The morning call., 1891-04-20
NATURES TERRORS.
The Fearful Force Of an Avalanche Containing
100000 Tons Of SnOW,

About 1000 feet from the Denver and Rio
Grande Depot there is mass of snow in one
lump which contains about ZOO, 900 tons of
water. The mass represents snow-slide
which came from the summit Of Kendall
Mountain the night of February 23d, says
the Siverton (Colo.) Miner. The point
where the snow broke from the apex of the
mountain is probably two and half mi les
from the railroad track, and the slide made
the run-accOrdng to witnesses who heard
the crash at the start and the crunch when
it stopped-in less than two minutes.
Monday night was terror. The mercury
had shrunk away down in the bulb, and
every one expected to see the climax of the
storm. About 8 o'clock great banks OF snow
began to accumulate and pile up in fantas-
tic shapes on the mountain tops. Then
came puffs of winds as strong as gale, and
miniature whirwinds scurried here and
there all over the park, toying with the Loose
boards and sending up columns OF spOrtlve
snONflakeS. Higher and thicker and darker
the cloud battlements piled up over the
Animas CANYON. while those up the AnimaS,
like castles of light riding on pillows of re-
splendent silver, doomed in magnificent
grandeur. Over and among those aerial
mountains tine moon peeped through
fitfuly, and cast in a flood of daz-
cling glory. By o'clock the storm was at
on the hillsides, and, battering at the build
ings, hurled defiance at mankind. Serpen-
tine lines Of glittering fire cleaned from be-
tween the rents in the clouds, and loud de-
donations from the battlements on high pro-
claimed the march of the storm.
1t was about midnight when, above the
roar of the elements, far above the clouds
upon old Kendall, the loud "crac-k-k" was
heard. Then a "crooch, crooch, crunch %
and then the whole mountain side seemed
to be coming with a fearful and indescrib-
able crush Thousands of tons of snow
were shot out of that wide space above the
timber line and piled into Idaho Gulch, and
brushing down everything before ii. Trees,
rocks, banks of frozen earth-all shared In a
common fate; and to see that monster COM
ing, as it seemed from the clouds, would
have been grand sight. There WAS no
stop to the colossal mass when 1t struck the
fat. Making Its own road as it crursed its
race, filling in all declivities, it continued on
It's mad rush until 1t reached the river. ln-
stead of stopping there it smeared bridge
for itself and continued over the railroad
track, carrying with 1t two telegraph poles,
the Y, and spread itself finally over the
town site, within 200 yards from the main
street of Siverton.
Such slide has never before been seen
here, and to those who have never seen one
and are skeptical of its tremendous energy,
we invite their attention to this one before
going elsewhere Once before IN the his
tory of this town has the Idaho Gulch slide
come down, and that was in 1879, when 1t
barely reached the river. The snow lies
six feet solid on the raiIroad track. At the
foot Of the gulch it is at least 100 feet deep.
1t is fun of timber-trees from SIX inches TO
two feet in diameter-0roken into spliuters,
rocks weighing tons are scattered through
it, while the entire body is as solid as ice
itself. People 20 every day to visit this
giant of the mountains, and it will continue
to be source of interest until it melts be-
Meath the RAYS of our July sun.