Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-03-10
sALL OF THE AVALANCHE
a Dreaded Event on Western
Mountain Sides.
Bow Huge Snow Slides Come Thunder
ING Down Upon UnIucky Miners

~ FOUNTAIN II large Ock which stand
out in bold relief. les top is not level
but has an incline down the mountain
twenty men could find standing room
on the crest Of that stone.
Above it-fifty feet or more-with
not even q bush intervening, Is .
smaller rock, and just in line. On the
crest Of this rock q man could scarcely
find room for his feet.
From the base Of the larger rock TO
the trail winding up the valley is a
distance Of tliree-quarters Of mile,
and the ground is covered with rocks,
small pines and scraggy brushes.
So II was in September. As we
look up the mountain side on this
April day it seems like great bank of
whitest chalk. Pines ten feet high are
hidden under the snow. and the ugly
rocks are buried many feet deep
The upper and smaller rocks are
wearing huge hats Of snow-a cone
rising FIVE or six feet high. On the
lower and larger one the SHOWS Of 200
days have fallen and packed until the
weight amounts TO TONS.
In the valley the snow is soft and
slushy, and here and there the blades
Of grass struggling for life among the
rocks are being warmed into vigor by
the sun.
Now, watchl ne-three-five-
seven men are ascending the trail
having three pack mules with them.
One would think the warm sun must
put them in good humor, but it is not
SO. They look up the mountain side
with fear expressed in their faces, and
even the beasts of burden show by
their actions that they labor under
mental anxiety.
Indiansp
Mol
A mountain thunderstorm
MOL
The dreaded cyclOnep
Mol
When the leader of the band is
almost opposite the two rocks which
have been described ne halts and sur
veys them. and il is scarcely an instant
before he has thrown up his hand to
those behind. They rightly interpret
it to mean:
softly softly. for your livesi The
avalanche has prepared its trap Cor us,
and word may seal our fatel''
It is too late. to retreat. II the
avalanche starts this viii be its center,
and its wings win be mile long.
SoftlyI SOFTLY The men step as If
walking upon thin. Ice.
Now cast your eyes up the mountain
Ito the upper rocks. The sun has
been beating down upon the snow for
hours. and water appears at the base
Of the cone. The south side q IL has
been undermined. At noon It was
leaning towards the valley. At
o'clock the touch Of buzzard's wing
would have toppled it over. AS we
look bird no larger than bluejay.
weary in its flight. or thirsting for
water. allghts on the cone with shrill
chirp.
Puff It topples over. and the mass
falls heavily upon the lower rock.
The sun has been &c work here Is well.
and the bulky mass Of snow IS ready
to move
Pung pun! The air Is filled with
the white powder Is the mass leaps OF
che rock, but the sight i blottei out
BY what follows. With such s-s-s-
wish-h-h-h Is never met your ears
before-with such q grinding. craunch-
ine. tearing As you never imagined. the
tens OF thousands OF tons Of snow
On ! mountain side two miles long
breaks loose ana rushes into the valley.
Rocks weighing tons are but marbles
70 ron before the white billow. Trees
are but matches to be carried along
and ground Ia spllnters It moves
fsster-fastsr-and now with one
awYul crash che mass takes on such