Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-31
Under an Avalanche.
NIGHT OF TERROR NEAR QUEEN vICToRIA's
RKSTIN0 SXITZERI

NIGHT OF TERROR NEAR QUEEN v1CroRIA's
RESTING PLACE IN SWITZERLAND.
Only few hours journey from the spot
where her Majesty has been enjoying her vii
leg1atura occurred q scene Of disaster and death
rarely paralleled In those regions of snOwdrift
by which more than 10 900 Italian workmen an
nually make their way into Switzerland and
France In quest OF employment, and it was on
some thirty OF these wayfarers that the
visitation descended.
Such was the snowfall on the I'd inst that the
courier could not prosecute his Journey with
the letter bags, and after herculean efforts he
reached the hospfce at II a. m, and there found
seventy !Ianan Workmen, en- route partly for
they wanted to start they must do 50 that very
day, as every minutes postponement increased
tneirSk from the snowfall. Accordingly, three
companies Of these Italians set out at once, and
by In the afternoon arrived at Refuge Six.
Wnere tney rested, as the snow was coming
GOWN with increased force and density. Two
onered to conduct the travellers, and Off the
InIee companies set once more, with their two
guides Sdol IS, at their head Hardly, however, had
they emerged from the middle gallery called
La Vlellle Galerie-the most dangerous part OF
Che Sumption rOute-befOre an enormous ava
lanche descended from the mountain, carrying
Win IL the two guides and an Italian workman.
The rest OF the travellers who remained In
the gs ery were so far safe, but both ends OF the
In desT air, and already the cold was beginning
to tell on the children of the party. Suddenly
mans voice rose above the wailing: 1--WE
might as well die unde an avalanche as under
gallery. Let us try and get out" He set to
work and succeeded In excavattng passage
through the 81 ow, and arrived half dead at Re-
1uge Six whence the alarm was passed on to
the nos plce. By this time it was 1870 In the
evening: The monks attached to the hospice
repaired to the scene OF disaster and with the
aid of two servants Of Refuge Six they saved
the inmates OF the gallery and accommodated
them comfortably at the hospice, leaving few
whose strength could carry them no further at
the refuge. The three companies of travellers
having been settled for the night, the monks
were anxious to return and do what could be
done for the two guides and their companions
but the darkness and the constant succession
OF avalanches that were laundering short In
tervals over the preclpices forbade.
one OF the two guides, an athlete in strength
with the avalanche to keep his alpenstock In
his hand, and when he came to a dead stop he
felt that the point OF his stick just protrilded
from the surface OF the snow above him. Work
he extricated himself from the avalanche, but
there his powers failed him. and he was able
only to call for help. His cries reached the re-
1uge, and It's inmate, with servant Of the hos
they had not walked five minutes before an i'm.
mense avalanche hurled them to the foot of the
mountain. The inmate of the refuge persisted,
leaving young widow and two-year-old boy.
me servant OF the hOspice, however, escaped
though when rolling with the avalanche he
thought he must have died every minute from
the snow and earth that found its way into his
mouth, and was likely to choke him. He turned
Uaise bouche till, the avalanche having stopped,
he disengaged himself from the snow and after
severe efforts regained the refuge In a Painting
state about two in the morning,
During that terrible night he said the roar of
the descending avalanches was deafening.-
LONDON Daily Ne,cs.