Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-04-20
A PERILoUs POSITION.

| lnS LOT u Cl:tiICC W IllIIc III Tue
spring, in the town of Omega, Ne
vada county. Snow fell in the town
that winter to the depth of eight
feet. Three Of us were living in a
cabin about half mile ont of town,
near the head of Sour Kraut Ravine.
We were in the habit of spending
our evenings in the town, or at the
cabins Of our brother miners, gener-
ally remaining from home till ten,
eleven or even late rs twelve o'clock.
/ happened to be in town the very
first evening that the first great fall
of snow began. l saw that the snow
was coming down very fast, and
knew, before starting home, that the
trail would be hidden; but this gave
me no uneasiness, as l knew the
course well, and could keep within
few rods of the trail the whole dis
tance, if not in 1t.
When I finally started home
ward it was about ten o'clock, and
there was six or eight inches of snow
on the ground, and fakes coming
down as big as saucers. Knowing
my course, l rushed along, paying
but little attention to the trail, and,
was within two hundred yards of
the cabin, when there was a sudden
breaking of twigs and brush under
my feet, and / felt myself sinking
into an open space. Instinctiyely l
stretched out both arms to their full
est extent, and clutched the snow
with both hands. Instantly-in fact
before l had fully settled into this
position-I knew where l was, and
full comprehcnded the danger of my
position.
I knew that l was hanging over
the old Brookshire shaft shaft
dug some years before to undermine
the hill, and at least a hundred
feet in depth!
1t was but two or three rods be-
low the trail, and was covered by a
few pine and spruce boughs that
were thrown across its mouth when
it was abandoned. l knew that
there was huge powders and sharp
ed, Jagged rocks projecting every
where along the sides of the shaft,
and that at the bottom was at least
twenty feet Of water; for, in pass
ing, l had once or twice pushed the
brush-covering back, and dropped in
to it pebbles and pieces of lighted
paper. l felt my legs and body
dangling in space, and without
thinking of the consequences, made
an effort to reach out with one of
my feet to see if l could touch the
wall of the shaft. l had extended
my leg some distance without touch
ing the wall, when, to my horror, the
the dry and rotten covering OF the
shaft began cracking under my arm
on the side upon which my weight
was thrown in the attempt l had
made to learn something of my stu
alton. Carefully swung back till
1 hung perpendicularly over the
fearful chasm. The brush still
cracking as I did SO. AS each twlg
snapped, I felt that there was that
much less between myself and death;
each little rotten stick that held was
worth millions to me, and for stout
beam under my feet, l would have
given tens of millions.
The snow beat down necessarily
upon my head in immense damp
flakes, and l could feel it gradually
piling about my neck. Occasional
ly there were wild blasts of wind
that roared among the tall pines, and
swept the light snow into my eyes,
One of these blasts took away my
light felt hat, and left my head ex-
posed to the beating storm. AS l
felt my hat going, l made all invol-
untary movement to raise my arm to
catch it, but instantly the cracking
twigs warned me to desist. This
movement, the slightest in the world
cost me halt a dozen twigs, and it
seemed to me, greatly weakened my
support. The snow melting on my
head and face trickled into my eyes,
and almost blinded me. My hands
and arms seemed benumbed; and l
began to fear that l would lose my
hold upon the brush covering Of the
shaft. Whenever this notion took
possession of my mind, l would ex-
tend my arms, and even my fingers
till the Joints of my shoulders SEEM
ed starting from their sockets.
By straining my eyes, l could see
the dim outlines of our cabin on
little rise of ground above me. l
could see no light, however,and con-
cluded that my partners had either
gone to bed, or had not yet returned
from a neighbours cabin, a quarter
of mile further down the ravine,
whittier l knew they had gone to
spend the evening. Once or twice
l shouted, but the effort caused the
cracking OF the twigs supporting
me, and desisted, determining to
wait till could hear the voices of
my cabin companions returning, or
see light in the little window OF
four small panes. This, fortunately
was on the side Of the house next to
me; so, too, was the door by which
they must enter the cabin. ! thought
of all this and this gave me some
hope.
Several times, as the roaring wind
lulled for a moment. / thought l
heard the sound of voices and laugh
ter, and my heart beat quick with
hope and joy; but the sounds were
not repeated, and doubtless were but
the cracklings of some storm-sway-
ed bough, or the gatherings of some
distant coyote.
now began seriously to fear be-
ing completely covered in the fast
falling and drifting snow. 1t SEEM
ed coming down at the rate of an
inch minute, and already covered
my shoulders, and was piling close
up about my mouth, | dare not
make the slightest move TO rid my
self of the drift that was about to
bury me. Should the snow get over
my eyes, l could not see the light in
the cabin, and could only call out by
guess. AS SO slight an exertion as
calling out in loud tone set my rot