The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-27
UNDER an AVALANCHE.
A Night Of Terror Near Queen vieteris's
Resting Place In Switzerland.

Pom ne Ioniipn Duly Neioa
Only few hours Journey from the spot
where her Majesty has been ENJOYING her viii
lcggiatura occurred n scene Of disaster and
death rarely parrllelcd in those regions OF
the route 10y which more than 10000 Italian
workmrn annually make their way into Swift
zerland and France in quest Of employment.
and II was on some thirty-twO OF these way
iarcrs that the visitation descended.
Such WIS the snowfall on the ID inst. that the
courier could not prosecute his journey with
sedges. A stalwart pedestrian offered to take
the letter bugs. and after herculcan efforts he
reached the hospice at II A. NJ. and there found
seventy Italian WOrkmen. On route partly for
Switzerland. pnrtly for France. He said that II
they wanted to start they must do so that very
day. AS every minutes postponement increased
the risk from .he snowfall. Accordingly. three
companies OF these Italians set out at once. and
by in the afternoon arrived ut Refuge Six.
where they rested. ns the snow was coming
down with increased force and density. Two
sturdy Swiss youths attached to the refuge
offered to conduct the travellers. and of the
three companies set once more, with their two
guides vt their head. Hardly. however, had
they emerged from the middle gallery called
La Nieilln Galerie-the most dangerous part Of
the Simplon route-before an enormous ava
lanche descended from the mountain. carrying
with II the two guides and an Italian workman.
The rest of the travellers who remained in
the gallery wore so far safe but both ends OF the
gallery were blocked up with snow. They were
in despair, and already the cold WIS beginning
mans voice rose above the Nailing: I'VE might
ms well die under an avalanche M under a gal
lerY. Let us Try anu get Out. lie set 10 WORK
and succeeded In eNcavating passage through
the snow, and arrived half dead at Refuge Six.
whence the alarm was passed on to the hospce.
BY this time IL WIS ~ in the evening. The
monks attached TO the hOspice repaired 10 the
scene of disaster. and with the hid OF two ser
wants Of Refuge Six they saved the inmates the
gallery and accommodated them comfortably Mt
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 wero anxious to return
and do what could he done for the two guides
and their companions VINO had been carried
away by the avalanche. but the darkness and
the constant succession Of avaanches that were
laundering ut short intervals over the preci-
pieces forbade.
One Of the two guides. an athlete in strength
and nimbleness, managed. as he rolled down
with the valanche, to keep his alpenstock in his
hand and when he came to dead stop he felt
that the point OF his stick just protruded from
the surface OF the snow above him. Working
away with what strength remained 10 him, he
eNtricated himself from tho avalanche, but there
his powers failed him. and he was able only to
call Tor help. His cries reached the refuge. and
its inmate with servant of the hospice, set
out in the direction Of the guide. But they had
not walked 1--WE minutes before an immense av-
Alanche hurled them to the foot OF the noun
tain. The inmate OF the refuge persisted, leav-
ing young widow and a two-year-old boy.
The 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
on his face. and so relieved himself Of the maui
RAISE bOuche. till, the avalanche having stopped,
he disengaRed himself from the snow. and after
severe efforts reganed the refuge In a fainting
state about two in the morning.
During that terrible night he said the roar OF
the descending avalanches was deafening.