, 1885-04-01
THE
EXPERIENCE OF A SETTLER WHO
DEFIED THE SNow-sLIDE.


big Cottonwood Utah Cor. New York Sum-
About four miles up the Big canyon John
Furbush and two companions have been liv-
ing in a cabin built especially to shed of
avalanches. The boys dug a hole in the
earth and made a sort Of u shelf, on which
they built the hut Furbush calculated that
when tho slide came it would jump the house
and leave 1t and its inmates all safe. His
faith in the scheme was great. He had in
duced a civil engineer to go up and a the
angles for him, and he put much confidence
In the remark OF that learned man that II
the avalanche didn't sag in the middle the
house would probably stand. The building
was stoutly made, the uprights being OF
heyvn timber, and the roof, which slanted
down the canyon and came at its highest
point up even with the rocks and earth
above, was as smooth as John could make IT.
He thought that when the snow came II
would glide right over the roof MS II It were
sheet-iron
st will roll OIL that e re roof, said Johf
ms slick as shot Off n shovel
Not until about ten days ago did anything
occur to alarm the dwellers In the cabin.
The SHOWS had been accommodating rapidly,
but as the weather remained cold they mani.
tested no disposition to slip down. When
the sun camo out warm the other day John
looked anxiously up the canyon. There was
AARN W. AAn Af0R1 NRAAN "a ~ AR0N0 AAAAI
as near as he could figure It, and he calcn-
lated that a good share OF it would be down
his way before long. He scraped the roof
and got everything in shape. While he and
his men were eating dinner a couple Of days
later a tremendous roar, crash, and rumble
were heard. and all three Involuntary rose
to their feet almost spsec HESS.
Hang on for dear life. boysl' gaspod Fur
bush, she's a-comin'."
Il -
eral minutes. they stole out cautiously, and
found that the slide had been on tho other
side OF the canyon, and that IL had plowsd a
hole in the earth ten feet deep, ripping up
great trees, aud changing the entire confgu-
ration of the earth's surface. When the
men had examined the desolate scene a few
minutes in silence, Furbush said he was
afraid a slip OF that kind might be a little
too much for his scheme, but still he had a
good deal Of confidence in it.
After that Furbush became very anxious
TO nave a slide, and he even proposed once
that they start one, but his companions re-
minded him that the man who went up the
canyon would have to be mighty quick to
beat ii down. In the course OF three or four
days following there were tremend Gus wal
anches all around, destroying cabins, mine
property, and other things In their path.
Nothing escaped them. When these facts
became known to Furbush he was considera-
bly, alarmed. and his friends advised him to
abandon his hut, for his tims was bound to
coma. His companions left him, but he was
too stubborn to yield, though he manifested
much less anxiety for a slide than he had
previously shown When the boys left him
he said:
step kinder high, now, and don't jostle
things any. There amt no use bringing on
q slip for tue fun Of the thing"
The boys got out of the way as soon US
possible, and were just congratulating them
selves as well as laughing over thu
change in Furbush's attitude when the earth
trembled. and a frightful roar burst OF
their ears.
"She's coming nowl" one of them OK
claimed, and from where they stood they
could soc the whole performance. 1t was a
grand and awful scene. The mountain
itself appeared to collapse and dissolve. Oh
jects generally regarded as substantial, the
mighty powders and the rock rooted trees,
apparently assumed a liquid form, and
mingling with the SHOWS, appeared like a
majestic river in full sweep, its waves dash.
ing high in the air. The sound was OF a
tempest, and the very earth trembled.
Neither Of the men spoke until the mischief
had all been done, and then one Of them
managed to find voice to say:
THAT was old Johns slide, and no mis-.
take. Let's go and see how he wealth
cred it."
They retraced their steps far enough to
convince themselves that the cabin had dis.
appeared. The whole scene had changed.
Where the shelf had been built with such
care, nothing was now 10 be seen but a
gouged out place that looked as though logs
had been shunted there for ages. Satisfied
that Furbush was buried at the bottom OF
the canyon, the men made their way down
as hastily as possible, and 10 their surprise
found the cabin only about half covered by
the snow. 1t had hung together in a marvel
Gus fashion, and tho question now was
whether the old man inside was dead or
alive.
Digging the snow and earth away with
such improvised implements as they could
find, they soon came to the door and dug
their way in. The cabin was about half full
of NOW and dirt, and over in one corner
they found Furbush just returning to con
seriousness from the effects Of severe contu-
sions. At first ho paid little attention to his
rescuers, who feared that the old fellow was
fatally hurt, but at last when they got him
ont he laughed rather solemnly and said:
"The thing sagged. just as l allus feared
1t would. Step softly, or youth start another
one
They carried him 10 n neighboring cabin,
and after a day and a night of careful nurs-
ing he came around in good shape.
Sarah AIthea as a Manicure.