A Mountain Landslide.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7933, 23 September 1905, Page 3

A Mountain Landslide.

JJJFTY RED INDIANS BURIED. SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 31. A despatch Irom Spcncc's British Columbia, August 13, says:— Fifty Indiand were buried alive by a terrible landslide which occurred half •-mile west of here this afternoon. Arjout fcaM-pasl three o'clock, just as the Canadian-Pacific express, eastbound, was passing the spot tne passengers were horrified to st,e a large portiwi of the.mountain on the north site fit ti.t 'lhumpstn River sweeping down to the stream. With a terrific roar, but so swiftly that those fjelow tad no idea of their danger, an immense body ol rocks and earth crashed down into the river.

Directly in tin- path of the landslide was an Indian rancheria, peopled by 50 or sixty Indians. Beiore the eyes of hundreds of passengers across the river tflesc victims were suddenly overwhelmed. In the twinkling of an eye that which had been a peaceful rural scene changed to a bill of loose earth and stones, which dammed the river ltd 40ft in height and a quarter of a mile in width. The water of the river was Ibrown high up on the side o( the mountain tly the terrific force with which the landslide struck the bottom ; but before the spectators iully realised what had happened, all was still again. Beyond a cloud of dust, rising slowly like smoke from the trail of the landslide, and rivulets formed by the water down Hie mountain side, there was no visible sign of the catastrophe. On the arrival of the train at Ashcroft, 8.C., a relief party was formed, but the entombed Indiand were bpycmd human aid. A lew todies sbockinJlly mangled, were found on tbe edge ol the landslide, but most ol the victims were buried 40ft deep The number of dead is estimated at 50, as of 60 in the village not more than 12 escaped.