Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1896-08-28
DOWN THE FLUME.

ing camps were showed in. had not
been long in the camp, and it was all
new to me, so naturally tied to Gov
ernor Bill, foreman Of the Last Chance,
during the exciting days Of the great
snowstorm. 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
a 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 had occurred during the night
at the upper end procured pair of
snowshoes and hurried TO the scene. The
manager and Bill were 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 are 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 in the loft of the mill
at the head of the gulch had no chance
to leave"
Those who have visited the CGur
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 the strain and that the poor
fellows were alive.
Its no 20, Mr.. Bardon, Bill de-
spondently said. There is no telling
how long the storm will keep up, and
even if it soon subsidies it will be days
before we can reach them. Moreover,
they cannot live long in that small
building without air.
Il fear you are right, Bill. But it is
all we can do, slowly replied the man.
ager
There was momentary lull in the
storm, when the governor remarked,
with an anxious face: Look at the
streak down the butte. That must have
been the path of the slide.
"Yes, it originated ON the smooth
fiume." A binding rush of snow from
over the mountains shut out the view.
1.-The wind keeps the flume 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 in the shaft was slow, rs the
snow continually cavcd in or was carried
in by the wind. During the following
day and night there was no let up in
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 wus where the men We're work
ing.
It's q hundred feet if an inch, a" he
replied, land we have not made more
than 40. Thirty moro feet should bring
us to the roof, but, you sec it becomes
harder the deeper we get.
Evidently Bill did not take as hope
full a view Of affairs had moved my
bunk to the office building, and early
the following morning was aroused by
a loud knocking at the door. 1t was the
governor He looked very determined
and huITiedly said that he had planned
a scheme, side issue, during the night
and wanted me to join him. Bill had
not slept or eaten much since the slide,
20 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 of us set out ON
snowshoes.
Which way, Bill"
ITO the fume, " 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 of morning was no easy task,
but by taking somewhat circuitous
route, which followed u "hogbaCk, we
avoided the sleeper slope and before long
reached tho exposed portion Of the
wooden fiuIno.
And now" said Bill, wen move
down as far as we can along the fuuIc. ="
We did so, and after travelling n short
distance below the point where the snow
first covered the planking we dug sew
eral feet and cleared the boards.
The scheme Ind gradually uufOlded