The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-11-21

Their Experiences.
Seattle, Wash, Nov. l0.-Residents of
Seattle and vicinity. who By reason OF
the floods and snow have been virtually
prisoners In the businesses OF the Cas-
cade mountains since Friday last. are
coming i'm. some on gravel trains. some
afoot and others by boat. They tell har-
rowing tales OF suffering. devastation
and destruction. The situation as de-
scribed in these dispatches from day to
day has not been exaggerated In the
least, IL. indeed, the fury and fierceness
OF the storm has been fully portrayed.
There has been human suffering. and
no doubt many miners and prospectors
in the Cascades have been either
drowned or have met death from snow
slides.
Four prospectors. headed by Joseph
Nicholson, operating a claim on the
Snoqualmie pass, arrived Wednesday
afternoon. One of the men Is raving
mamie by reason OF the suffering and
hardship endured i'm their effort TO get
out of the mountains. Saturday night,
to prevent being swept down the noun
tains By snow slides, they dashed them
selves TO trees. where they remained
in the drenching rain for six or eight
hours. Meanwhile great powders Of
earth and huge sections OF snow kept
sliding down the canyons md gulches
below. Trees were torn up by the roots
and carried away by the avalanche.
and the noise was indescrhablv horri-
flying. At daybrcak on Sunday the
prospectors tore away the lashings and
began their perilous journey out OF the
mountains. They followed Gold creek
10 Lake Keechsler. tramping through
snow four and five feet deep. crossing
small streams on logs and drifts. final
~ finding their way to the point where
the Northern Pacific crosses the Cas-
cades, and .hencc they proceeded down
the railroad track 10 this city.
Two Seattle business men were
cnught nj Index Thursday. They were
three days walking 35 miles 20 Sno-
homish, crossing small streams by
means OF driftwood and the larger ones
in rowboats. They report that the
Great Northern west-bound overland
passenger train with 81 passengers due
here last Friday morning is stalled
between Wellington and Madison, owing
TO great washouts ON both sides. When
last heard from l2 first-class passen-
gers on the train were being supplied
with half rotions from the dining car,
while the day coach and second-class
passengers. including "a Chinese. man
aged TO procure scant food supplies
from Wellington. The gentlemen Civ
ing this information say that there are
ten washouts on the Great Northern
between Index and Sultan. a distance OF
IA miles; that on the upper falls of the
Skyhomish river two bridges are gone.
together with ! 200 feet OF track.
When the flood was at It's height the
Great Northern line between Monroe
and Skyhomish. distance OF seven
miles, was inundated 10 n depth OF from
six TO fifteen feet. Latest advices. how
ever. are 20 the effect that the waters of
all rivers have receded except AT Sno-
homish. In the fats and bottoms water
covered thousands OF acres OF rich farm
land. leaving nothing but wreck and
ruin behind. The Great Northern is
making no attempt 10 run trains save
on the coast line north 10 Stanwood.
Large forces OF men are now at work on
the coast and main line. but there is
little prospect Of early resumption Of
traffic. On Sunday night three minutes
after the Northern Pacific passenger
train from Portland had passed Aims
lee half a mile of track and roadbcd
near that place slid into the Cowlilz
urday and Sunday were received
Wednesday. but there has been none
from San Francisco and the south since
last Friday night.