The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-11

the line Of rough colfsns in their baggage
Yesler and Ocean docks were packed
with q crowd OF anxious and curious peo-
pie. who could hardly be kept OF the fu-
neral boats. The Australia carried num-
Der OF returning Kiondikers. who came
ashore with their bags Of dust and their
dogs just ahead OF the two collins in
which were encased the bodies OF two OF
the unfortunates who were bound for the
goal the other men had reached.
Excited women and anxious men who
had relatives and friends at work on the
trail ciamored loudly for lists Of the dead
and particulars Of the accident. At the
Yesier wharf q list was handed ashore.
and the crowd listened anxiously while
one OF their number read 1t Oh. 'Jne name
on the list was read out which caused
woman on the edge Of the crowd to utter
a piercing shrek. She had heard the sast
name only. and II afterwards proved that
II was not the husband she supposed.
Yesterdays steamers brought the story
n all its awful details. which in brief Is as
Follows: The first indication that the
which had been blowing had started the
snow to slide came at O'Clock In the
morning. A small slide came down the
mountain side a short distance below the
Scales and covered up number Of tents.
Every one finally got out alive and hast
ened up the trail 60 the Scales, where .
still larger party was encampsd. Danger
from other slides was considered immi-
nent, and the terrified body OF men and
women decided to 80 down the pass to
Sheep Camp. They tied themselves to
long rope. which was to keep them from
losing the trail. Between eighty-ave and
100 persons were attached to this line.
which was headed by six Of the strongest
men In the party. At the top Of the sec
ond bench OF Long HILL which Is also
known as Squaw hill came fatal delay.
A tent was observed near the trail ana
three men went over to invite the occu-
pants 10 60 down to Sheep Camp with the
aid OF the rope. The three occupants OF
the tent were dead, having been crushed
by their freight thrown on them by small
slide. This kept the crowd about ten MIN
utes. They were just beginning to take
up their journey when an awful roar was
heard. 1t sounded their death knell. One
OF the men at the head OF the line came
running back, crying:
I Look out. boys. the power house q
coming down on u.s."
As In breath they were covered with
a snowy white b'anketa some to the depth
OF fifty feet. Lives were not crushed out
Immediately, but In more terrible
smother;ng fashion. tn. landslide was en-
the Stone house and the unfortunate
KIondikers thought that they had already
reached the place of safety.
A few who were on the edge OF the
crowd were simply pushed out OF the trail
and not entirely covered up. They assist
Cd others to get out. and one Of the men
who was camping Just below fastened TO-
wards Sheep Camp He met a rescue mar.
ty on tho way that had been started ont
by reports OF previous slides. The time
saved 10 this way redeemed many; lives. !.
In an incredibly short time thousands OF
strong men were on the ground ana COM
manced systematically digging into the
phe- once they located the trail a num-
Der or men were taken out still alive Then
came dead bodies. and since the list has
grown with every hours work.
The report that the men working in the
trenches We're rchb'pg the dead before tak
Ing them out OF the trenches caused the
citizens committee to appoint one man
Tor each six trench diggers The robbinr
committees were appointed and everything
done systematically.
intense anxiety was manifested through
out the city all day yesterday and the lat
est news from Dyea was eagerly sought
Tor hy thousands Of PEOPLE who had friends
or relatives on the trail There was con-
slant crowd In front Of the Poet-TnteIli-
Rencer windows reading the bulletins
which were hung out after the arrival 81
the steamers. and hundreds OF inquiries
came into the office from all parts Of the
city as to whether certain names were In
ciided IN the list Of the dead
The First Snowflake.
Tho hrst slide Of the disastrous series
crashed into little settlement Of tents
short distance below the Scales. about :
O'Clock Sunday morning. It was not large
enough 10 completely bury things but
there were some very narrow escapes. A
party from Emporia. Kan. composed Of
clifford L. Burge. j. A. Rines. Harry La
kin. Frank g. Bearss and John A. Morgan,
were asleep in one OF the tents. which got
the fnli force OF the side. The sleeping
men were knocked around n all sorts %
ways Burge woke up with their tent
stove on top OF his chest and with snow
piled all around him. He managed to
sauirm out from under the stove and then
got his head through the snow. An engs-
neer from the power house came down with
a lantern TO see what the matter was and
heiped Burge out. They aroused tho more
fortunate campers and soon dug ont the
twenty or twenty-five men that had oeen
buried The wind was blowing a terrible
gale and snow was falling fast The camp
era feared other slides and FASTENED up the
hsh TO the Scales. where a much larger
parry vas encamped.
started Stampede to sheep Camp.
The story OF their trouble. together With
the storm that was raging. made the
crowd at the Scales very excited. When
daylight, came the situation had noe i'm
proved. A few tr.eI TO starr on, with their
goods. but were unable TO breast the storm.
About o'clock Sunday morning there was
second slide. about one-eighth OF mile