The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-03-15
A SNOWY SEPULCHER.
DESTRUCTION OF A WESTERN TOWN.
Woodstock, Col, Wiped Out OF Existence
by u snow -Slide--Sixteen Persons Killed
Twelve Persons Meet Their Fate
Similarly In Utah.
SWEPT FROM THE EARTH.

DENVER, Col, March l2.-At six O'Clock
Monday night a snow-slide descended on
the little snow-bound station of Woodstock,
on a branch of the South Park Railroad,
seventy-five miles southwest of Leadville,
carrying away every building in the town,
including the railway station. The news
was brought to Pitkin nine miles distant,
BY a section hand on snOw-shoes, arriving
at two o clock Tuesday afternoon. Eighteen
persons are known to have been caught in
the avalanche, including Mrs. Doyle, a
widow who kept the station, her six chill
dren, another woman, name unknown, and
ten section men. The two women were
rescued Tuesday night They were alive, but
seriously injured. The body of one section
hand has been recovered. None of the
Others can escape alive.
As soon as the news reached Pitkin fire.
bells sounded an alarm, and large number
of citizens started on snow-shOeS to the
scene of the disaster Among the missing
are Jacob Caswell, of Tomichi; j. S. Brown,
telegraph operator at the station; George
Alexander, Horace Alexander and Mike
Shea. A large number of snow -ShOvelerS
have also gone.
The snowfall in the mountain districts OF
Colorado the present winter is without par
ale in the history of the State. Many OF
the mining camps west and south have been
snow-bOund since November. San Juan
County has been the greatest sufferer.
Durango, SivertOn, Rico, containing from
one to five thousand inhabitants, are still
blockaded. no trains having reached
either town for several weeks. Brock
enridge, fifty miles north of Lead
vile, Is nearly destitute. Morkzuma
ten miles distant, Is in a pitiabe condition.
Gunnison, situated few miles from the
largest coal mines In the State, is suffering
from coal famine. Snow Is eight feet on
a level over the whole country; in the
ravines and gulches from fifty to hundred
feet. The only means Of communication is
on snow shoes, and few men are heroic
enough to brave the bitter storms When
spring thaws move these mountains Of snow
fearful results must follow.
PORTLAND, Ore, March l2.-Five men
engaged in grading OH the Baker City Branch
Railroad through Pyle Canon, Union Coun'
ty, Ore, were caught under q vast land
slide and crushed to jelly. A very heavy
blast had just been fired, which lOOsened a
huge mass of earth and rocks on the side OF
the mountain, which came down so sud-
denly that the men had no time to run
The names OF the victims were not Obtaina-
Bile.
IERIsHED IN THE SNOW.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March TO-
Twelve persons were buried under a snow
slide Friday night, near Alta. About six
o'clock mass of snow fully half mile
wide began moving from the summit of the
range. 1t soon attained fearful velocity
In some way the persons in its track did
not observe its approach until it was too late
to escape. With resistIess force the great
mass swept down upon the New Emma
mine property and the little settlement
where the huts of the miners were. The men
had come up about an hour before. FOrtu-
nately, most of them had gone to neighbOr,
ing settlement In an instant the snow
slide struck the works of the mine
and the hamlet. All was swept away, and
twelve persons who had frantically sough
to escape were dashed down to death. These
were: Gus Lydecker, ID. ID. WATSON, -
WATSON, Samuel Prethers, Charles Col
green, Mrs c. Colgreen, Edward Crockett
Miss Lottie Pleon, 5. j. johnson, n. s.
Delano, w. Stephenson, John Richardson
The bodies of the unfortunate victims, to-
gether with the debris of the huts and the
works of the New Emma Mine, were hurled
into the valley below, There the snow was
piled up forty feet deep
As soon as the full extent of the disaster
became known men from all the surround
ing camps and villages FASTENED to the
place where the snow had lodged. Work
was begun by torchlight to rescue those
who had been swept away All night lone
the men worked, and it was not until late
Saturday afternoon that the bOdie'
were reached. All were recOv
cred but one. They were laid out in 8
row. In the meantime a heavy storm hac
set in, and all that could be done was tC
leave the bodies under a shed, where they
would be safe until it would be possible to
bring them down the mountain and give
them burial. George Collins, the Mine
Superintendent, estimates the loss on the
mine at $4,000, and declares that the slide
was the most terrible ever known in the
Little Cottonwood. Several of those killed
leave families absolutely uprovided for.
The WaSSOn brothers came from near Port
Henry, n. v, but their friends are un-
known.
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