Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1922-01-27
FOUR DAYS IN BLIZZARD
SAVED AS If BY MIRACLE
Thomas and Harry Shawver, Well
Known in Pullman, Undergo Ex-
IRENE Hardships-Compa
Frozen to Death

After spending four days in a rag
ing blizzard near Big Greek, Cali
fornia. Thomas and Harry Shaver,
formerly of near Viola, Idaho, and
brothers of Mrs. f. Osterberg of Pull
man. were rescued as if by miracle
by passing dog team and upon ar
rival in Fresno related experiences
nnly equaled in arctic circles. OF
the quartet of men which started on
the hazardous trip through the snow
from a camp of the Southern Cali
fornia Edison company near Big
Creek, only three sustained the hard
ships One member of the party,
John H. Peterson, after becoming
blinded by the snow, overcome by
the cold and weakened by lack of
nourishment, was left to a frozen
death, while the remaining three con-
tinued their uneven battle against
the elements.
Inasmuch as two of the three sur
vivors are we'll known to many Pull
of interest for others, the account
of the perilous trip as contained in
the Fresno Republican of December
80 is reprinted in full. The clipping
was sent to Mr. Osterberg by his
wife, who is now visiting in Cali
fornia
ar 30
death. The body was sent from Big
Creek to Fresno yesterday morning,
and late last night was frozen nearly
as hard as when recovered from
under the snowdrift Wednesday.
Thomas and Harry Shaver, jim
Lewis and Peterson left Edison Camp
81 for Big Greek (Cascada) the
morning of December %. Peterson
was frozen to death Christmas eve.
The others lost, weak and discour-
aged, were miraculously saved from
death after spending four days bat
Ting the elements.
Peterson who was not dressed for
the winter weather and who had
been timekeeper at Camp 81 until it
closed down for the winter months,
was taking 40 thousand dollars of
company documents to c. r. Duncan,
chief accountant at Big Creek. The
documents and Peterson's body were
recovered at the same time. Peter
ho6 iOtondn1 n ir+,
with his wife, Mrs Emile Peterson,
in Los Angeles
The Shaver brothers left the
camp with Peterson as they had been
time checked, or honorably dis
charged. Jim Lewis, Indian guide,
was the fourth member of the quar-
ley for the Yuletide season. Harry
Shaver is in a Big Creek hospital
recuperating from a frozen toe.
COroner's Inquest Held
Wednesday Coroner John Lisle
conducted an inquest over Peterson
at Big Creek, the jury returning the
verdict that Peterson came to his
death through exposure and being
frozen to death while on the trail
from Camp 81 to Cascade (Big
Creek. The jury was comprised of
Z. p Rowe, E. l.. Kinney, E. A. APP
pie, w. F. Downey, H. N. Gallagher
and B. G. Hillar.
The following report of Thomas
snaWVer made to company officials
tuesday night by Thomas Shaver
and Jim Lewis, containing descrip-
uon OF the narrowing experiences,
was read at the inquest:
| think can give you an outline
Vi the whole trip. To begin with my
brother and l got canned at noon of
december % by Jack ellis, the straw
poss at Camp 81. We left Camp 81
on the morning of December %, af-
ter breakfast and had lunch piece
we mad been transferred from Camp
% when the hospital at Camp 81
burned.
mere were four of us left camp
1'nat morning, we took to trail and
eot INTO snow storm None of us
haa any snow shoes with us. My
Diother and had plenty of lunch fol
'"o' hand ak, an automatic gun, IL
FUNDS of ammunition, watches, &
i'aShiight and some blankets, in al
pack of about 25 pounds. We
s"usnt up with Jim Lewis and Peter
9On ana 1t was fairly good trail to-
wards Camp GIG.
we divided our lunch about two
~ before coming to Camp 61-C
ne Tour of us ate the lunch intend
- Tor two. The going from here was
pie'ly hard and we made 61-C abou
clock in the afternoon OF Deem
:. 70 We stopped there maybe