The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-06-23
FIELDS OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND DARING
DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.

! Buried Under an Avalanche of Snow
and Ice-Jaguar and Puma Fight
Over Eaby and Finally Forget 1t.
From life to death and back again
to life was the experience of A. Miller,
of Portland, Oregon, i'll the recent
Chilkoot catastrophe.
Mr.. Miller arrived in Portland few
days ago feeling fairly well, yet he has
not entirely recovered from the effects
of being buried beneath tons of snow
and ice. He suffered internal injury
that for q time gave the physicians
doubt as to the ultimate turn of his
case, and looks back to the loss Of
many pounds of flesh as one of the
least regretful features Of his narrow
escape. Mr.. Miller was caught under
the large slide that extended over a
mile along the trail at the Scales,
being at the time, wssh over 100 men
and women, fleeing from what was
known to be imminent danger. After
more than two hours of unconscious
ness, during which time Mr.. Miller
was thought by many to have taken a
permanent abode IN the shadowy
realm, he was finally revived through
the good offices of his friend, F. B.
Holbrook, of Portland, and DR.. Maple,
the Government physician who rem
dered such valuable services to the
unfortunates.
About II a. m. Mr.. Miller, with Mr..
Holbrook and party of over 100, left
the Scales, long rope being used by
the party in the same manner as by
mountain climbers. This was mainly
for the protection of the women, al
though some of the men found it valu-
able in clambering down the steep,
treacherous trail. Shortly after IL
Mr.. Miller says he was suddenly made
aware of the great avalanche by a
terrific rumble and roar from above.
No one could see it; in fact, the
driving snow made it impossible to
more than see the trail beneath their
feet. From the time the first roar
was heard until the avalanche engulfed
the party was only o moment. Most
of those holding the rope were struck
while still bending forward to protect
their faces from the blizzard, the mass
of snow simply crushing them down
to the trail Mr.. Miller started to
turn for backward look when caught,
and was pressed down on his side in
cramped position. When narrating
his sensations at that time, he said:
"It is hard to tell how l felt. I
realized our danger first, before SEEM
ing to contemplate that l was facing
death. Knowing how we had rescued
many during the day from smaller
slides, my first thought was the
chances for being rescued. My chest
felt like it was fitted into cement
tomb, permitting no expansion. My
fingers, hands, arms, and limbs were
pinioned so that it would have re-
ouired great exertion to move either.
Rescue I knew must come soon or
never, and I thought of the linemen
who had gone on ahead short time
before, and of any that might have
been above the slide, as the only ones
from whom we could hope. My breath
grew shorter. I tried to blow against
the snow to enlarge the little place
where breathed Each slight exer-
ton warned me that 1 would rapidly
succumb if did not remain perfectly
quiet. Then I was terrorized with the
thought of suffocating. 1t occurred
to me that this had always been a
manner of death for which held a
peculiar horror. To be pinioned rigid,
crushed by tons of snow, slowly dy-
ing, while life and happiness were a
few feet above my head! AS l felt
weakness growing my thoughts turned
to my wife and children. I saw them
in their home, all happy and content
ed, and then, as they were thrown in
to mourning for NE in that very posi-
ton in the snow. Ny mind then re-
viewed their financial condition, and
as I realized that they would be pro-
vided for felt sense of relief. Re-
GREETING that must pass from them,
yet happy to know they would be well,
| I left them to think of the final pang.
A stupor grew on me, without pain.
until it was as though aphysician held
to my face an anasthetic that took
away consciousness and life.
"When 1 revived Mr. Holbrook held
me by the collar and was vigorously
chatting me. My surprise was great to
know 1 had again come to life, and it
required moments to reassure myself
that there was no mistake. But then
the pain began. 1t was easy to die,
but life came hard. After one i'm
pulse to know what had become ofthe
money in my pocket, part Of which
belonged to another, my time was oc-
cupied with sharp, pricking pains
through my limbs and oppressive feel
ings IN my chest. As the blood start
ed through the veins and arteries my
agony became so great that 1 almost
regretted that they had broken my