The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-01-15
TWO FACE DEATH
ON TAMA[PA|S
Rudolph Bundschu, Over
come by Cold in Snow
storm, Saved by Comrade
CARRIED DOWN TRAIL

Exhausted by his fight against the
blizzard high up ON the side of Mount
Tamalpais, Rudolph Bundschu, son of
Charles Bundschu, local wine mer-
chant, would have perished early yes
terday morning but for the nerve and
stamina of his companion, ALBION Wray.
Although numb with cold himself Wray
carried Bundschu I'm his arms through
the storm, down the steep and freach-
erous trail, until Mill Valley was
reached.
Seldom have the lives of pleasure
seekers in Marin County been endan-
gered by snowstorms, and the incident
is probably without precedent in that
part of the state. Snow along the coast
is a rare phenomenon, and snow in
quantities sufficient to cause danger to
life was unheard of until the Bundschu
incident called attention to the vaga-
ries of the present season.
Bundschu and Wray started out early
Sunday morning with four companions
to climb the mountains and enjoy the
rare treat of snowballing. 1t was not
until the slanting rays of the sun
warned them that the day was about
ended that their thoughts turned to the
trip back to the valley.
RETURN TRIP BEGINS
Four of the stronger members of the
party suggested that the descent be
made by way of Devils Slide" as
darkness was approaching. Bundschu
was not equal to the attempt of MAX
ing the homeward journey by the pre-
cipitous trail and Wray suggested that
they take the mountain railroad
Bundschu would not consent to this
and Wray volunteered to make the
descent by the long trail which winds
down the slope of the mountain. AS
Wray tells the story, the snow was
falling heavily all the while the young
men felt their way down the mountain
slope
I'VE had considerable difficulty at the
start" said Wray, and we had not
gone very far before we lost sight of
the other. fellows who We're trying the
short cut. 'Bundy is not very husky,
and he soon found that the snowballing
had taken more of his strength than
he thought. and l realized the cold was
telling on him. We had reached the
bottom of Devils Slide, when .Bundy'
just gave out and rolled over in a heap
"'Go on he said, 4 want to go to
sleep and will be all right in a minute
l then realized how serious the matter
was and felt of his pulse. 1t only
counted twenty-five and he had already
drifted off into a state of unconscious
ness from which 1 could not awaken
him. 1t was up to me then to get him
ance. 1 shouted, but the other fellows
were beyond hearing and the storm
drowned my voice. 1t was inky black
and / had no idea which way the trail
led Then 1 shouldered 'Bundy' as best
could and started down.
You can't imagine how hard It was.
The trail is narrow and difficult to fol-
low at best, and what with the dark
ness and snow we stumbled and
pitched and rolled. 'Bundy' came to
himself a little later after an unusu-
ally hard tumble and begged to be al
lowed to rest I foolishly agreed, as
was dead tired myself and ready to
lay down and give up the fight.
BREAK INTO HOUSE
I'VE rested a few minutes and then /
started again. We finally reached the
edge of the snow line and came into
the open to find the rain pouring in
sheets IT was worse than ever and
when / espied a house in the distance
which I believed in the course of con-
struction, / made my way in that d.
rection with all speed. No one was
about the premises and so / broke in
the door, expecting to find the place
vacant, intending to leave Bundy'
there while / went for assistance.
Imagine my surprise on finding the
place costly furnished with big fire.
place staring me in the face. Well.
the way I went after wood and started
a fire was not slow. 1 rummaged about
and located some provisions and soon
had a pot of coffee boiling. A couple
of cups of hot coffee revived "Bundy.'
and after thawing we travelled down
to his home in town, which we reached
at a. m.
His mother doesn't know how near
'Bundy' came to dying and I guess the |
people whose house I invaded will |
want some explanation, but / am go |