Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-05-07
A Story of the Snow.
San Francisco cali,

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reliant Jehu, who never MISE d trip
when il was possible for human hesh
or horse flesh 10 egdure the storm,
His fourth hand is composed of vet
eran snow horses, ANIMALS which
! know better how TO travel IN the snow
than any human being could teach
them, each one shod with fiat iron
1 plates, about nine inches square for
snow shoes. One day, a Tuesday,
Parker was bowling along the grade
near the base Of Spanish Peak, one OF
the highest points "On the surC.nit
ridge The wind was blowing ter
rite gale, but being on the lea side of
the hill he was, in measure, pro
tected from its fury and from the
drifting snow. Here he over
took a man and woman,
who were endeavoring to reach
a large drift NINE which is
located at the top of the peak. He
stopped and took them into his sled
and gave them a ride as far as the
point where the road to the mine turns
oil from the highway and ascends the
mountain. He tried in vain to pur-
suade the woman TO abandon the haz-
ardous undertaking and to go with
him few miles farther to the toll
house, where she could remain until
the storm abatea He told them that
they were now sheltered from the
force OF the storm, but when they
reached the top of the hill the wind
would be SO terrific they could make
no Roadway against il and would sure.
| ly perish in the snow. His warnings
were not needed, anA they started up
the hill accompanied by dog belong
ing to the men.
When Parket reached the same
point on his return trip the next day
( he observed this dog, and knew at
once that his prediction had been re-
allzed. Taking a shovel from the sled
he followed the animal few rods
from the road and began digging at
the foot of tree, where the dog had
evidently spent the night. He soon
uncovered the frozen body of the man,
but searched in vain for bis couapan.
ion. He carried intelligence OF the
disaster TO the mine, and party set
out to search for the woman. The
evening before George Massey, while
on his way down the mountain, heard
a cry like a woman's call for help.
He answered and received a response.
Again answering, he went in the di-
rection of tbe sound, but heard moth
ing more. After a time he became salts
fed that what he heard was the cry of
a California lion, and resumed his Jour
ney down the mountain The second
day he returned to the mine and at
once led the searchers ia the direction
from which the cry had come. The
body OF the woman was soon found
in the snow, where it had lain nearly
two days. 1t was evident the two had
progressed 10 this spot, where the
woman became unable to proceed
further, and the man had left her to
go for aid, but lost his way and per.
ished near the roadside. The cry
for help heard by Mr.. Massey must
have been the last effort Of exhausted
nature, and the hope raised in her
breast by the answers, followed by
despair when help came not and she
was no longer able 10 speak, were
both smothered by the icy fingers Of
death.
This said tragedy had still sadder
ending. When Parker reached the
mine on Wednesday, George Robin.
son, most exemplary young man,
strapped on his snow shoes and start
ed down the mountain for his home
at the toll house for the purpose Of
procuring q sleigh in which TO take
the bodies to Meadow Valley. Late
in the afternoon some of the searchers
reached the toll house and were hor-
rified to learn that young Robinson
had not yet arrived. Their thoughts
at once reverted TO a snow.slide they
Ehad observed across the road about a
mile distant. Fearing he was beneath
it, they fastened back TO make an ex-
animation Ia a little hollow above
the road the wind had blown the snow
over the edge of the bank, where it
accumulated until it broke off by its
own weight and went rushing down
/ the hollow ia a huge mass. Tracks
of Robinson's snow shoes led directly
10 the slide, plainly revealing the ma
ture Of the accident The young
man was coming down the noun.
tain with the speed OF the wind,
going in course diagonal to
That Of the avalanche, which the
bowling Of the storm and the beat
ing Of the snow prevented him from
observing. lie reached the road at
the same instant as the descending
mass Of snow and was covered many
feet deep in a twinkliHg, probably
killed BIZ the shock. Work was at
once commenced TO excavate the body.
From far and rear came the brave
and generous mountaineers TO lend
their strength to the task Day and
night from Wednesday afternoon till
| Sunday morning, did half a hundred
men ply the shovel till at last on that
quiet Sabbath morn the body was un-
covered aud taken TO the home OF his
parents at the toll house The snow
was deep and almost impossible 10
teams. vet his funeral the next Tues
Gay was attended by great con
course OF friends, who came in for
miles around on those great snow
def ing mountain skates.
!