Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-03

nit, and the work of recovering the
bodies of the dead.
While some of the missing may be
found alive, the fate of the majority,
railroad men believe, has been death
Many of the missing are laborers
who were at work trying to clear the
track. All the injured are being cared
for at wellington, owing to the dlt-
ficulty in getting them twelve miles
down the slide-swept slope to a point
where trains can reach them.
Rescue Party Delayed
The rescue party that left here on
last nights special did not reach We'll
lington until noon today.
While there is no official information
on the point, it is understood at the
local offices that train No. 20 was not
kept in the tunnel because of the pleas
of the passengers, who feared being
blockaded there, with the resulting
risk of Suffocation.
The passenger coaches are still COM
pletely buried. The day coach and
smoker have entirely disappeared, be-
ing literally smashed to bits.
One woman was rescued from the
Pullman after twelve hours imprison-
ment. Brakeman Duncan and Con-
ductors Purcell and Clary, who We're
in the car that was reduced to splin-
ters, escaped with slight bruises, ana
in bare feet did heroic rescue work.
The physicians who accompanied the
relief trains report that all the IN
tured are doing well, and it is believed
all will recover.
There are plenty of people to take
care of those needing assistance, and
an abundance of provisions. Rotaries
are working from both directions, MAX
ing good progress and doing everything
nOsSible tn clear the track.
Hit by Avalanche
The avalanche rolled down the noun
tain at 4:2O a. m. The two trains,
three locomotives, four powerful cleo
trio motors the depot and water
tank were swept off the ledge like so
much straw and deposited in twisted
mass of wreckage at the foot OF the
mountain.
The noise of the snow slide, which
was a mile long, could be heard
throughout the valley, and Superin-
tendent O'Neill, who was directing the
work of the night shift at the snow
drifts, marshaled his men and hurried
to the rescue.
Groans and cries for help coming
from the iumbled mass indicated that
MANY imprisoned in the wreckage were
still alive, and the rescuers worked
with feVerish haste to reach them. AS
fast as the injured were removed they
were taken to Scenic, three miles away
bv mountain trail, but ten miles by
rail.
A messenger was dispatched at once
for help from the outside world. Inc
first news of the disaster was brought
ont bv John Wentzell of Wellington.
He staggered into Skykomish, eighteen
miles from Wellington, late yesterday
morning. and gasped out his story:
"All wiped out" he cried Nothing
but snow where the track stood and
where the trains were dumped into
the canyon"
Exhausted by Trip
He was so exhausted from his long
Aght against the snow that it was
several hours before he could give
coherent story. The avalanche came
without warning.
Wentzell. who was at Bailets hotel
ran out to see clouds of snow setting
over the track where the trains had
! stood Later he saw men carrying
v,omen and children from the partially
hurled coaches, which had been car
ried down the side of the gulch. lie
| thought that eight women and children
were carried out while he looked ON.
Some of them moaned and he knew
they were living.
Bailet's hotel the saloon on the east
and the store on the west, were un-
touched. The little railroad station,
inst west of the store, was swept away
by the edge of the avalanche which
had grazed the town and wreaked its
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