Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-03-23
A cAIsreRSsA rAxx.

The winter OF l65y-J WA the first g.
we're winter the earlier immigrants expe-
risnoed in California They we're lily
prepared TO meet anything like rigor-
ous winter. Many miners simply camped
In teuts conveniently pitched on the bank
q 4 stream where the manxanita bushes
and iOv chaparral would break the force
of the wind. The towns or mining
camps usually consisted of single short
and narrow street, with squafty, ons-
story buildings on both sides Of Il. and
eeueraIIy located on the steep side Of
some deep canyon. On the Ynba, high
up IN the mountains, there was built mp
"a the fall OF 1852 mining camp OF
about twenty cabins and perhaps twice
@ many souls. This was known by half
. dozen different names, bnt retained
neither of them, az. after its placers
we're worked out. in 1888, the place
passed into oblivion. For the present
poFpoes let u call the place Hard
scrabble.
In the fall Of 1852 the town consisted
Of twenty small buildings. Six Of these
wore occupied ~ saloons and gambling
houses. three on each side Of the street,
tuOas trading posts and one NJ butcher
shop and express Office combined. The
others we're used by miners 10 cook and
sleep Ia. In th0se days none knew the
Importance Of laying in supply for the
winter. The trAderarenewed their stocku
every month from Marysville or bought
from passing traders. The storms Of the
winter Get IN early and continued inces-
sanity. The snow fell 10 an enormous
depth, and the town Of Hardscrabhle WA
buried very deep beneath It's snrface. In
the month Of February some Que In Ma.
fYsville reflected that Hardscrabble had
not been heard from during tho winter.
Snoushoe" Thompson vas there ut the
time, bat unknown to the fame which
hs afterwafd acquired. However, be
lAshed . light knapsack of supplies 70
his back and struck out for tho camp on
snovshoes. He reached there at noon
tho second day. Thompson saw no SIGN
Of either camp or life. He did, however,
discover faint smoke issuing from the
unow.
Taking of his snevshoes. he com.
mencod probing with his pole, when he
suddcnly broke through this snov and
landed at tho front door Of q large room
IN which there were six haQgnrd miners
crouched around a low ire. The rfreel
was literally honeycombed with tunnels
through the snow leading TO every dooI
IN camp. Everything that could possi
bly, b eaten had been used mp. Thirty
four shallow graves had been due be
tween two cabins, and the corpses OF thAl
many starved men had been wrapped Il
blankets and buried in them. fhomp
son made the best disposition he couit
ef his small supply Of food, and at ono,
sought the nearest settlement. sixtecr
miles away. Hero he procared NOR
supplies and = small sled, with which b,
returned to the sufferers. The surfac,
at the snow WAS crusted, and il vas eas'
travelling. Thompson tore up some iloor
ing, with which be built ladder, an.
managed to get the SIX emaciated mel
on tbs aled. Tho little food he dare
give them did not do them much good
but he got them to the nearest hons
alive. Five died, and the only survive
Of that Inflated camp James r. Smith
nov lives ct 6weetvater. Mono county.