The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-05
DANGERS OF ALPINE LIFE.
italian Soldiers Have Had Imrd Time
During This Winter.


The Italian Alpine soldier has no easy
life of it in winter, buried In small forts
on the high Alps, and being obliged to
march in storm and snow, the new mill
tary orders enforcing ncver-intcrrupted
communication between fortified places,
whatever may be the state Of the
weather. A Turin correspondent, says
the Chicago Post, gives the particulars
of the late accident when Lieutenant
Zanzucchi and four of his six compan-
ions met with their death The licutcn-
ant, with six soldiers, wos following
some Alpine companies from I4eve Iii
Tclo across Mount Tanarrllo to Dripa
hlarithilna, but, as be was under free
marching orders, he reinained behind
and passed the night at small hamlet
on the way. The day after he started
with his six men to climb the Tanarcllo,
and ON arriving at the summit met with
strong wind, which shook the moss of
snow, sending large quantities rolling
into the rnvines. A peth most frequent
~ used, as being the safest, ticsccnds
from the summit OF the mountain to
Briga, but Lieutenant Zauzucchi, either
TO shorten the way or bewihiercd by the
Ice PARTICLES with which the wind filled
the air, abandoned the path and turned
TO the left toward Mount Sacca,cllo.
When the little party ret.ched the to1,
OF the valley Of the Droc they began to
descend, but Witlo and deep stratum
of snow, undermined by water below
or moved by the wind, suddenly e1lyc
way beneath tho travellers feet and
they were precipftated moro than one
fhnncnv,1 q G
OF the wiley. The ltcutcnnrt eI,1i two
soldiers were found dead afts~yard
close together. Two of the men wire
farther away and after lying
fainting Oh the snow ftr a
time came 30 themselves, one
with his arm. the other with his
ears and nose frozen. They tried to dig
up their companions, but had no proper
tools and were also too weak, SO he'd to
renounce the attempt
They drank oil the brandy they had
with them and then climbed down 20
Briga, fearing catastrophe ct every
moment. When they reechcd Briga
they were half decd, and for some hours
had not even strength to relate what
had happened One other dead soldier
was found alone, bat the body Of the
fourth lies still beneath the snow.
Only just week ego q similar accident
happened. but fortunately without loss
OF life. A party OF few soldiers and
citizen had set out from Fort Centrale,
four thousand two hundred and twenty
seven feet high, to GO TO Fut Pepine,
Six thousand six hundred and eighty.
seven feet high, and were orcrtalscn by
a storm. They thought for moment
OF turning back, but the orders were
strict, and they therefore marched ON.
All at once they felt the ground tren-
bic beneath their feet, and u moment
after they saw an enormous avalanche
descending swiftly upon them with
loud whistling sound and a violent cur
rent of air. It overlook them end
rolled them down the mountain with
the speed Of an express train; yet,
strange to say, they were suddenly
stopped on level space, after fail IF
six hundred and fifty feet, unhurt be-
yond fe,v scratches and being little
stunned The .n|alanche went ON it's
path TO break to pieces in rayine, and
the young soldiers stared each other in
the face, astonisllnd TO find that they
were still alive.