Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-04-28
WHEELING, W.. VA. TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 1886
ELEVEN MEN BURIED
In q Great snow-slide at Colorad
Silver Mine.

In q Great snow-sIide at Colorado
Silver Mine.
DENVER, Col, April 27.-Psrtial &C.
counts of terrible disaster came last night
from the Homestake mine, located in Ten
nessee Pass, about half way between Lead
vile and Red Cliff, on the Eagle River
branch of the Denver and Rio Grsnde road
During the winter months force of eleven
men have been working at the mine, occupy
ing two cabins near the entrance at night
Nothing having been heard from them tor
a couple of weeks at Red Cliff, where they
usually went for supplies, some surprise was
felt over their long silence. Yesterday
Frank Sanderson started from Red Cliff tor
the mine and was Mortified to find both
cabins deeply buried and undoubtedly crush.
cd under an immense snow slide, which had
evidently fallen in the night and buried the
whole party. Ssnderson at once started
for the railroad, and by frantic jestures sue
ceeded in stopping freight train which car
ried him few miles to a telegraph station,
from where he forwarded the particulars to
Malta, and urged that rescuing party be
started for the mine. Only one name
of the unfortunates is known - Robert
Campbell, of Red Cliff. The recent snow
fall was very heavy, and coming upon the
old snow it caused the slide, which is the
most disastrous in the probable loss of life
that the season has furnished.
A large rescuing party left Leadville
early Sunday morning for the scene OF the
snowslide, and is now working with des-
perate earnestness to reach the victims
Up to dark this evening two bodies were re-
ported recovered. The fate of the other
buried miners will, probably, not be known
until some time as great mount
ain of snow must first be removed. 1t Is
feared that all have perished. Homestake
mountain is one OF the highest in that part
of the State. The side of the mountain on
which the mine is located is very precipi-
tous. The great avalanche must have liter
ally fallen upon the cabin of the unsuspect
ing miners, crushing it to atoms.
The missing men are:
MARTIN BORDEN and brother, Sill
VESTER, of Nova Scotia.
HORACE w. MATTHEWS and brother
JOSEPH. OF Iowa
JOHN LOCK and JOHN BURNS, Of
England.
CHARLES RICHARDS, of Nova SEQ,
tia.
CHRIS. HARVEY. of Leadville.
ROBERT CAMPBELL, of Red Cliff.
JOHN BURNS, of San Francisco, and
one man unknown.
Later.
DENVER, Col, April 27.-The rescuing
party which left Leadville early yesterday
morning for the scene of the terrible calam-
ity at the Homestake mine, reached their
destination at o'clock. Several excava-
tions were made before cabins could be
located The first one found contained
provisions, etc. no bodies were found here
The bunk house was next reached, where
eleven bodies were found. One body
stood erect with head thrown forward as if
listening, the whole position indicating ap-
prehension. Near him lay one of his CON-
paniors in hunk, face downward, with his
arms crossed under his head. Several logs
Icy on his body. Three bodies were
found in an upper bunk claspea in
each others arms, and 50 strongly were they
ipterlocked as to require the efforts OF Blk
men to separate them. One man was
tound beside his bunk in an attitude pray
ing. In another part of the cabin were two
bodies crushed between fallen timbers. o ther
bodies were found lying sbo 1t the cabin
as il thrown from their hunks by the sho,k'
No doubt death was caused by sufocation
in nearly every case. A clock and watch
was found which had stopped precisely at
$50 From letters and papers found it
is believed that the slide occurred about the
10Th of February. Report some of the men
had been seen fortnight ago proved with
out foundation. The bodies were taken to
Leadville. The victims are: Martin Bor
den, Sylvester Borden, Horace W. Matthews,
Joseph Matthews, John Lock, John Burns,
Charles Richards, Chris. Harvey Robert
Cam pbell and John Burns.