The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-01-24
Man Who Was Caught in Awful
Slide at Alta RecOunts
His Struggle.
FOUGHT FOR HOURS
TO SAVE MEMS LIVES
Bodies of Five Victims Are
in City MOrgueS Await
ing Burial.

How does It feel TO be buried under
five feet OF snow that is packed by tre-
mcndous pressure until It reaches the
weight and consistency of ice?"
Not many men have lived after passing
through an experience that lts them to
answer that question. but Ross Arm
burst. proprietor OF the saloon that was
swept away Saturday morning by the
snowslide that brought death to six men.
told the story Monday night 10 Tribune
man.
Was Awful Experience.
Without boasting or afrectation, In the
plain and simple language OF man
whose life has been spent In Western
mining camps, who has indiferenuy
faced thousand dangers. Mr.. Armburst
gave the recital OF that awful night.
1t was tough. all right. l was sleep
ing on my face, which | think was all
that saved my life. The first thing
knew i was struggling for breath and
heavy door was pressing down on my
back j am pretty stout. but II took me
at least half an hour TO struggle through
the snow under which / was buried. 1t
WAS packed until II was almost solid
as cake OF Ice. AS soon as | got my
head into the air ! began to dig for the
other boys. | had nothing on but an un-
dershirt and IL was storming so that you
could not see your hand before your face.
but you can't stop TO think OF those
things In time like that
Reached One in Time,
TITS hard to Judge time under such cir
cumstances. but l should say 1T was half
an hour more before | got to Hcrrick
He was black In the face and uncon-
scious. but he came TO after n few min
utes' working over him. Herriok. Muir
ply and Gray were all sleeping the
same bed, but Herrick was saved by be-
Ing thrown under a card table that gave
him a little space for air.
Gray Dead When Found.
Then we started to dig for Gray and
Murphy Herrick said that he had heard
one Of them signalling to him some time
before. We got TO Gray In another hour,
but II was too late. We had no matches
and no protection except our night
We fought for our lives In the storm.
while doing all in our power to find the
men whom we knew were buried In the
slide"
All Worked Brnvely.
Toward daylight after more than four
hours OF exposure, Mr.. Armburst was
able 10 make his way to the Columbus
boarding and arouse the men, al
though he did this at the risk OF his life.
clad as he was only In night garments.
With characteristic bravery and spirit
the miners turned out TO man and all
worked without cessation until all the
bodies were recovered.
Victims Brought to City.
With the exception of William Powell.
who will be buried from the Sandy meet
ng-house Wednesday afternoon at
o'clock, the bodies OF the victims were
| brought to this city Monday. Those OF
| George Claybourne John Erickson and
| John Gray were taken to EVnns's under
| taking parlor3, the remains of Albert
| Bennett and Jerry Murphy being at
O'Donnell g.
Claybourne Funeral Wednesday.
Funeral services for George Claybourne
| who has brother and other relatives re-
| siding here, Will be held from the chapel
| OF the undertaken Wednesday afternoon
af n'clnrk and all frlnnhs OF h1 4