The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-06-12
DOWN THE FLUME.

snowstor1n. 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. I procured a 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.
Whats 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 tho C9ur
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
"It's no go, 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 i'll that small
building without air. p"
1T fear you are right, Bill. But it is
| all we can 10, sioNiy i'Pii'" VI" i'"'
ager.
There was q 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. "
eyes, it originated on the smooth
fiume." A binding rush of snow from
| A. ~-.o,,ta;po cbut ont the view
1.-The wind keeps the flume bare near the
top of the SLOPE" added the manager
after we had shifted our positions, fol
the snow was drifting about us
All day long the men toiled, and al
that night reliefs were working, bu
progress in the shaft was slow, as thu
snow continually caved in or was carried
in by the wind During the following
day and night there was no let up IL
the work. To me affairs looked mor'
hopeful, for the storm had spent it
fury and was now subsiding. Tha
] night asked Bill how deep he though
2 the snow was where the men were work
, ing.
, ats hundred feet if an inch, y n
replied. land we have not made NOR
than 40. Thirty more feet should brin
us to the roof, but, you see, 1t become
harder the deeper we get
Evidently Bill did not take as hope
ful a view of affairs had moved m
bunk to the office building, and earl
the following morning Twas aroused b
n loud knocking at the door. 1t was tn
governor. He looked very determine
and hurriedly said that he had planne
. . a scheme, side issue. during the nigh
!. and wanted me to join him. Bill ma
not slept or eaten much since the slide
u s8 worried had he been and anxious
= rescue the buried men. He had sever;
hundred feet Of small, strong rope wit
. him. and after q hurried breakfast
Il the officers mess five of us set out
snowshoes.
: (which way, Bill?"
u ""To the fiume," was all he said.
did not urge him; it only irritat
n strong man to ask him to disclose b
II plans in time Of action. decided to fo
. low and await developments.
u The ascent of the precipitous butte
= the gray Of morning was no easy tas
but by taking a somewhat circuito'
route. which followed "hogback,
avoided the sleeper slope and before lol
u reached the exposed portion of Il
% wooden flume.
II "And now," said Bill, well mo-
A down as far as we can along the fiume'
IL We did so, and after travelling she
10 distance below the point where the sno
t. first covered the planking we dug Sc
a eral feet and cleared the boards.
DO The scheme had gradually unfold
p itself TO me. I saw it all now. Bill W
10 going to have himself lowered down {
az fiume and, if possible, through the
ID inch metallic conduit, which prolong
- the fiume at q short distance from I
mill. Then he would trust to luck
getting through the turbine and into :
building. And this was the man WI
ID during the tumultuous troubles of pl
nc cedinp summer, had stood loyal to
Us company. and with few brave m
- had kept these same miners at the low
pc end of the gulch away from the co
ne cany IS works. Here he was now stral
IS ing mind and body to rescue them.
An ak opened the passageway and
:. vealed dark space of about 2 feet by
ig feet in dimensions Bill fastened
ia rope under his arms and dashed his
ne yolver to the inner side of his right IL
"It will be a close fit in the conduit
said he, "but will need the pistol
ur alarm the men, should I get to the mi
30 When the rope is pulled, haul ava
I.s.x