The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1902-03-01
EYE WITNESS GIVES ACCOUNT
L. N. Ulmstead Was In the Stable,
Which Was Not In the Path of tho
Avalanche and Thus Escaped Prob
able Death-He Gives the Details Of
the Disaster on Smuggler Mountain
Search for Bodies So Extremely
Dangerous It Was Abandoned.
(By Associated Prcss,)

tBy Associated Prcss)
Telluride, Colo, March 1.-The number
of lives lost In the four avalanches that
swept down Smuggler mountain yester-
day is now estimated at from 20 to 26.
Fourteen men are known to have been
killed, an unknown number are buried
under the snow and IL badly injured
persons are In the hospital, while sew
eral other men who are hurt, are at
their homes
1t IL believed that few, IL any more.
bodies can be recovered until the snow
melta. The latest details were given
by l.. NJ. Umstead. who had Just como
back from the stable buildings when
he heard a terrific crash. The stable
grew suddenly as dark as night ana.
stepping to the door, he opened II and
found the outside totally dark and the
air filed with dying snow. Thinking
II was terrific gust OF wind, he
slammed the stable door shut and walt
cd u few minutes
lie peered through a crack and as 1t
grew light again he opened the door
and saw the tram cable swinging about
and buckets rolling down the hill.
Houses Had Disappeared.
AS the snow In the air settled, he
stepped out few feet and, looking up
toward The boarding and bunk houses,
could see no signs OF these buildings.
Then, looking down the hill, he saw
boards and timber sticking out OF the
snow and scattered about.
He then Went up to the ore or tram
n ~ w 10
a piece of overalls.
Graspng and Attempting TO pull II
out. he found he had hold OF mans
body. Tearing away the snow and
boards, he pulled out the body OF Gus
krul. The body was terribly mangled
and the head crushed TIL 1t was no
thicker than the two hands laid fatty to-
gether.
lie then started toward the boarding
house and met his brother, Charles Um-
sted, who told him what had happened.
Charlie was employed I'm the boarding
house and escaped by being out at the
time after bucket of water.
Books All Destroyed.
. II. &. clemmer. timekeeper at the
mine, who was killed. II is said, was
| sitting nj his desk and making out the
time of the employees when the crash
came and all the books of the company,
! recording the names OF those on tho
payroll, were destroyed.
The exact number Of men who were
caught In this slide Is not known, but
| there were probably not less than 30 In
tne DUNK house and boarding house
| when they were swept away
| Fortunately large ajority OF the 250
miners employed in the Liberty Bell
| mine were either I'm the underground
workings or n'bsent In town at the time
or the accident. II had been showing
Tor three days, and The snow and fog
were 10 dense when the slide came
down mat II was utterly impossible for
one to see ten feet ahead
The accident broke the telephone cir
cut, and several hours psed before
a mess anger reached town with tidlngs
OF the disaster All the doctors avail
able and many citizens hurried up the
moantain - lend assistance In digging
out the dead and injured.
More Slides Occur.
Seven bodies had been recovered and
I'VE injured we're brought 10 town when
second slide came down In the path
OF the hist, killing more men and In
Jurlng number of Others. This was
FOL owed by two more snow slides, In
which five lives were sacrificed.
As the storm sill continued, and the
work of rescue could only be carried on
under extreme danger to the living, and
as IL was believed that no more OF those
buried under the snow could still be
alive, IL was decided to abandon the
search for bodies until II can be prose-
cuted with greater safety.
Dr. Allen and DR.. Delaney, who went
up to attend the victims of the first
snowslide, We're caught In the second.
The former sustained severe injuries
ahoat the lower limbs ana the latter es-
capped uninjured.
Small Damage to Mine.
Roih We're carried Gown a distance
OF mere than so feet, but MANAGED to
eAtrcate themselves,
George Rohwer. who was killed In the
fourth slide, had been county clerk ana
was one OF the most prominent mining
operltors In the district He was about
40 years old. His wife is In Southern
California at present.
The damage to the mine property Is
estimated at $4,000. It VIII be at least
four months before work can be re-
sumed.
That locality has always been consil-
cred safe from slides ana the building
site was selected on this account.