Gilpin observer., 1920-04-22
SNOWSTORM TIES UP
THE ENTIRE COUNTY
Fall of the Beautiful Covers the
Ground Three to Six Feet.

country since Dec. 9th, 1918, fell
between last Friday evening and
Monday morning. The ground was
covered from three to six feet
deep in various parts of the coun-
ty. The down train Saturday
morning managed to make. it to
Forks Creek, but on the return
trip was marooned half a mile be-
low the Iron City mill and it was
not until Sunday afternoon by
heroic effort that the train crew
was able to get the engine and
cars into Black Hawk. All the
lines on the Clear Creek division
of the C. & S. railway were snow
bound from Saturday morning
until Wednesday afternoon. A
rotary snow plow that had been
in use on the South Park division
was sent for and cleared the track
from Denver up the South Clear
Creek branch and then came up
the North branch late Wednesday
afternoon. All the Western Un-
ion and railway telegraph wires
were put out of commission and
the telephone had to be depended
upon entirely for communication
with the outside world.
The rotary was delayed six
hours between Forks Creek and
Black Hawk, encountering a rock
slide below Smith hill. 1t was af-
ter 2 o'clock Thursday morning
when it reached Black Hawk. The
rotary returned to Denver to be
sent up on the South Park branch
where the line is snowbound.
Thursday afternoon two engines
and number of men with shovels
opened the road on the high line
into Central and the regular train
schedule has been resumed.
Work at most of the mines was
suspended entirely and only at
the mines where water had to be
pumped has any work been done
since last Saturday. Only with
extereme difficulty could the men
make it to the mines on account
of the depth of the snow. At
points of high elevation the snow
was drifted six feet or more in
places and only .horses could
break a trail. The men at the
mines managed to get home Sat-
urday afternoon, but at the Hamp-
ton, Arthur Teats and J. d. Rich
ards were unable to make it. They
had two burros and after a long
struggle managed to make their
way to the Pittsburg Extension
shaft house and there they re-
manned Saturday night, keeping
warm with what little fuel they
could gather about the shaft
building. Sunday morning the
Auger brothers waded thru the
deep snow to get to the Hampton
to start the pumps and left food
at the Pittsburg Extension for the
marooned men. The Malenk fam
lily, living in that vicinity, also
brought them food and coffee, Sc
they did not suffer for want of
anything. Sunday afternoon
!, Charles Light and Jake Leidinger
mounted on two of Neil Mckay
heavy horses, broke their way tc
the Pittsburg Extension and
brought Mr.. Teats and Mr.. Rich
ards to Central.
Mrs. George Athanasion was
also marooned at Apex She tool
Miss Carrie Wearne to Apex Sat
urday morning but the drifting
snow prevented her from making
the return trip. Monday morning
she started back on foot with 9
Scandinavian who had to get to
Denver to attend sick wife. They
had an awful time reaching the
Branham cabin at Silver Greek
and then phoned in for some hor.
ses. The Snyder brothers rode
two of their horses out ant
brought them in Monday after.
noon. Mrs. Athanasion will go tc
Apex again-but not until mid.
summer.
Tony Dallapietra's young cattle
which were ranging on the hill.
sides in the vicinity of Russell
suffered for want of food and
shelter and several died from ex.
posure. He managed to save
quite number by getting hay to
them.
The burros had to be rescued
too. They were herded into town
placed under shelter and are be-
| e l. = 4 a. L