North Park union., 1902-03-07

Denver. COl0-, A1utcn la Rpeci1
dispatch from TeiluFide to the Republi
can says:
At the Liberty Bell mine and the Cor
met Greek basin, below 1t. yesterday
three separate snowsiides descendet
and a. a result fourteen men ar
known to be dead, an unknown mum
ber are buried in the snow, and twelv'
badly injured ones are in the hospital
while several other men who were hur
are at their homes.
The first slide occurred at 10,
o'clock yesterday morning. comint
from above the Liberty Bell mine. ant
wrecklng the boarding and bunl
houses. Seven men were Killed here.
AS soon as the news reached the city
q large force OF rescuers started out
anw while they were at work digging
out the dead and injured second slide
decended which buried an unknown
number of men. Three bodies were re
covered.
This alarmed the rescue party, and
as fierce storm was raging, and there
was danger of other slides, word was
sent to the city to send no more mel
out. The rescuers started for home to
await the cessation of the storm and
were Overtaken by third slide and
four We're killed.
1t Is believed that few II nny more
bodies can he recovered until the snow
mclts, when it is thought the list OF
dead may be sweIled to mt least score.
The most lucid and connected ac-
count of the first disaster is that given
by l.. NJ. Umstcd. Mr.. Umsted is EN-
ployed In packing ore from IL crushei
to the tram station. He had just come
from breakfast and was In the stable
saddling his animals, when lie heard
n terrific crashing and rattling. The
stable grew suddenly us dark ms night,
and, stepping to the door, he opened II
and found the outside totally dark and
the air filled with flying snow.
Thinking 1t was II terrific gust Of
wind, he slammed the stable door shut
and waited few seconds. He peered
through n crack and as 1t grew light
again he opened the door and saw the
tram cable swinging about and buckets
rolling down the Hill. As the snow
in the air settled he stepped out few
feet and looking up toward the board
Ing and bunk house. could see no signs
of these buildings. Then looking down
the hill, he saw boards and timbers
sticking out of the snow and scattered
about
He then went up q the ore and tram
house, or where 1t had stood. and saw
what he thought was n piece of over
alls. Grasping 1t and attempting to
null IL out, lie found he had hold Of Il
mans body.
Tearing away the snow and boards.
he pulled out the body of Gus krnul.
The body was terribly mangled and
the head crushed till 1t was no thicker
than the two hands laid fatty to-
gether.
He then started toward tile boarding
house and met his brother. Charlie
Umsted, who told him what had hap
pened. Charlie was employed In the
boarding house and escaped by being
out at the time after bucket OF wal
ter, But for this Charlie must certain
ly have been among the victims. as
none OF the boarding house occupants
escaped.
The first slide occurred mt the Liber-
ty Bell group of mines. located In Cor
net Greek basin, three and half
miles north OF the city. mt I:3O o'clock
this morning. 1t wns one Of the larg-
est snow slides known IN >the country.
and sacrificed the lives Of seven men.
1t started One-half mile above the
Liberty Bell boarding and bunk
houses and came down the mountain
side 30 rapidly That scarcely any one
had time to evnde II.
The worst snow storm known In this
section since 1895 has been raging for
the pnst three days and 1t is said that
the snow and fog We're so dense this
morning when the slide came down
that 1t was utterly Impossible for one
to see ten feet ahead.
BY some fortunate circumstance n
lnrge number of the miners employed
on this property. and there are between
100 and $50 Oh the pay roll came to
the Inst night and rs 1t happened did
not reach the mines until nftcr the
first avalanche of snow came down.
Had they been In their bunk house the
loss OF life would have been appalling.
The accident, of course. broke the tel
ephone circuit and It was an hour be-
fore word of the disaster reached
town. being brought down by one of
the workmen who escaped.
All the doctors available and mnny
citizens mt once started up the trail to
lend such assistance as was In their
power In digging ont the buried and In
jured men ana II was well toward
noon before any authentic Information