Date: January, 1959

Location: Recontre West

Easting:

Northing:

Latitude:

Longitude:

Fatalities: 0

Injuries: 0

Source: Beatrice Stone

Beatrice Stone lived in the small community of Rencontre West in 1959, and relates this story

“Our home was in Rencontre West. We lived at the base of a 350 foot high hill and no more than 50 ft from the water’s edge at high tide. There was a house on either side of our house. We had snow early in December 1958.

One night in early January 1959, around 8 o’clock our house was struck by a snowslide. Our five children had been put to bed (the oldest being 6 and the youngest only a month old). This was the first night I had carried the baby upstairs before I went to bed. My father George Cake and I were sitting in the kitchen; my husband James was visiting neighbors across the road. First we heard a rumbling sound, and then the whole house shook. Before we realized what was happening a window broke and snow came rushing in the house. Along with the snow came a fir tree that rested near the wood and coal stove. I ran in the hallway and screamed as my first thoughts were of my children. I rushed upstairs but they were still all asleep.

Meanwhile my husband and neighbours had heard the noise. They came to find snow between our house and the Degruchy house well above both our doors. The men went to get shovels. After the snow was cleared it was hard to get the door opened because it hove when the house shook. After the door was opened everyone helped clean up the snow in our house then the window had to be boarded up from the inside.”

The Stone residence is the centre of three houses (thanks to Beatrice Stone for permission to use the image)