The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-03-14
TWO CRUSHED IN
MOUNTAIN SLIDE
Biz Cottonwood Miners Meet
Death in Snow Near r. ar
Baby Mine. Bodies are Bad
ly Mansled.

Cottonwood canyon, Niels Matsen,
twenty-four years old, brother of J.
Martin Matsen, president of the Tar
Baby company, and Erick Gustaf
Branborg, fifty-four, partowner Of the
Contention mine in the Alta district.
were killed instantly. shortly before
10 o'clock Thursday morning.
Following difficult journey down
the mountain passes Of the Big Cot
tonwood the bodies of Matsen and
Branborg were brought to Salt Lake
yesterday noon and taken to the NOR
tuary of Undertaken 8. M. Taylor, by
Charles r. Greene, general manager
of the Tar Baby.
When bad ground was discovered
in the Tar Baby nearly six weeks
ago Branborg was engaged to timber
dangerous places in the main tunnel,
assisted by Matsen and Gustaf Peter
son. The supply Of heavy timber had
been exhausted Wednesday and early
Thursday morning Branborg and Mat
sen shouldered axes and scaled a
steep mountain side over the mine 10
cut down two big frs.
Peterson stood in the mouth of the
tunnel and watched the miners as
they progressed in the snow which
had packed along the sides of the
canyon. They had reached the big
fir when the ground became so steep
that they had to dig their feet into
the snow to save themselves from fal.
ling. Matsen climbed higher than
Branborg and was directly above
him.
Finally Matsen lost his hold. Peter.
son saw him dig his hands into tie
snow in an effort to save himself. hut
he fell backward followed by great
masses of snow and soon he was IN
the center Of great SNOWFALL from
which protruded his legs and arms.
Branborg is Caught
Branrnrg realized &c DANCE: IN
which the forming OF the SNOW slido
lid placed him All ne struggle,
vainly to get out of the path. Blu
he lc. commenced u slipping. Per
ers?n saw Branbors throw L.3 lands
up,ard and a cry - anguish caric Il
to. ,.,hers ears
ThCo the avalanche swept dow
the canyon side and stopped at the
bottom with resoundinS crash
leaving path Of broken timber
Matsen and Branborg had disappear
ed from view. That he was power
less to rescue them from the debri
and snow singlehanded occurred I
Peterson and top speed he ran 20 n
Cardiff mine. one-half mile down tn
canyon. There he related the TRACE
dy to T. II. Banney. foreman OF tn
Cardiff. s-s A
Barney called his miners from IN
tunnels and together with Peterso
they FASTENED to the scene. Wit
shovels and axes they hal worke
nearly half an hour when one OF tn
miners espied one Of Matsen's mimi
boots. He was taken from the debri
His back had been broken and sku
fractured and 1t Is believed that b
was killed instantly.
The search for the body OF Bral
borg proved difficult and tons
snow, earth and broken timber ha
been unearthed before the searchin
party came upon the mangled r
mains. No signs Of life could be d
tected and the two bodies were Ia
en- to the mouth Of the Tar Baby tu
mel, where they were watched ov'
through the night by Peterson an
the miners of the Cardiff.
There are no telephones In Il
south fork of the big Cottonwood az
Foreman Barney of the Cardiff can
down the canyon on snowshoes, a
irving at Sandy late Thursday mig
and telephoned Mr.. Greene, gener
OF the Tar Baby, of the disaste
The later caught street car al
joined Barney at Sandy. Plans we
made 20 drive up the canyon durh
the night, but owing to dangers q
venture was abanoned..
Drive at Sunrise
At sunrise yesterday Barney dro
to the mine. The bodies were piac'
in the wagon and Mr.. Greene dire'
ed the journey down Big Cottonwoo
The bodies were embalmed at the
M. Taylor mortuary. A double fu
eral will be held Sunday.
Erick Gustaf Branborg was born