Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-09-30

7. Port Townsend, Wash ington, Sept. %.
The tug Pioneer, Capt. Nelson, arrived
here yesterday direct from SKanuay
with news Of landslide on ths Dyea
.'tfail last Saturday, accompanied by the
4 loss OF the lives of several people, the
l,sxact number not being known. Eigh-
teen In all, II men and one woman,
were reported missing.
Tho accident is described by soma
ns snowslide, by others as landslide
and by others as the tearing loose, by
4 The rains, of a huge glacier that over
hung Sheep Camp and the trail.
M The news reached Skaguay on Sun
day evening, anil the Pioneer left there
(. I'D 3 o'clock On Monday morning.
William Sprague, brother of Capt.
fSprague of the tug Sea Lion, was a
passenger On the Pioneer, and he tells
{ The following story of the destructive
+. slde:
81 henrd the news of the slide on
&Sunday evening from a woman who
4 claimed to have witnessed it. The
uccident was caused by the rain. During
Nthe first part Of the week it was cold,
}Hnd Ice had formed all around. On
8lThursday change came, and on Thurs
asuay night and Friday morning there
was warm rain. accopamnied by a
chinook wind. which thawed every
y thing. The rain came down in torrents,
r the worst storm of the year for that
n section, and continued all Friday aud
on Saturday morning. About nom on
Saturday the slide came, striking the
Dyea trail at Sheep Camp and carrying
all in its path.
"Sheep Camp was literally wiped oui
- Al.
not many people there. Everybody left
their 0utfits behind, and fed for life.
Some we're caught in the deluge. Just
how many may never be- known, hut 1s
4 were missing altogether. Two of them
v were man aud his wife, named
Il Crockett, believe, who were running
restaurant at Sheep Camp. Only ont
body has been found. 1t was that oI
h Choynski.a cousin of the nrize- fighter.
AZ lie was found quarter of a mile from
where be had been camped on thu
v trail, and was in terrible condition
when discovered. His body, which wat
n bruised and mangled was in a horribl,
condition, but he was not dead whsr
discovered. He was suffering UNTOLD
4 agony, and died within a short tint
4 after being found. Four or five otheI
missing men were Indian packers, ant
one OF them is reported to have hat
i $4,000 on him and was just starting
out for Dyea when the slide came
There is great excitement along tn
trail and at Dyea and Skaguay over tn,
report OF the slide. 1t was finally re
ported that 80 persons had been killed
hut the facts are as | have stated then
already"
Charles Finn, assistant engineer O
the Pioneer, confirms the story. Fin
believes that one OF the glaciers whicl
are TO be Heen hanging along the noun
+ tain sides was washed out by the heav
rains, and that it came crashing dow
the hill. just before reaching the trai
and Sheep Camp the glacier swep
through the lake at the foot Of one O
the hills, and it's waters followed th
i glacier and numerous bouldera as the
crashed along through Sheep Camp
"A Finn is certain that at least seven wer
drowned or crushed in the slide. ii
Gays there is CONSERVATION at Dyea an
n Skaguay over the report OF the accident
aud it will deter hundreds from tryin
TO get across this year. He was toll
that the Skaguay trail was LITERAL
obliterated, and that there was no us
trying to get over it again this year.
Charles Tlnsley, chief engineer of til
+. Pioneer. talked with an Indian VIII
witnessed the avalanche at Shee
Camp. The Indian was very muc
excited, and Tinslsy thinks only fe
were killed.
Capt Nelson of the Pioneer describe
the rainstorm OF last week at Skagua
as the worst he ever witnessed.
came down in torrents, and there wa
foaming mass Of water pouring dow
the mountain sides at Skaguay. III
NJ mud and slush were four feet deeI
where, few weeks ago, the groun
was as hard as floor. Capt. Neilso
asserts that the Skaguay trail was OF
tirely obliterated by the storm of la
week, and is being abandoned by ever
one there. lie says that those wi
were in the path of the food au
avalanche certainly went TO destruction
Al COURTNEY CLIIM PAN.