Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-15
AN EXPERIENCE
IN THE YOSEMITE.
Mrs, Johns Falls into the Crevasse
Back Of Sentinel Rock
SUSPENDED ON A LEDGE.
Too Weak 60 speak, she Made signs
That she Lived FlnalIy
Rescued.

Yosemite Valley. Cal, July li-Mrs.
Johns OF New York city, who has been
staying In the valley for a few days,
was found this morning In a steep crew
asse back Of Sentinel dome. Yester-
day Mrs Johns started from Glacier
Point hotel to walk TO the Flssures, To-
Gated some two miles from the hotel.
Mr.. Lewis the manager Of the hotel,
cautioned her against going too lar
without "A guide and admonished not
10 remain after daylight began to fall
as there was grave danger of losing the
trail Last night Mrs Johns did not re-
turn and Mrs, Lewis realized that
something had happened only a short
tlmo before Mr.. Garron. Of San Fran
cisco had missed his way over the
trails and nothing W. heard of him
until the next afternoon No trace Of
the missing woman was found last
night. Early this morning the search
ing parties started out again, one or
them making a discovery that filed the
spectators with horror Far down one
Of the sides OF the Sentinel fissures,
whose creyases dropped down In some
places for thousands of feet suspended
on a ledge that jutted out from the
steep side OF the narrow canon, the al
most lifeless form of Mrs. Johns was
found by Mr.. Potter, a hotel clerk. She
was too weak 70 speak but was able by
feeble signs to make Mr., Potter know
that she still lived. After trying IN
4. h
tain side 70 her Mr. Potter was forced
TO return IN the hotel for more help,
Provided with plenty Of ropes and car
rylng a stretcher a party of eight
made made It's way back 10 the cree
vase whore the work was commenced
Of trying TO eXtricate Mrs. Johns from
her dangerous position on the ledge.
DR.. Maurice A. Brown Of Alameda ac-
companied the relief party and VIII rem
der any assistance possible when Mrs
Johns has been rescued.
The relief party found Mrs, Johns po-
sltion to be critical In the extreme. A
closer examination showed that her es-
cape from a frighttul death had been
nothing less than miraculous. She had
fallen distance Of goo feet from the
rim OF the crevasse walls and had par
TALLY stayed her fall by catching at
juniper bushes and s'rub cedar trees
through whose branches she had
plunged.
When the rope had been lowered Mr.
Potter descended TO examine the ground
and determine the best course 10 pur-
sue IN getting Mrs Johns from her
perllous position There, lodged upon a
two-foot ledge. with her clothing torn
20 fragments and her flesh scratched
and bruised, lay Mrs. Johns weak from
exhaustion and lack Of food and be-
numbed hy the frosty chill Of the night.
with difficulty the rope was securely
tied around Mrs. Johns waist and an
effort made to hoist her TO the rim
above. This attempt proved futile be-
cause Of Mrs. Johns weight
BY leaning over the abrupt precipce
Mr. Potter could discern another and
larger ledge hundred feet below, from
which was sheer drop OF hundreds Of
feet. He determined TO try this plan Of
rescue. Giving the order 70 those
above TO lower the rope. Mr. Potter
swung the inanlmate form Of Mrs.
Johns out over the tiny strip Of rock
upon which she had braced herself
for fifteen hours and into the Chasm be-
meath by swinging the rope to and
fro Mr. Potter was able to lodge the
body Of Mrs. Johns upon the larger
ledge and then descend himself.
Calling to one Of the mountain guides
above MIR, Potter had him descend the
rope to the ledge upon which all three
We're now resting Then the two picked
up Mrs Johns, and together they made
their difficult way around dangerous
lodges and over yawning precipices be-
Meath until, finally, worn out and eX-
hausted, they reached the rim above
once more
Tonight Mrs Johns exhausted con-
dition is much improved, though suf-
fering from nervous shock As no
bones were fractured she will be fully
restored after a period Of rest