Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-03-05
BIG SNONSLDES
N MINING CAMP
OF JARB|DGE
PERKINS. PIONEER OF
9 CAMP, NEARLY LosEs LIFE
WHEN HIS HOME WAS STRUCK
AND CARRIED 1.-TWO HUNDRED
FEET AoRoss.sTREET; A HUN.
DREo SLIDES OCCUR WITHIN
TWERTY-FoUR HOURS


camp OF Jarbidge, nearly lost his life
on Feb. "a when his home at that
place was struck by tremendous
snowslide. The building. which was
only recently completed, is one OF the
finest residences in the town. II was
carried a distance of two hundred feet
and finally brought up against the
residence of Mr.. Hudson on the other
side of the street.
A large pole in near the Hudson
place was in the path of the slide and
it cut its way half through the build
ing. Mr.. Perkins was on the inside
and he was rendered unconscious by
the shock. For several days II was
thought he would not recover. but at
last accounts he had regained con-
sciusness and the attending physician
now believes that lie will live.
On the same day numerous other
slides occurred. but they fortunately
did little damage.
Oscar Olsen, another well known
mining man, arrived from Jarbidge
last night and In conversation with an
Independent representative today said
that fully a hundred slides occurred
within twenty-four hours. The one
that swept away the Perkins residence
was about twenty feet high. II started
about fifteen hundred feet up the hill
| and II swept trees, rock and every.
thing before it,
Another big slide. he says. occurred
| in the east end of town and II damned
the Jarbidge River for twenty hours.
Some miners went out and cut a wa
terway around the end OF the slide
before any great damage was done by
| the water This slide was wide and
II piled snow in the canyon fully thirty
feet deep.
| Up Bear Greek, a short distance
from the main business section of the
town, the biggest slide occurred. Here
the snow piled up In the canyon fully
fifty feet. Mr. Olsen says that the edge
OF the slide was within six feet of his
residence and the home OF John Carey
was barely grazed.
! score of slides occurred on the
Crippen grade and the road has been
tied up ever since. 1t will be at least
ten days before II can be opened up.
In the meantime provisions arc very
low in the camp and food famine is
| feared. The little mail that reaches
the camp is taken in on snowshoes
and on horseback, over a trail which
has been cut down Jack Creek. ..
Mr.. Olsen says that about the mid.
die of the month violent snowstorm
set in, and It lasted for eleven days
heavy wind blew practically all thS
time and great drifts were made or
the mountain sides and In canyons. a
warm rain followed and the snow
which had drifted over the sides o
rimrock broke loose starting tn,
slides. High up on the mountain sidel
they would be only a couple of fee
wide, but they would gather volume a,
they proceeded, and at the'bottom some
of them were a.hundrcd feet wide. -
Tho town of 'JarbidgoI lies In a deer
narrow gorge, the mountains rising Al
sharp angle on either side distance
OF several thousand feetF Mr.. OIser
says that II Is little shortlof a. miracl,
that more damage was not done. Afte,
the first few slides nearly all Of thos,
who live on the west sideIof the stree
moved out of their homes TO places o
safety. '#i.
The quc'tion of getting supplies int
, camp is now serious. and IL Is probable
/ that the county will be called upon TO
, help in opening the road. Mr.. olsel
. was Obliged to walk practically all tn
D way from Jarbidge to Rogerson. q dis
tance OF sixty-five miles. He was hy
days in making the Journey. .'s..'