The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-16
THE SNOW SLID OFF.
A Tremendous Avalanche Swept
the Side of Rainier.
As SEEN sY AN EYEWITNESS.
Engineer Asdsrsen Gives n Viva n
sersPsisa Of the seen~. on Meuns
ksfnier's Slopes

NEoot question:, put that enormous ava
lAnehes have plunged down the mountain
side was ascertsinea yesterday seyona
any DOUBT &. NJ. Andersen. the we'll
known civil engineer. was In the Muekle-
chute country last Wednesday eosnw some
surveying and saw q slide so feet deem.
ana a mile wide when n reached the base.
break from q point short distance be-
low the summit and plunge down the
mountain sf1e. He 10 not prepared 20 say
what could have caused the avalanche.
ana Ie did not advance the theory that il
nignt have been caused by an eruption
shaking the mountain. He did say. how
ever. that possibly the avalanche was
started by the weight Of an exceptionally
heavy fail OF snow MIR. Anderson has
observed the mountain closely for some
weeks. and does not believe that the frss
disturbance last month was caused by an
eruption Speaking last evening concern
ing the avalanche he said.
Last Wednesday I was only ahout
thirty miles from the mountain and in a
direct line between 10 ana this city. SO
that IL can be seen l was In a position
70 gain q much better view than could be
had by people here. At Il o'clock on We'd
nesday Was locking at the mountain
evidences OF two slides that appeared new
10 me. / watched closely for some time.
and the air being exceptionally clear, the
view was magnificent / laid the glass
down and went away q few rods and.
something attracting my attention 20 the
mountain. l looked at 10 again. IL had
changed. and instead OF the north face
being white 1t was black. The change
-.
telescope, but when looked again great
white cloud obscured the view; the cloud
must have been caused by the rising OF
light snow in the air. for as | rc-hed the
cloud settled and then l saw that there
had been q tremendous avalanche on the
north face and smaller one on the south
face The side OF the mountain appeared
10 have caved In. but am satisfied that
the depression was caused by the sliding
of OF the snow, taking the earth with st.
for the space covered by the slide Yves
very black and rugged, great rocks and
masses OF earth being plainly seen, while
on either side of the path OF the slide
the snow was deep and plainly in con-
trast.
AT the upper eni OF the slide The ice
and snow appears to have broken of
abruptly and the bank left was OF great
thickness. 1 had some steadie wires with
me. and with the aid OF these and my
instrument. estimating my distance at
about thirty miles. I figured that the
thickness of the bank OF snow. at the up
per end where the slide commenced. was
all OF $50 feet The following day l look
ed again and the black space marking
the avaianches was white. indicating that
there nad been q heavy fall or snow during
the night On This morning there APP
peared TO be smoke issuing from the top
of the mountain, but am satisfied from
the many observations I have made in
years past that IL was simply vapor ana
not smoke. At the base OF the mountain
where the avalanche struck the timber
line / estimated it's width az mile
-sr believe that the new peak on the
summit which no one ever noticed before
e. nothing more nor less than pyramid
OF snow several hundred feet high i OBJ
served this peak closely and found II TO
he symmetrical IN form, there being no
shar,~niRes, and think that Ii has been
formed by a gigantic whirlwind when
clreled up the mountain, carrying The
snow with ft, and simply whipped the
snow ABOUND and around until the new
neak "a the result OF the operation. DO
not think that the expedition about to be
sent out by the Post-Intelligencer VIII
ever reach the summit. It's terrible
country and win take lots OF pluck TO get
,bronrh at this time OF the year. IL TOOK
Major Ingranam several years 10 ma
I'll nv which the summit could be reach
"a and 7 think that the changes now are
s,,eh that IL viii take him several more
Years "a locate new trail for the OLD
ones must be completely ohliterated as
resnlt Of the avalanches. The major IS
safe. competent man and is in every way
qualified TO make the trip in ordinary
weather. hut 1 don't believe that be VIII
even be able TO reach point where an
observation of the changes can be made"
Mr.. Anderson suggested the aGFisability
OF having men stationed at various points
with powerful telescopes 20 watch the
progress OF the party and report to the
outside world all the movements OF the
explorers. He suggested that one man be
stationed In the vicinity OF Mud mountain
and another at some point OK vantage In
the Eesqualiy country in the suecatass
valley.
Tire Po~t-Intelligencer MouDt Rainier
party will leave on the Monday after
noon train for wtlkesoa. from which
place the trail win be taken for the
mountain. The clothing. which has been
oiled. has not yet dried, but rather than
undergo further delay. the start VIII ps
n