Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-02-29
LAST SEEN SATURDAY NIGHT
IN COMPANY WITH OTHER
FREicHTERs WAS ON HIS
WAY TO HIS HOME
GOT OUT TO TALK TO RERDER
THE TEAM WENT OFF AND LEFT
HIM AND HE WAS UNABLE TO
FIND HIS WAY

neiaIiVeS ana friends OF DiOnicio
Sanchez to the number of 40 are
searching the country adjacent to the
Junction of the La Cueva and San
Ignacio roads in an effort to locate
the mans body. 1t is believed that
Sanchez perished from the cold dur
ing the heavy snow storm of last Sat
urday night Sanchez was freight
er and resided with his wife and chill
dren near LIS Cueva. Saturday morn
ing at IL o'closl sanchez in company
with Cayetano Romero, Ramon Mon
toya and Doroteo Abeyta, other
freighters of the La Cueva neighbor-
hood, left the Charles Ilfeld company's
warehouses. Each had heavy wag-
on loaded with merchandise.
AS the men left the city the snow
was falling fast. The air. however.
was warm and the falling flakes did
not inspire in their hearts any fear
: s{4aA they might not reach their home
AreAdes in safety. But the snow be-
gan falling with greater rapidity as
the men progressed and travel be-
came correspondingly more difficult
as the drifts began piling up in the
highway. When the party reached the
Arroyo Salado the wagons had be-
come widely separated. The horses
attached to the vehicle driven by Ro-
man. Montoya became blinded by the
snow and turned completely around,
taNng a position at the side of the
road. The rest of the party of freight
ers continued on the journey not
knowing one of the members had
been left behind.
At the junction of the La Cueva
and San Ignacio roads the freighters,
bewildered by the snow and wind,
took the wrong highway They were
soon on the way to San Ignacio. After
progressing for some distance the
freighters met herder, who told
them of their mistake. The men turn
ed their teams about and prepared to
retrace the lost ground. Dionicfo
Sanchez, like the others, turned his
= 9ahicle about He got down from his
= wagon and spent short time talking
10 the herder. His team followed the
other wagons. Bidding farewell to
the herder Sanchez started along the
road In the wake of the wagons. He
has not been seen, dead or alive, since
that time.
Yhe other freighters made their
way safely to La Cueva. When they
found two Of the members of their
Marty, Sanchez and Montoya, had
been lost, they were frightened. How
ever, it was late at night and to or
eanize searching party was impos
slble. Sunday found the village
deeply showed in and the search was
postponed until Monday. Since that
lime every effort to find Sanchez has
been made but the searchers have
not been successful 1t is thought
likely that Sanchez's body may not
be found for several weeks, by which
time the heavy drifts likely will al
have melted.
Montoya was more fortunate and
is now safe at his home, thankful
that he escaped, even If by a mar
row margin, from death in the howlins
storm. Juan Romero of Guadalupita
who was traversing the highway late
Saturday afternoon, found Montoya
sitting in his wagon. The man was
nearly frozen but managed feebly t.
call for help. Romero was quick tt
give assistance He dismounted from
his horse and hitched the animal tt
Montoya's wagon and the two pro
ceeded. At Nine Mile hill they
caught up with Damacio Maestas and
Juan Garcia. The four men held