The Glenwood post., 1906-03-17
SNOWSLIDES
AT COALBASIN
Crystal River Railroad Out of Bus
mess indefiniteIy--0ther Prop
erty Owners Suffered
Severe Losses
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE FROM DEATH

been forced to a back seat. Virgins
the old scout and Indian fighter, has
had an inning and the "oldest in
habitant'' has been obliged to confess
his surprise at the consignment of
weather Colorado has received the
past week. While the conditions in
the immediate vicinity of Glenwood
are not so bad as few years ago
when in February the terrible snow
slides in the Glenwood Grand canon
delayed traffic for days and resulted in
several deaths and when the Colorado
Midland was blockaded for 2S days
the two feet of snow which fell during
the past five days and which notwith-
standing the melting still covers the
streets of Glenwood to depth of 10
inches is proof that the winter is yet
with u.s.
From the higher sections comes
stories of terrible snowslides causing
considerable destruction. Telluride,
Ouray and Silverton have had their
full share of destructive snowslides
while the territory nearer Glenwood
and more particularly that up the
Crystal river, has been an especial
sufferer.
Last Monday when an engine, ca
boose and t1anger on the Crystal River
Highline or narrow gauge, coming
from Coalbasin to Redstone, had
reached place Il bout mid way between
the two points or just this side of the
loop called the Merry go-round, a
snowslide came laundering down the
mountains, completely burying the en-
gine and overturning the caboose IN
which were twenty five people includ
ing one lady and little child
Fortunately no one was injured. An
engine coming down about an hour
later was also caught and covered up
Numerous other slides which have
come down on the track have com
pletely checked all traffic and advices
from Redstone give little encourage,
ment as to when the road will be open
although large force of men was at
once put to work on the same.
small slide at Coal basin Monday
took out the steam line and bridge
across the gulch while at 10 30 Mon
day night large slide came down
which demolished the company stable
and overturned five cars of coal stand
ing on the tracks. Immediately in
the wake of this dreadful avalanche
was the store building of the Colorado
Supply company and this building was
apparently cut right in two at the sec
ond floor, ploughing its way through
the building and carrying the postoffice
boxes and the goods from the shelves
entirely across the railroad tracks.
Manager Young and family were
sleeping in the upper portion of the
building and were saved in an almost
miraculous manner. 1t seems that
the avalanche struck the building
with such terrific force as to break it
in two and to this fact is attrib buted
the escape from death of Mr.. and Mrs
Young and their baby. When the
great mass of snow and rock had
struck the creek and spent its force
found to have settled down on the
debris in an almost upright position
and the folks escaped uninjured though
badly frightened.
At $3.50 Thursday morning another
slide came down in the Coalbasin
camp sweeping away 240 feet of the
company's tramway trestIe. About
two months ago small slide came
down and carried out small section
of this trestle but it was soon repaired.
This last slide in addition to the
actual loss to the company will com
pei an indefinite shut down as
the repairs cannot be made at this
time and even if they could the dan
ger of the workmen being caught in
slides is so great that the company
will not undertake it. This will close
the mines down until the weather
moderates and the element of great
danger has passed away. 1t will also
necessitate the closing of operations
at Redstone.