National Republican., 1884-05-08
TIE nANJo ON pl1sr,s PEAK.
How sergt. Ramsey Amused Jimse
While People Thought He was starr

How sergt. Ramsey Amused Himself
while People Thought He was starv-
ing.
DENVER, Col, May 4--The anxiety in re-
gard to tho safety of sergt Ramsey, tho
United States signal service officer stationed
on tho summit of Pixies Peak, has been re-
lioved. A relief party of three mon started
from Monitor at j;45 p. IN. last Tuesday, and
after most perilous and tiresomc journey
reached the summit at p. M tho following
day, having been over .twenty-slx hours ON
the way.
sorgt. Ramsey had been on the peak for
seven weeks. Three weeks ago the stock of
provisions began to run short, and his coin
panion left for Colorado Springs to secure ro-
lief. The peak had been swept by unusually
severe storms, and after losing his way sew
oral times and narrowly escaping death he
reached Monitor almost dead from
tics started up the mountain
within the next three OF four days to relieve
Ramsey, but, fresh storms coming OH, they
were obliged TO turn baclr aud IL seemed
| probable that the hapless operator would be
left to perish from cold and starvation ON the
barren and rocky peak. During the first
| week of his solitary imprisonment ho could
| 10 seen at times, by tho aid of a telescope
and communication was kept up by means Of
| signals. Then no disappeared, and, al
| though close watch was Eopt for him, ho
could not be seen moving about, and it was
| feared that he had been overcome by ox-
haustion, and was slowly dying alone in his
dosolato hus throo miles above tho level Of
| the 500.
The perils which the relief party enoount-
cred can hardly be realized by those who
have nover made the ascent OF that CraRgy
peak. For u long way the narrow trail, o
mere niche at best, runs along the side OF the
steep mountain, IN some places along the
edge of lofty precipices. Then wide
plateau is crossed when tho trail winds up
the stoep mountain side through tho timber
| to timber line, when IL bears oil to the lett
and for the remaining three miles winds its
labyrinthine course along the bald face of tho
poak In summer tho path is sufficiently
dangerous, as once started it would be
easy to roll down the steep doclivity
for many thousand feet AS tho re-
fief party found IL, IL seemed almost
suro death TO attempt to proceed Novertho-
loss they pressed on. The hrBt ascent, as fur
as the plateau, was mado on horseback. Then
they took to snowsh0es. At tho time there
was d binding snowstorm, which continued
during the entiro journey. When Sergt.
Hall last made tho attempt to reach the
summit tho snow was from five to thirty
feet deep, and loose. This time the snow
was covered with sheet of ice, and progress
was slow and dangerous. 1t was almost impos-
| blulo W lOllOW tuc bIail, uo hll iuhunoiho "Si
oblitcratod and the tops of tall trees covered
with snow. The most tircsome and danger
Gus part of the trip was from the timber line
to tho peak, taking fourteen hours. They
could only proceed about foot at time and
could only gain foothold by bresklng hole
in the ice crust with each stop.
Upon reaching tho station the relief party
found Mr.. Ramsey sitting by the stove pick.
ing banjo and apparently as well contented
as II in parlor. Ho seemed not little sur
prised when informed oftho alarm and anx
iety concerning his welfare, and said while
the bill of fare was not the best he had evel
seen, ho could have lived on it several day.
longer. Two of the relief party remained o.
the station. and Sergeant Hall and Mr.. Ram
sey started down about . o'clock yesterday
morning, reaching Manitou at p. m. 1t wa
showing and so foggy that they could not SEE
twenty feet, but as compared to the ascen
tho trip was an easy one.