the evening Of the disaster. In the
terror and confusion that followed
the earthquake, the landlord complete
ly forgot his two guests. It was not
until several days later that he re-
membered them, and when, after con-
siderable digging. their room was
brought to light. both men were found
alive.
"The subterranean dragon of Chi
nese cosmology who, according to the
northwest China tradition, waggles his
ta,l every three hundred years, this
time played havoc, such ms was never
before recorded, with the face Of the
earth and the habitations OF men.
Likely no other earthquake in scien-.
tiflc annals ever changed the physical
geography Of the affected region to
the extent of the Kansu catnclysm.
: "The remoteness of the district In
which the earthquake occurred cannot
but intrigue interest. Although the
concurrent quakes In Chile and Saliva
dor. the tidal wave Of Zap and the
eruption of Mt. Asama. japan, are all
history, the Kansu disaster Is still
aswa What actually happened In this