THE QUEBEC HORROR.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7442, 16 October 1889, Page 6

THE QUEBEC HORROR.

VICTIMS OP THE GREAT LANDSLIP. SCENE AND INCIDENTS OF THE DISASTER. BEABCHING FOR THE DEAD. The San Francisco papers ot September jttet give roll details of the disastrous landslip which occurred at Cape Diamond, Quebec, on beptember 19th, as reported in oar cable messages at the time. We extxmct the following from a Quebec telegram to the Ban Francisco Chronicle of September 20th:— The landslide was caused by the hot weather of the past few weeks cracking the earth and rock, which were loosened and driven down by the heavy rains of tbe last few days. Men of the water police, whose station is near the scene of the accident, set to work at once to rescue the Imprisoned persons, while the general alarm was Bounded which called out the flre brigade and police, for with lamps and •tores breaking houses soon caught fire, A telephone message was also sent to the city requesting the assistance of a detachment of B Battery. The flames were, however, soon extinguished and the men from the battery began the work of extricating unfortunates from the ruins, assisted by many of the citizens. As each of the sufferers was resetted he was carried into the quarters of the water police, whose large staff of medical men was on hand, as well as a priest. They did all they could to alleviate the sufleriogs of the victims. All *orte of wild rumors were soon flying •boat the city, and conflicting reports were met with everywhere. More rocks are falling, and it is feared that the whole boulder forming the highest point of Quebec will give way. Those who witnessed the fall of rock •ay that they heard a long, loud noise as of several cannon, and on looking up toward the terrace and citadel wei c horrified by the sight of an immense mass of atones, rock and earth breaking loose and lushing down the declivity upon the doomed houses below. The air was immediately filled with dust so that no one could see 10ft in front of him, and breathing was made difficult. This was followed by sounds of timber crushing and yielding to the immense power of the avalanche and the shouting and screaming of men, women and children in all the agony of despair. T3ie loss is very great. Some of the "working men who are deprived of their homes lose all their furniture and other effects, and even their summer earnings. Many are left virtually penniless at the oomraencement of a Canadian winter. The injured have been nearly all removed to the Hotel Dieu. The men of the battery, assisted by a detachment of the Cavalry School, have effected quite a number of rescues. ' Among those buried by rocks are a young couple named Nolan, who were married a few weeks ago. Nolan could have escaped, but he lost his life in trying toget his wife out of the house. While the workers were busy clearing •way the debris of crumbled buildings faint groans were heard at intervals from under the piles of rock. The efforts of volunteers were concentrated to that point, and after three hours' hard work toe bleeding body of Joe Kemp was extracted from a mass of rock. The poor man is in a most pitiable condition. Both legs are broken at the knees, the left arm Is fractured above the elbow, and several ribs are broken. He cannot live many hours. Iwo hours later his wife's body was taken out of the wreck. Her head was almost severed from her body. Farther away there was another hideous spectacle, the corpse of a young woman, Mrs Lauson, who had been admired in life for her beauty. Her body had-been crushed almost flat. Shortly after viewing her remains her husband became a raving maniac, and it is doubtful if he will recover bis reason. A man named Michael Bradley, who had gone almost crazy when told chat all his family perished in the landslide, discovered, while working over the wreck of his house, his five-year-old daughter still alive, and his joy was indescribable. It is thought that the child will live. Up to this time the number of corpses found is twenty-five, and the number of wounded eighteen. The members of the Black family were buried alive 12ft below the surface of the flebris. On being asked if they were aafe, Mrs Black answered—" My husband to killed st the door. The rest are safe, but we are suffering from wounds and braises on our limbs. Shortly after Miss May Caldwell, a niece of Black, was extricated from Black's house. Her limbs were bo stiff from inaction that the least touch caused excruciating pains. 'J he next person taken out was Thomas Berrigan, whose wife was taken out of the ruins dead. He was so disfigured his friends could hardly recognise him. He was removed to the Hotel Dieu Hospital. The next to follow was an eieht-year-old boy, also named Beirigan. His left leg waa crushed to a jelly. Then came Mrs Black. Her bosom, neck, and face are ' dreadfully swollen. , About 2000 persons visited the scene of the disaster during the day. Thousands '< crowded into the morgue, and occupied every point Inside and outside the building where a glimpse could be had of the bodies of the victims. Many women who obtalned > entrance had to be removed in a fainting condition, the mangled bodies being* a sight to try the nerves of the strongest men. The shipping office in the Dominion Go- ! vernment Building has been turned into a temporary morgue, and twenty bodies are lying in it. It is difficult to identif v ] some, so much have they been disfigured j and'crushed. Several persons who 'were reported missing have turned up, but it is thought there will be ten or more victims ' to beadded to the list. The site of the landslide is almost identical with that of one which occurred in ' 1841, when eight buildings were crushed aad thirty-two persons killed. The mass of earth and rocks moved, roughly speakfng, Is about 600 feet frontage by 80 feet Iα depth. Some of the masses of fallen rock weigh nearly twenty tons. Tbe names of the dead so far recovered •re:— < Charles Pols, Mr and Mrs Thomas Allen, James Edwards. L. Edwards, Alphonse Tredeau, H Wright, Napoleon , Trateau, O. S. Neville, Thomas Farrell ] and three Farrell children, two children named Burke, one child named Bradley, a child of P. Fitzgerald, Mrs Bracken, , Mrs Stephen Burke, Henry Black. William ' Black, Thomas Nolan, Mrs Ready. Among the wounded are—Mr aad Mrs Carlson, J. O'Neill, Mrs Luke Kerwin and chfld, Thomas Berrington, James Hayden, ■ William Stevens and son, Nelly Dehry, y Patrick Fitzgerald, Martin Ready, three r children named Maybury, Stephen Burke and his mother, Mrs Fitzgerald, Thomas Graham, William Power, wife and child, Mrs Thomas Farrell. Among those still supposed to be q beneath the ruins are—Charles Allen and wife. Mrs Stevens, Mrs Henry, Richard Maybury and wife, Mrs R. Lawson, R Kemp and family, Michael B. Leahy and a v number of children. A special from Quebec to a Boston _, paper says:— **It is known that at least two hundred dead bodies still remain under the pile of dtbrU." „