Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-17
THAT RIDE ON AN AVALANCHE.
me Survivor Tells Of His Frighttul Descent Of
Pixies Peak.

'from the Colorado Springs Gazette )
Joe bradley. miner and prospector
Oh cripple Creek, was brought into the
CITY from Cascade, yesterday, in half
frozen condition, after undergoing a
series or hardships and accidents an
rlkes Peak, in which he nearly lost his
NE. lie was caught in a snoWslide. or
avalanche, together with a companion
whose name he does not know, and wa
carried down the mountain side at the
rate of 80 miles an hour until he was
hurled against large stump. Grip
pled' severely bruised and nearly frozen
ne remained unconscious for several
hours, and was finally RESCUED by a
prospector who lives in cabin on the
mountain side. Bradleys companion
could not be found after the fearful
plunge, and it is thought that he has
persisted.
Lying in his bed with hands and feet
oandased Bradley told the story of his
awful experiences while endeavoring to
reach this city from Cripple Creek by
way of Pixies Peak.
started out from Cripple Creek for
Colorado Springs, last Friday noon"
said Bradley land as had some bust
ness at the Stricken tunnel Thoughts.
| would climb over Pixies Peak and
then walk down the C & road Unto
Manitou. At Gillett l met a man
whose name l do not know. ~and as he
said he wanted to secure work at Lake
Moralne. l invited him to accompany
me on my journey. The day was a
beautiful one and / did not anticipate
any trouble.
We climbed the Peak from Gillett
and experienced no difficulty in reach
ing the western end of the Strickler
tunnel. We then climbed on nearly 10
the summit, but as we did not know
the trail and the snow was so deep, we
wandered away from it. We climbed
to the top of an eminence and were
discussing the. best way TO proceed.
when suddenly it seemed as if the en-
tire side of the mountain was falling.
We realized that snowslide had occur
red and we We're caught by it, hut we
could do nothing. l lost sight Of my
partner in the binding snow, and
though it must have been a very short
time before l struck the big stump, yet
1t seemed an age.
The avalanche shot down the noun
tain side at a terrific rate of speed and
when l struck l lost consciousness.
When | regained my senses, which
must have been several hours later, ]
saw small cabin a short distance
away, and started toward it, | found
that | could not walk, but managed 10
crawl to it and summon assistance.
Il was taken in the cabin bruised.
bleeding. and half frozen. | must have
lost a gallon of blood by hemorrhage.
and was too weak to walk. | remained
in the cabin all day. Saturday, and YVES
kindly treated and cared for by the
prospector, who searched faithfully for
my companion. but his body must have
been buried under the mass Of snow,
as no trace of him could be found.
The prospector went to Gillett for
assistance, and returned with Mr.. Fred
Harding, the marshal of that place.
They started with me Sunday morn
ing for Cascade, and there I found DR..
White, who brought me to this city.
Il suffered terribly from the biting
cold, and thought that | could never
reach the prospector's cabin after / re-
gained consciousness. At one time l
prayed that I might die"
Bradley talked a random and seemed
like one whose mind was affected by
undergone. His hands We're swollen
and his ears and toes We're entirely de-
void of feeling. DR.. White says he will
recover, but he may lose some of his
members.