Gilpin observer., 1899-02-16
AVALANCHES
OF SNOW
Kill Many Silver Plume Miners and
Bury Others.
The Snow Bank Estimated to Measure
Fully $50 Feet in Length, 800 Feet
Wide and From SO to rs Feet in
Depth.

Depth.
Sunday morning telephone dispatch
received here from Silver Plume an.
nounced that an avalanche of Snow had
broken loose on the steep mountain side
back of that place and swept down
Cherokee gulch, which killed ten per
sons, eight grown and two children, and
injured three others. The Denver Even
ing Times correspondent in Monday
evenings issue states that at that date it
was known that thirteen persons were
caught IN the slide, two Of whom were
still missing.
Nine buildings, cabine, and machinery
were carried away, stopping barely 15O
feet from the upper end of town. Those
who witnessed the sight describe it as a
grand sight as it came sweeping down
the gulch with lightning rapidity. Trees,
buildings and huge boulders were car
ried away by the mass of snow to point
was noiseless.
AS soon as the catastrophe became
known nearly the entire male population
OF the town turned out as rescuing
party. Big ropes were secured, and
sometimes seventy-five men would be
hauling away on one of them to get a
big log out of the way. The rescuing
party worked until late Sunday night
and upon commencing their work after
the accident paid attention to the por-
ton of the slide where the cabins were
locoted. They were successful in NUN.
ber of cases. At the Destefeno cabin
the body of the mother, seated on the
floor, was found; the son and daughter
in the attitude of prayer, were found
dead, the body of the mother leaning
over the little girl. The body of the boy
was found not three feet away. The
snow between them was packed like ice
daughter, the boy evidently having beer
struck by a log.
The same correspondent says that {
greater catastrophe is anticipated, as
only portion of the snow gave away
The school house, which stands in the
pathway of the remaining snow, is liable
to be swept away should second slide
occur. Many families that have become
alarmed and moving away. Some of the
buildings at the Pelican mine were
swept away, while those at the Cory
City were carried out of existence. The
dump at the latter mine is what saved
the town.
j. ii. Robson, of the Pelican Dives
group, had large force of men at work
Monday morning in opening a road tc
the Seven Thirty mine, which he ex
pected to be swept away at any time 10y
a slide from another gulch. The catas
trophe will necessitate suspension o
work at the mines for the next sixty
J days.
Snow slides are of daily occurrence
and the wagon roads are blockaded
Other mine owners in that vicinity have
laid off their miners.
Tony Negretto, who had miraculous
escape, tells wonderful tale of his ex
perience. Several of the rescued mer
when found were black in the face, and
were restored to consciousness by apply
ing restoratives. In rescuing one mar
it took an hour, twenty men working tc
extricate him. Those that arc dead are
Mrs. ID. Destefeno, Dominic Destefeno
boy named Destefeno, girl named Deste
feno, Joseph Tondeni, John Tendeni
Peter Tondeni, jerome Guianzi, Johr
Bietto, Enr.c Navaria.
: The injured are; Tony Negretto, arm
broken; Joseph Concono, head cut; Tony
Malino, with Negretto, leg broken.
The funeral OF the victims OF the cat
astrophe took place from the opera
/. house in Silver Plume Tuesday after
noon, under the auspices OF Court
Cavour No. 90, Foresters OF America
Umberto First, and Clear Creek Lodge
No. 90, X. of p Rev. Father Donnelly
OF Georgetown, conducted the services
Superintendent Robeson, Of the Dives
Pelican mine, contributed $3.50 toward
burying the unfortunate miners. Many
other contributions we're also made by
other citizens.
New and second hand furniture and