Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-01-02
RIDE ON AN AVALANCHE.
Bradley Went at the Rate of so Miles
an Hour.


(From the Colorado Springs Gazette)
Joe Bradley, miner and prospector
of Cripple Creek, was brought into the
city from Cascade yesterday in half
frozen condition, after undergoing a Sc
ries of hardships and accidents on Pixies
Peak, in which he nearly lost his life.
He was caught in snowslide, or avail
anche, together with a companion whose
name he does not know, and was car
ried down the mountain side at the rate
of fifty miles an hour until he was
hurled against a large stump Crippled,
severely bruised, and nearly frozen, he
remained unconscious for several hours,
and was finally rescued by prospector
who lives in cabin on the mountain
side. Bradley's companion could not be
found after the fearful plunge, and it
is thought that he has perished
Lying in his bed with hands and feet
bandaged, Bradley told the story of his
awful experiences while endeavoring to
reach this city from Cripple Greek by
way of Pixies Peak.
II started out from Cripple Creek for
Colorado Springs last Friday noon,'
said Bradley, "and as had some bust
ness at the Strickler tunnel I thought /
would climb over Pixies Peak and then
walk down the cog road into Manitou.
AL Gillett L met man whose name /
do not know, and as he said he wanted
to secure work at Lake Moraine, 1 in
vited him to accompany me on my jour
ney. The day was a beautiful one and
l did not anticipate any trouble.
eve climbed the Peak from Gilett
and experienced no difficulty in reaching
the western end of the Strickler tun-
mel. We then climbed on nearly to 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 discus
sing the best way to proceed, when sud
denly it seemed as if the entire side of
the mountain was falling We realized
that d snowslide had occurred and we
were caught by it, but we could do
nothing. I 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 it seemed an
age
1.-THE avalanche shot down the noun
tain side at a terrific rate, of speed, and
when l struck 1 lost consciousness When
I regained my senses, which must have
been several hours later, saw a small
cabin a short distance away, and start
ed toward 1t. / found that | could not
walk, but managed to crawl to it and
summon assistance.
81 was taken in the cabin, bruised,
bleeding, and half frozen. I must have
lost a gallon of blood by llemorrhage,
and was too weak to walk. 1 remained
in the cabin all day Saturday and was
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 as
sistance, and returned with Mr. Fred
Harding, the marshal of that place.
They started with me Sunday morning
for Cascade, and there 1 found DR.,
White, who brought me to this city.
81 suffered terribly from the biting
cold, and thought that I could never
reach the prospectors cabin after I
regained consciousness. At one time I
prayed that / might die"
Bradley talked at random and seemed
like one whose mind was affected by the
sufferings which he had evidently I'M
dergone. His hands were swollen and
his ears and toes were entirely devoid
of feeling. DR.. White says he will re-
cover, but he may lose some of his
members.