The San Francisco call., 1897-07-30
KILLED ON
=I'HE CRACS
OF RAINIER
Professor Mcclure of
Oregon University
n. .|.> Meets Death.
: FALLS INTO a CREVAsSE
II AT NIGHT.
Sad Ending of the Mountain
Clim bing Expedition of
the M zamaS.
FATAL ATTEMPT TO DESCEND
IN THE DARKNESS.
The Daring Scientist. While Lead
Ing the Way, Walks Over the
Brink Of a Precipice.
Sad Ending of the Mountain
Clim bing Expedition of
the M { zamaS.
FATAL ATTEMPT TO DESCEND
IN THE DARKNESS.
The Daring Scientist. While Lead
Ing the Way, Walks over the
Brink Of a Precipice.

. TACOMA, WASH, July 9.-While
searching for lost trail on the side OF
Mount Rainier on Tuesday night Protes-
6oE Edgar Mcclure OF the Oregon State
University fell distance of over 800 feet
. into a rocky gorge. His mangIed body was
recovered yesterday morning by his sor-
roW=stricken mpanions, who had
searched for it during the night in vain.
The remains will reach this city to-mor-
.. row morning, and, after being EN- balm ed,
if that is possible will be shipped to his
home at Eucene, Or.
:. Professor Mcclure was one OF the gayest
of a jolly party OF climbers who left
Camp Muir, below Gibraltar Rock, about
g o.elock on Tuesday evening. They had
made most successful ascent and had
started back early, leaving another party.
which was to spend the night in the crater,
after +ighting red fires on the summit dur
ing the evening. 1t was the original inten-
ton of Professor McClure's party to sleep
: behind rherocks at Camp Muir, but as a
sharp wind was blowing and all felt able
TO make the descent they started for Camp
Ma 2 ma which is several thousand leet
below Camp Muir. 1t was found necessary
to proceed slowly, as the trail was quite
narrow in places, though the guides de-
.clared that a bind man could almost
make he trip in safety.
Shortly before II o'clock. nevertheless,
the party found itself off the trail and
wandering on one side of the Cowlitz gla-
cier. Part OF this glacier is full OF
crevasses, and as Profession Mcclure was a
climber of many years experience he
volunteered to lead the way. He sud-
denly found himself in a dangerous place,
but did not realize how great the danger
was He warned two others who were
but few feet away to keep back. The
words were hardly spoken, when he dis
appeared from view. 1t was found after
ward that the ice had broken off beneath
him.
The frightened party retraced its steps,
but before the trail was reached two ladies
had tainted and with great difficulty were
conveyed to the camp below. A party of
searchers made careful detour to reach
the foot of the preclpice over which the
professor had fallen. 1t was too dark
under the rocks to accomplish much that
night, but at daylight the mangled body
was found and carried down to Camp
Mazama. There it was dressed as well as
possible and taken on a pack animal to
Longmirc Springs. The journey from
there, which IS one OF over fifty miles, is
being made by wagon. The body will
reach here tomorrow m orning.
The pleasure OF the Mazamas is ended.
TIE camp is broken up and as rapidly as
possible they are moving toward Tacoma.
DR.. Dewitt Connell OF Portland rode in
from Longmire Springs on his wheel, ar
irving this afternoon. He notified Pro-
fessor NJ cClure's brothers, who live at
Seattle, and requested them to como to
Tacoma. These are Horace Mcclure, tele-
graph editor of the Seattle Post-InteIIi-
gencer, and Attorneys Henry and Walter
Mcclure. They made arrangements for
the reception OF the body on its arrival
and returned home late this evening, His
parents and another brother reside at
Eutens.
Probe ssor Mcclure was one of the most
popular citizens OF Eugene. He had held
the chair of chemistry there for numb
of years and devoted his summers to
mountain climbing. Several years ago he
made the measurement of Mount Adams
height, which has been accepted by the
Government as correct. He carried ba-
meters, instruments for measuring the
winds velocity and other instruments on
this trip. He and DR.. Connell we're con-
sidered TWO of the most expert clim bers in
the party. They had been out on several
similar expeditions together Professor
Mcclure had become noted for his caution
In ciim bing and the rapidity with which
he could dodge rolling stones.
DR.. Connell says that Monday night,
which was passed on Gibraltar Rock, was
bitterly cold. The wind blew and rocks
were heard rolling down the mountain
side below them all night. Much relief
was felt when morning came. 1t was this
experience which led them to leave Camp
NJ uir on Tuesday evening and endeavor to
reach Camp Mazema before retiring,