The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-16
Kansas Boy in a Snow Slide
(From Emporia Gazette. }

The following letter from Harry Lakin
TO his mother was written after the first
snow and before the big slide which caus-
ed the death of John Morgan, of Empo-
ria:
Sheep Camp, Sunday. April 3. 1898.
My Dear Parents:-I have come down
! here from our camp at the Scales TO write
/ this letter and post it, so IL will get out
/ of this country as quickly as possible We
/ had thrilling experience at the Scales
/ last evening and knowing how ali reports
! are exaggerated. / feared if the papers
/ reported the case before did. you would
( be alarmed for my safety.
I About 2:30 this morning we were awak-
ened by crash of our store, tent. cook
ing utensils and loose things generally, be-
ing tossed around our tent and the tent
itself being covered with snow from quite
a slide. We had put up the tent in the
best of shape and it withstood the shock
and the load of probably 1000 pounds on
its side and top.
We all ran out and commenced shovel
ing the snow off and around the tent.
hut in two or three minutes were inter
rupted by cries for help from farther up
the hill. We ran up there and found four
men buried under about twenty feet Of
snow and after quite little hard work
we got them out. BY that time We were
Joined by ten or fifteen others and found
four other tents under the slide and got
out four or FIVE other people. Nobody was
injured any farther than being badly
frightened and the first four mentioned
being snothered a little, from which they
quickly recovered and are all right This
morning. The present snow storm has held
on now for FIVE days and the fail at our
camp has been little over five feet
1t is very wintry and also very oeauu-
f,,t All the coaches and tents, etc, nave
. snow crown of about three fee; and the
trails and hills are entirely covered
ore man went a little crazy and while
have not heard from him this morn
ing / believe he is all right. He went
around the camp whispering 10 people
mat he heard a noise" and that Tie
mountain was falling down he was very
badly excited. The rear end q q bunk
house" about forty feet from Us was
broken down and Il was In this place we
took out the first four. One OF them who
was in a sleeping bag. could not get his
hands out 10 help himself ard he nearly
went under.
After ne had answered all cries for help.
We went around and awakened every body
50 they could look OFT for themselves.
but outside Of one more slide OF The other
side OF The canon and quite Ways down.
there was 70 more trouble. but nobo5y
thought of going 70 sleep again b. the
tine this reaches you we VIII be Il Like
Bennett (Eeather perrul,1rgj We H.o-ld
have had al eCr outfit AZ EiadeTuan b.
now but for this storm. ard as Il is,
Ne are 70 fauhe- along than when I
wrote you last. only that re have paid
or duty. want, IL conclusion 70 tell you
rot 70 believe the reports q sickness AID
rowdyfsr1 reported ~ the paDeEs CIR
camp is 8 Ssrfectiy orderly oEe ard sz.e
enough, ard as I tel you ~ the tine zen
recs!vs his ! VII bs CT q he ~ q
STOW slides. 50. don't worry sbo4f rs
safety one particle. Every o1s Is IL GOD I.
aeai-h- ard vs are getting along riee.Y 4
ard are GGag % socces1 Tbs e ny i
stcck C pape- here ard Il have % c}osz 4
Give 11y lore . syeEy ole q The families i
ard belisve re, yosE sEec5ozzsa son +
HARRY.