Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-06
One Hundred Sportsmen Have
Narrow Escape in Fairfield
Rabbit Hunt.
ENGINE WHISTLE is GUIDE
Lost Men Brought to Safety by Minute
Guns and Blasts From
Locomotive.

One hundred and more lost IN fhe
binding sleet OF a blizzard which drove
strong from the northeast, throwing
away game from their weary shou,ders
hrins their last shells for direction, and
led to warmth and safety by the toot-
ing of Salt Lake engine and MYRIAD
boomings from the guns of fellow
sportsmen. was the experience OF nearly
100 sportsmen who attended the big
rabbit shoot at Fairfield.
The train left Salt Lake shortly be-
fore o'clock. and, with Joe Vincent
OF Murray as the commanding general.
arrived on the scene OF slaughter with
out mishap. Teams took the cohorts
to the grounds and then the work of
determination began. In all there were
over 1,5O0 OF the long cared jumpers.
They were in myriads and club would
have done as we'll as guns
BLIZZARD ARRIVES.
Along about 10 o'clock snow began
to. fall and sights were obscured. A
rabbit jumped among the sagebrush
must be brought down within 90 yards
or the fall of the beautiful" took him
out OF sight The fast speeding AMI
mails, which multiply SO plentifully,
were In such abundance and the sport
was so keen, that many OF the MINI
rods followed long after tho signal for
recall was given. Then the snow ana
the blizzard came
The timorous had confined their op-
eTations to within four or five miles OF
the train and when the storm came
they were within hailing distance OF
safety. Others had been teamed out
five miles and followed until they were
in a strange country, without trail or
any Idea of the points of the compass.
Absorbed IN the sport. they failed to
appreciate the significance of the blIz-
zard and went along having their fun.
Then 1t began to grow dark and they
got together.
HEAR THE SIGNALS.
There we're no bearings TO be obtain
ed. Nobody had compass. All were
cold and shivering, hungry, and physic-
ally "all In" The true situation I'm
ally came upon them and the faces OF
all became grave, Nearly all old sports
men. they began to fire minute guns.
After much straIning OF ears and long
lapse of time. the welcome sound OF
the whistle of the engine came to their
ears.
Volleys from the guns of the men at
the train were heard from time to time
and the lost men guided their trail In
that direction. After nearly two hours
of tense eXertIon. during which a num-
Der of exhausted hunters had to be sup
ported by their partners, the train was
sighted. A rush was made to them in
the dim twilight and they were hauled
into the light and welcome warmth of
the train.
E. B Erwin. travelling freight and
passenger agent of the Salt Lake
Route, who was In charge of the train.
absolutely refused to start on the re-
turn trip until every man had been ac-
counted for There were PA who started
and these 274 had to have their "noses''
counted before the signal was given
for the return. Nobody was hurt-ex-
cept the iacks-therc were no Injuries
in any-except to feelIngs-and 1t was
a happy bunch which unloaded at tho
Union station about 9 o'clock last night.
And all of that 200 odd fervidly thank
cd the Salt Lake Route. through its
representatives. for tho thorough
sportsmanlike manner in which they
conducted the operations OF the day.