The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1919-11-07
Visit of Fred Ferris
Recalls Tragedy

The visit OF fred ferrls, one of the
carly day settlers of Carson Valley
,ybo was here on a visit to relatives
from his home in Galesburg. Illinois,
recalls tragedy in which eight peo-
nle lost their lives at Genoa, March
~ 1882. when a snow slide wiped out
a norton of that town Among those
thai lost their lives were Mr.. and Mrs.
Ninerod Bowers. an aged couple
Relatives of the Bowers family
still reside AT Galesburg. Illinois, and
before coming west. Mr. Ferris prom
ised them that he would make an en-
deayor to find the graves of Mr.. and
Mrs Bowers, and while visiting at
Ninden. he in company with VIM.
pangberg went to Genoa and through
the assistance of Jack Raycraft and
and his sister. Mrs. J. l.. Campbell
vas able to locate the graves In the
Genoa cemetery. The plot was clean
ed off and the graves will be suitably
marked.
In conversation with several old
timers OF Genoa. the story of the
fatal snow-slide was secured piece by
piece The exact location of the
Bowers home was found through a
rather queer coincidence IL was re-
membered that stump of a tree pro-
truded through the floor OF the kitch-
en- and had been used by Bowers to
split kindling wood After a search
for some time. the old stump was
found still bearing the marks made
by its early day use. From a fruit
tree near by. Mr.. Ferris picked sew
eral apples. and with other momentos
carried them to Galesburg to give to
the relatives of Bowers.
Relative TO the snow-slide. We find
in the files of this paper then pub
lished at Genoa under date OF March
l7th the following account of the dis
aster
At $50 o'clock yesterday morning
the town was startled by a terrific
rumbling sound as of an earthquake.
Bells rang and the cry for help was
passed along the street by those who
chanced to be out of bed The first
parties at the scene of the disaster
were not aware Of what had happen
ed, and went unprepared 10 render
assistance. They we're not long In Sc
curing tools, however. aud those most
familiar with the situation OF build
Ing and sleeping apartments furnish
ed such information as was possible
to give. However. buildings were
carried considerable distance from
their original locations
The Long building. which stood
nearest the mountains. was occupied
By Indians driven from their wig
vans by the severity OF the stor H.
Six were In the house at the time OF
the catastrophe. No trace OF the
building can be found and as yet no
search has been made for tn oc-
cupanis Next came the barn and
residence of Minerod Bowers. which
was completely crushed to pieces and
carried into the adjoining lot OF d. W.
Virgin Minerod and his wife were
found, still In their bed and almost
on top of the snow and debris, both
dead. Two German relatives OF Mr.
and Mrs Bowers had arrived the even
ing before from the East. and we're
sleeping in the house that night One
OF them escaped unhurt. and the other.
who dug his way out from beneath
the trunk of a tree. had broken
shoulder and some other injuries.
The residence OF u. W. Virgin, w.
D. Gray and H. Boreland were next
on the street below that OF Bowers.
Borelin's house was completely de-
molished The occupants were Mr.
and Mrs. Boerlin. their two children
ana and Mr. Chisholm and wife. All
We're buried In the ruins but Mr.. Boer-
land. and Mr. and Mrs Chisholm made
'heir escape unhurt After consider
abie search Mrs. Boerland was found
some distance from the original local
ny OF the bed nearly suffocated and
sui holding the dead body of her lit
ue girl, Poiina, in her arms. The
ooy was found. In still another part
Oh the wreck, alive and nnhurt.
Trays dwelling is also nearly
'otai wreck. Mr.. Gray was in the act
ol shoveling snow away from the back
pofeh, saw the approaching mountain
Vi snow and sprang back and called
MS wife, who was In the kitchen, TO
save her. They escaped to the front
portion of the house just as TN kitchen
"hu all OF the rear. end of the house
was crushed into a shapeless mass and
eoVered with snow. Adjoining the
@"chen was the childrens bedroom.
as all of that portion of the house
was destroyed, there seemed but lit
We nome for the children: but provi-
uenuaily, 1t would seem, the little
''ue room which they occupied was
'ei' nearly intact, while everything
was swept away within a foot or two
vi their bed Virgins dwelling was
NV so severely damaged.