New Britain herald., 1928-03-12
N0 AMERICANS NEAR
 MOUNT SERRAT SLIDE
Attorney W illiam F. Curtin Believes C0untrymen
 Are Safe

T. Is Improbable tha. any Am.ri- cans were caught in the landslide at santos. Brazil, on Saturday. accord ing fo Attorney William F. Curtin of, this city, who served as United States vice consul in that city in l9lN and for several years after ward. Attorney Curtin stated today that the American colony is not lo- tated near the area covered bv the slide and. while there is a large hos piIai in the affected district. Ameri- cans needing medical attention do not make use of it. The Ameri- can colony, numbering about 50, is located at Sac Vicente, about five miles from santos, on the seashore.
 Mount Serrat, the sudden shifting of q side of which caused thousands of tons of rock and earth to crash down upon the city of santos locat ed in the state of Sac Paulo. Brazil. is about 500 feet in height. and ex- tends for about a mile along the northwestern part of the town. IL rises abruptly from the surround ing territory and is extremely steep.
 Attorney Curtin stated today that the part of the city most affected by the slide is inhabited by the bet t~r class of lahorers. The foot of the mountain is about five minutes walk from the business section of the town. I.c 'ated in the area laid waste hy the slide is the Santa Rosa hospital, an institution slightly larg 0ef than the New Britain General hospital. and modern in every re- spuct.
 Due to the fact that there are no English speaking doctors in the hos- pi'ai Americans have not been in the habit of going there for medical at t"ntion. prcferring 10 journey 10 Sac paulo which is about 35 miles north of Santos and south of Rio de Jan ciro. The only other hospital i'll Santos is that of santa Casa de Miseracordia which is considerably smaller than Santa Rosa.
 Fears Great Suffering
 Since the Santa Rosa hospital is tDtdltu III illt HOll' dll'tttu tS tllt slide. it is probably that # was destroyed and that there is great suffering and hardship as a result. The slide occurred at an unfortunat. lime. according 10 Attorney Curtin, nrcause summer is just ending in that section of the world. The weather is extremely hot and rescue work is for that reason, rendered moro difficult The city jail is also located in the zone said 10 have been aid waste by the slide.
 Attorney Curtin was at Santos rom 1918 until 1921 and he said that the slide must have come as q complete surprise. there never hay ing been any reason 10 believe that such an occurrence might take place.
 Attorney Curtin stated that en- balming. as a science, is unknown rher.. On account ot the intense heat which prevails during about Hine months of the year. burials take place within a few hours after deaths occur. The hearses are open. horso-drawn vehicles and the caskets ar" held in place on them by means ot posts. The mourneEs walk along r"hind tho hearse.
 Chapel on Mountain Top
 On the top of Mount Serrat was located the chapel Of Mount Serrat. but il is not likely that it is there uOW. MT. Curtin believes The chapel NaS approached by several small steps hirh lead of the main high way. on Good Friday il was the custom ot the people 70 climb up on their hands and knees to do pen nrIoo for their sins
 Santos is t town with a popula-
 tCoUtiu1ipf on Page Siy)