Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-08-22
DOWN THE FLUME.


ing camps were "snowed in. " had not
been long in the camp, and it was all
new to me, so l naturally tied to Gov
ernor Bill, foreman of the Last Chance,
during the exciting days of the great
snowstornl. The miners gave him that
name because he had gone to college
with governor Of one of our eastern
states. He was educated for the bar, but
drink made him miner, and now that
he was reformed the company made him
Il foreman. When the storm commenced,
the mills were all shut down and the
water which furnished the power was
turned from the various fumes.
The day following the one Of the
heaviest snowfall it was reported at the
lower end of the gulch that an immense
snowslide mad occurred during the night
at the upper end. procured pair of
snowshoes and hurried to the scene. The
manager and Bill We're experimenting
the working of scores of miners-in fact,
all the available men.
What s the matter, Bill?' inquired
THE men at the upper mill arc buried
in this mountain of snow, " he answered
What! How many?"
-Four You see, the miners at the
boarding house there below escaped, but
those who slept i'll the loft Of the mill
at the head of the gulch had no chance
to leave" "
Those who have visited the Cnur
d'Alenes will recall how steep the buttes
rise from the narrow gulches. At places
you can scarcely scale them, and even
the hardy pines can barely gain foot
ing.
The wind was now blowing in gusts,
carrying clouds of snow from the buttes
above, swirling down the slopes, eddy
ing through the gulches and banking the
white powder at the very feet of the
miners Shovels were powerless, but the
men worked on in the firm belief that
they would reach their comrades. But
no one knew whether the old building
had stood tho strain and that the poor
fellows Were alive.
Its no go, Mr.. Bardon, Bill de-
spondently said. ''Thcre is no telling
how long the storm will keep up, and
even if it soCn subsidies it will be days
before we can reach them. Moreover,
they cannot live long in that small
building without air. -
II fear you are right, Bill But it is
all we CAN do, slowly replied the man.
ager
There was u momcntary lull i'll the
OF 1,,ln:, fln who
with ali anxious face: Look at the
streak down the butte. That must have
been the path of the slide. -
Yes, it originated ON the smooth
fume. A binding rush of snow from
over tho mountains shut out the view.
The wind keeps the tlume bare near the
top Of the slope added the manager
after we had shifted our positions, for
the snow was drifting about us.
All day long the men toiled, and all
that night reliefs were working, but
progress III the shaft was slow, as the
SNOW continually cayed in Or was carried
i'll by the wind. During the following
day and night there was no let up i'll
the work To me affairs looked more
hopeful, for the storm had spent its
fury and was now subsiding. That
night asked Bill how deep he thought
the snow was where the men were work
ing
Its u hundred feet if an inch, he
replied, land we have not made more
than 40. Thirty more feet should bring
us to the roof, but, you see, it becomes
harder the deeper we get
Evidently Bill did not take as hope
ful view CT affairs. | had moved my
bunk to the office building, and early
thief flowing morning was aroused by
a loud knocking at the door. 1t was the
governor He looked very determined
and hulriedly said that he had planned
a scheme il side issue, during the night
and wanted me to join him. Bill had
not slept CT eaten much since the slide,
SO worried had he been and anxious to
rescue the buried men. He had several
hundred feet Of small, strong rope with
him. and after hurried breakfast at
the officers mess five Cf us set out on
snowShoes.
(Which way. Rill?'
ITO the fiume," was all he said.
did not urge him; it only irritates
strong man to ask him to disclose his
plans in time of action. decided to fol-
low and await developments.
The ascent of the precipitous butte in
the gray CT morning was no easy task,
but by taking somewhat circuitous
route which followed "hcgback, we
avoided the sleeper slope and before long
reached the exposed portion of the
wooden flume.
And now, said Bill, "we'll move
down as far as we can along the fume. !"
We did SO, and after travelling short
distance i.olDw the point where the snow
first covered the plmlking we dug sew
eral feet ant. cleared the boards.
The scheme had gradually unfolded
itself to me- saw it all now Bill was
going to have himself lowered down the
flume and, if possible, through the "a
inch metallic conduit, which prolonged
the fiume at short distance from the
mill. Then he would trust to luck at
getting through the turbine and into the