Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-02-03

years. By his side, in the bed
on which he had been lying, was the
Lody of Michael Kelly, FOLD Mickey. :"
who was known to every resident Of
Alta and vicinity. The snow had done
it's work for cold Mickey" He and
Tomlins had retired early, but were not
asleep when the avalanche came.
Before they knew what was the matter,
or, had they known, before they could
even have got out of bed, the building
was crushed and the two men buried
under at least six feet of snow.
''Mickey's' back was broken, and it is
thought he died instantly, but Tom
Inns was more fortunate. True to his
former self, after being resurrected, the
old man called for a ''whisky straight, :"
and in quick succession poured down
several "drinks" of his favorite bever-
age.
While Tomlins and his mate were
being uncovered, there was a busy
scene in another part of the snowy wreck.
The residence of Mr.. James Cary was
in the course of the slide, and was either
carried away or crushed. Above the
site Of the location the men commenced
working with their shovels, and soon
succeeded in finding what had been the
interior of the frame house, though the
building was broken to pieces and some
of it carried away. A little more shov-
cling discovered hear5-rending sight,
and one which caused many of the stern,
hardy miners to shed tears. Seated in
an easy chair, and clasping to her breast
hon info 1>o1 M Go
and child both dead. Near them was the
lifeless remains of the husband and faith
er, and in another part of the room was
the corpse of an adopted daughter,
bright little girl about six years old,
named Laura Wilson. None of the
bodies exhibited bruises of any kind;
hence they had all s1lffocated. The ex
preston on the mothers countenance
was one OF mingled anxiety and despair,
as if she had hoped that her dear ones
might yet be saved, but had finally
died, realizing that all must perish.
The snow around the husbands body
showed that he had struggled hard to
extricate himself
In another place the dead body of an
old miner named Vanderleen was found.
Upto last evening no other victims
had been discovered, though number
of men are missing, and it is believed
they are under the snow. 1t is impos-
sible to tell how many were killed, or
what is the extent of damage to prop
erty; and it will probably be late next
spring, when the snow melts, before all
the facts are known.
There were apparently two slides,
each Of immense proportions, which
started about the same time; and though
they headed at different points and did
not travel the same route, they united
Immediately above Alta, the whole force
and mass entering and crushing through
the town.
One of the avalanches started from
near the Mackay mine, above and west
of the Emma, and on it's course of de-
struction swept away the extensive
trestle work and the large ore-house at
the latter mine. The other started
from the Stoker mine, near the top of
the ridge between the two Cottonwoods,
and passed down a gIuch east of the
track Of the first, the junction of the
two being at the foot of the mountains
on the elevated plateau north of Alta.
It is unusual for snow, slides to occur in
that vacinity-and those of Tuesday
are the largest ever known there. Rain
had been falling very fast all the after
noon, and the snow had become thor
oughty saturated and soggy with water;
and the weight being thus increased
caused the slide.
ANOTHER BIG COTTONWOOD VISITATION.
The Salt Lake Herald of the Dist
says: At half-past II o'clock last night
Sol Kimbail, the Big Cottonwood mail
carrier, reached this city, bringing the
sad intelligence that six men were kill
ed in snow-slide in the above canon,
yesterday afternoon The slide occur
red between l and 2 o'clock, and was
one Of the heaviest that has come down
this winter. It started from near the
top of the mountain above the Rich
mond mine, and descending with ire
sistible fury crossed the guIch and
carried off the wellington Companv's
blacksmith shop, the two men in it
narrowly escaping with their lives.
About 100 yards below the Richmond
the slide overlook eight "snakers -
men who were engaged in drawing the
ore from the Richmond down the noun
tain on rawhides. All of the party
with their horses, seven in number,
were buried in the death-dealing ava
lanche. The miners from the neighboring
mines turned out en- naasse, and worked
bravely to extricate their fellows, but
only succeeded in saving the lives of
two, and one OF those is SO badly injured
that it is feared he cannot recover.
The names of the two that were rescued
are Geo. McCorlin and Thomas White.
The former, who is in critical condi-
ton was entombed in the snow three
hours. White was relieved from his
perilous condition after being under
the snow thirty minutes. The remain
ing six Of the party are buried in thirty
feet of snow. Their names are Thomas
FL. Broderick, William Ritter, Charles
Dabble, Joseph Breeze, Henry Atkins,
and Reuben Moore.
The slide is said to have run three
fourths of mile, and was 200 yards in
width.