The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-06-08
Il PEEFLOCS POSITTONs

In the winter OF 1898 ] was mlning-Or
rather sujourning, and waiting fol chance
to mine III the Spllng-lu the town of
Omega, Nevada county. Snow fen in the
town that winter to the depth Of eight feet.
Three Of us were living in a cabin about
haIt n mile fIOm town, near the head of
Sour Krout Rayiue. We were i'll the habit
OF spending our evenings in tOwn, or at the
cabins of our brother miners, generally re-
manning from home Till ten, eleven, OF even
as late twelve o'clock.
| happened To be i'll town the very first
evening that the first great fail of SNOW be-
gan. | saw jhat the snow was coming
down very fast, and knew before starting
home that the trail would be hidden but
tins gave me no uueaSInesS, as | knew the
course well and could keep within few
rods Of the tIail the whole distance, If not
in it.
When finally started homewarCi it was
about 10 O'Clock, and there we're six or
eight inches of snow on the ground, and
flakes coming down as big as saucels.
Knowing my course, | rushed along, pay ing
but little attention to the trail, aud Mas
within two huudTed yards of the cabin,
when there naS a sudueu crash Of breaking
twigs aud brush under my feet, and ! felt
myself sinking INTO an open space. In
slInctively | stretched out both aims to
their fullest exteai, and clutched the snow
fore had fully settled INTO this position
| knew where was, aud fully comp ehend-
ed the danger of my situation.
/ knew that i was hanging over the old
Brookshire shaft-a shaft dug some years
befOie to undermine tue hill, and at leas.
hundred feet i'll depth
1t was but two three rods below the
trail, and was covered by few pine aud
spruce buughs that were thrown across its
Ia 7-l, n al4pJnnqh at
there were huge bouldeIs aud sharp, Jagged
rocks projecting everywhere along the
sides of the shaft, and that at the bottom
was a least twenty feet of water; for, IN
passing, | had once or twice pushed the
brush covering aside and dropped into II
pebbles and pieces of ligHted paper. felt
my body aud legs dangling In space, aud,
without thinking of the consequences,
made an effort TO reach out with ono OF my
feet to see If could touch the wall of the
shaft. | had extended my leg some dis
tance without touching the wall, when, To
my horror, the dry and rotten covering OF
the shaft began cracking under my ann on
the side upon winch my weight WAS thrown
IN the attempt | had made 10 learn some
thing of my situation. Carefully | swung
back, Till hung perpeudIculaIly over the
chdsm, The brush stIil ciacklliS dS / dIC
SO. AS each twIg snapped, felt that
there WAS that much less between myself
and death each lIJtle rotten stick that
held was worth millions tC me, and fer d
stout beam under my feet L would have
gwen tens OF millions.
The SNOW beat down necessarily upon
my head In immense damp flakes, aud
could feel 1t gradually pIIng about my
neck. Occasionally IhoIe "eIe wild blasts
OF " ind that TOared among the tan pines,
and swept the light snow INTO my eyes.
Ore vi these blasts took away my night felt
hat, and left my head exposed 10 Tie beat
ING storm. As | felt my hat going, | made
an involuntary movement 10 raise my arm
60 catch II, but instantly The cracking JwIgS
warned me 10 desist. lhIs movement, tue
lightest in the Id, cost me hall dozen
LwIgs, and, as II seemed To me, greatly
weakened my support The SNOW meitug
Oh my head aud lace trlckled INTO my eyes,
and almost blincod me. My hands aud
arms seemed beuuubed ana | began TO
fear would lose my hold upon the brush
covering the shaft. " beueYer this notion
took pusstss,on of my mlnu, L would eX-
Tend III, arms and even my fingers, TIL
the FONTS oi my shoulders seemed starting
from then sockets.
BY stIaInIng my eyes could see the aim
outlines Of our CABIN on httle iise OF
ground above me. L couId see no IiShl,
however, and concluded that my partners
turned from IA ueIg hOVr > cauIn, "A quarter
of "A mile further down the ravIne, whItler
| knew they had gone To spend the evening
Ouce o.. twice | shouted, but the effort
Caused the cracking OF the twigs support
iup me- and | desIs,ed, determining 10 walt
tlII | could hear the voices OF my caOIn
companions returning, or see Eght III the
little window of four small paneS. lhIs,
fortunately, was on the side oi the house
next to me so, too, was the door 10y. which
they must enter The CABIN. | Thought OF
all this, aud II gave me some hope.
Several times as the roaring wind luiled
fof a moment, | thought beard the sound
of voices and laughter and my heart beat
quick with hope and JOY but the sounds
we're not repeated, aud doubtless were but
the crackings of some storm swayed bough,
/ or The chattering of some distant cayote.
| now began seriously To fear being com
pletely covered in the fast falling and DRIFT
/ ing snow 1t seemed coming down ut the
rate of an inch minute, and already COW
cred my shoulders, and was piing close up