The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-01-17
SN0W,BoUND.
FRIGHTPUL HAVOC OF THE STORns
IN THE WARSATCH MOUNTAINS.
FOWnS Cut on from COmmunieatiDg With
the OutsldO WOTld-RuIIdIuES Hut
led and Destroy Sd-LiVsl Lost
and Operations In the Minss
stopped BY AyAIAnehea.

SALT LAKE Orr, January l6.-snoW
has fallen almost continuously in thu
Wahsatch mountains, about the head o.
Little and Big Cotton Woods, since
Christmas. The mountains surrounding
the mining town Of Alta are steep and
high, and the traces have been cut of o
the tramway. Sheds Of the WAhsatCh and
Jordan Valley Railroad have been swepI
away In several places for five miles be-
low Alta, rendering ingreSs or egress al
most impossible. Two weeks ago q snoW
slide carried away Q man named Darby
The continuous storm increased its Jury
with the opening OF last week, and on
Wednesday night the snow fell in sheets
and the wind became hurricane.
About 10 O'Clock snow slide carried
away the flag staff, one house, four hun
dred feet OF the railroad sheds and swept
across the flat creek to the opposite noun
tain. Another slide passed over the
Victoria and Iuperial House, bury.
ing two, who dug their way out in
ten hours. Continuing, 1t swept away
the Grizzly boarding house, In
which was Mr. Nathan EIRskius and four
children, Charles Slmons, Robert Howath
aud Van Morris, OF these Mrs. HAskinH
and daughter Jane, Howalh and MorriH
we're killed. Another slide smashed and
buried the Toledo works and boarding
house, killing Charles BarbFldge and
Frank Laporte.
On Thursday and Friday work was stop.
ped at the principal mines, and many Of
the men have left the canyon for the val.
lev, The storm continued and increased
in fury, and the wind blowing q gale, and
piIing the snow just over the
Great Of the hln north Of Alta
on the Alta side, A great weight
started another slide half mile wide on
Friday night, which would have com.
p!etely demolished Alta, but that II was
split and partially diverted by flat area
lust above the head OF Maiu street. It
struck heavily built stone store In which
five men had gathered for safety.
Two, who we're sleeping In the sec
ond story, were thrown out, comparatively
unhuIt. They had taken refuge In the
basement, and built lire, John Fiizger-
aid, P. Blee and William Hollingshead.
The house was crushed in on them, and
was fred from the stove, and they per-
ished. Richard Williams and John
Washington, who remained 10 look after
Joab Lawrence's property with instruc.
tions 10 sleep In the tunnel, are missing.
The avalanche swept away every build.
ing owned BY the Joah Lawrence com.
pany, together with tleirtramway, iutlCt-
Ing loss OF $50 600. 1t buried the Buffalo
House, but three men, who had retired
into tunnel were secured exhausted.
Fifty people came down last night leaving
about twenty who, for various reasons,
could not get away. Tho trip down was
fearful. Leaving their homes with moth
ing but the clothes on their backs, the
women wallOwed through the snow the
best they could, the men carrying the
children. There remains enough OF the
mountain slope still inundated 10 complete
the destruction OF the town, and II may
slide at any moment.
Eight miles Of the Upper Big Cotton
wood are said 10 be one huge slide, cover.
ing everything. A big slide In Msyfeld
gulCh has blocked the creek for
about four hundred yards, and made
quito lake, while there Is no loss
Of life reported from Big Cottonwood. The
miners are leaving the canyon as fast as
possible. When the snow becomes deep
and heavy on these steep mountain slopes
an avalanche may be started by o party
wGdiug across their lace, or by conclusion,
and sometimes q blast far underground
will do Il,