Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-09-26
But ONE WAS KILLED
SHEEP CAMP DISASTER NOT so BAD
AS REPORTED.
MANY men LOST THEIR ALL.
LANDSLIDE CAME UPON THEM WITH
OUT WARNING.
They Had Only Time to Save Their
Lives-Landslide Was q Half
Acre Section of a Glacier
Forty Tents Were
= Buried. +tE -'
q

Victoria, British Columbia, Sept. 25.-The
steamer City of Seattle arrived from Ska
quay at noon. bringing the following spe-
cial to the Associated Press:
Finnigan's Point, on Chilcoot trail. Sep
tember 21.-Sheep Camp, nine miles above
here, was nearly wiped Off the face of
the earth yesterday morning by section
Of glacier, which broke loose from the
main body and came crashing down the
canon for two and a half miles, carrying
death and destruction in its wake. The
first report brought down last night by
men who had braved the perils of flood
and precipice to get out was that not less
than seven men had been killed and doz-
ems manned and hurt. Later reports, con-
firmed by hundred witnesses. brought the
certain death loss down to one, a man
named Choynski, of San Francisco, said
to be cousin Of the pugilist OF the same
name. Several were hurt somewhat, but
none fatally.
There may be other deaths. but so far no
other bodies can be found. The loss of
supplies will reach s25, 900. Many have lost
all their supplies, after toiling many days
to get them that far on the way. and many
professional packers. who had been work.
ing for months as men never worked be-
fore, lost their earnings in the twinkling Of
an eye.
is just a little above and west of the Stone
house. two and one-half miles above
Sheep Camp.
The warm weather and heavy rains
formed a lake on the glacier, and the wind
had been blowing for twenty-four hours
from the north, and had finally broken off
section of half an acre in extent. which
with the water beind it. started on its IA
tai journey. The persons who We're camped
at Stone house" say it looked like vol
cano turned loose, over 100 feet in height
and fyt-a t,, hny, Sta tod
1t made noise as of a thousand cannon,
and the startled inmates of the tents
spranG to their feet in all stages of un-
dress ut was raining torrent at the time,
and rushed outside to see what was the
matter. One glance up the canon was
get the most valuable thing they could
lay hands on, while others took to the foot,
hills without anything, over boulders and
large rocks that, at any other time hey
could not have got over at all.
Choynski was camped with some COM
panions at this place and did not get out
of his tent until the flood OF water had
struck 1t. He grabbed a tent rope and
was carried by the flood to the length OF
his rope and the water thrashed him up
and down until finally he was torn loose
beaten against rocks and boulders until
life was almost extinct. Someone finally
caught his body and brought 1t to shore
He was only able to mumple his name be-
fore he died.
There are at all times from 500 to 1000
people camped at Sheep Camp, and there
were fully 1000 there yesterday. The hrst
person to see that the avalanche was ABOUT
to overwhelm them was captain r; Z.
BaatZ, saloonkeeper, who had saloon
and gambling house in a large tent directly
in the course of the torrent de had Just
got up and, hearing noise like thunder,
looked up the canon and taking in the sit
uation at glance ne rusned INTO tne sa-
loon. grabbed up all his money, yelled to
the dozen or more men who We're sleeping
under the gambling tables that an ava
lanche was upon them, and started on a
run down the trail. yelling at the top of
his voice for all to get up. AS 1t was, they
escaped with their lives. Few made any ef-
fort to save their effects.
George c. Marks of San Francisco, who
came to Sheep Camp a few days ago to
or "broken," had $1,000 in a belt under his
bed, and at the first alarm ran out with
nothing but his underclothes on to see what
the matter was. Then he tried to get his
money, but the water was upon him and
and was thrashed around by the angry
waters until his hold was broken, when he
was carried into an eddy and rescued by
those on the bank. He came down to-day
with the crowd and does not show any
signs of the struggle Tor lie he has gone
through.
Tents. goods and provisions OF all kinds
are buried in an indescribable manner for
nearly a mile from the head of Sheep Camp
probably over a hundred persons, are bur-
led in the ruins. All Is confusion. Many
discouraged, disheartened pilgrims have
come down to-day. intending to take the
first steamer for home. Some of them have
not dollar to their names. One man lost
s4O0, which was found by digging where his
tent had gone down. Four saloons out Of
six were wiped out of existence, but the