The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-18

Perilous Position of a Northwestern Pio-
neor-Riding On the Crest of an Ava
Isnehe Dowa IA the ley Depths of the
Rivera iifo Lived la "a Minute.
livery body knows, or IS the worse oil for
not knowing, Uncle ALEX lliland lie came
over here from Boise in ~ and got a good
claim ON Elk Greek, where be has lived
since, save when he comes up TO DeeI
Dodge occasionally 10 spend week or two
with his friends A few days ago John
Gerber wrote TO him of his intended depart
ure for California about thus time. aud in
due course of uncertain mails the letter was
placed In Uncle Alexis hands. IL had been
raining two days ON Elk the four or five
feet Of snow that covers the mountains and
gulches In the vicinity was soft aud honey
combed and the streams were running
tfeshet. But Uncle Alex concluded 10 come
10 Door Lodge to see Gerber. The first eight
miles 10 Bear, crossing the heavy range, had
to be made on snow shoes, aud the next
nine 10 the stage station on foot; but
Wednesday morning Of last week he
strapped on his eeven-feet Norwegian
snow shoes and started over by way of Deep
Gulch. The ascent from Elk was tedious
and laboriOus, 1t Is a long trudge up the
mountain To the top OF the ridge a thou
sand feet above Beartown and six thousand
above the sea- especially to u man 10 years
old. The summit was reached at last, ard
he was CONTEMPLATING himself on an easy
run down to Beartown, when the snow
sunk in the trail and down lie went, An
other trail, and the same result. The
rains had honey -combed and under
mined the snow. A little distance ON
the whole body of snow had slid away
and plunged down the precipitous can
yon side into the bed Of Deep Gulch. This
would never do for enOw-shOcing. The
only recourse was to ascend the canyon
sideto the dividing ridge between Elk and
Deep, and follow along on the edge OF the
summit, lie muilled his shoes with ropo
brought for the purpose, nud the climb
was made good footing secured, and all
looked clear ahead.
Uncle Alex then T. luEAt u was about
time for smoke. lie halted, filled his
pine, lit IT, took "A North American whill or
two and was just striking Out when.
Wh-e-w-W-2ip away went the entire body of
snow with wild whifl. and IN n moment
lac was riding an avalanche 300 foot wide
with lightning speed, headl0ng down the
pTcoipce toward the waters OF the creek
nearly 400 feet below Fortunately, he
was whirled head on and was
within few feet of the top Of the
olihN WHSu ~ hlhllths nv etlNth WIN
his alpenstock, hruCed himself in The shoes
he could not disengage from his feet aud
ilew through space with the accellerati1n
OF speed produced by both the dccliyty
and the suowsldo. Before he could say
"Eun go Braghn the slide had carried him
into and across the gulch, crushed the
SNOW shoes nnd swamped the snow NJ
around him until only enough OF him was
left free and unfettered to have whipped
Gerber had he been IN sight. But he wasn't
nor any other living thing--and the wind
singing n plaintive melody In neighborlng
pines alone broke the stiffness that sue
Ceeded the roar of the avalanche He
looked back 10 see II any more snow was
coming. The canyon side lay bare and
Scared to the summit, with tho bOulders
and stumps holding white fragments OF
their recent shroud. lie had ridden the
crest of the slide and was safe.
He was about to rest spell before eY.
Treating himself when suddenly his feet
grew cold. The chill crept up his ankles
and was feeling for his knees before he re
allied the situation. The su0w.slide had
damned the waters OF Deep gulch, They
were coming up after him. Something
was necessary to be- done without unucceS-
sary delay, Some willows and brush pro
iected near. lie reached over and caught
them aud was speedily free. He concluded
10 leave the vicinity forthwith and was
soon after picking his way down the gulch,
arriving at Bcartown at . p. m, without "A
bruise or a broken bone. Aud that's the
way Uncle Alex came up from Elk creek
Montana New Northwest