Year: 1875

On the 10th of January snow-slide
descended with terrible force upon the
little mining town of Alta, at the head
of the Little Cottonwood canon, in Utah.
From the Salt Lake Hera1d's report we
take the following:


After the first shock was over, which
lasted but a minute, the frightened
senses of the people were partially re-
stored to activity, and with one object in
view all rushed up the street to the ele
waited bench ON the north side of Alto,
some carrying lanterns, others shovels,
and others with staffs, poles or anything
that could be used in digging through
the snow About fifteen rods from the
business center of the town wild scene
of chaos presented itself. The snow was
piled up to the depth of thirty feet, and
projecting from the packed surface were
large powders, heavy mining timbers,
and here and there portion of what had
once been frame dwelling-house. Even
the bare contemplation of the
wreck sent thrill of horror through
the frames of the hundreds of specta-
tors; then what must their feelings have
been when they realized that from the
location of the slide some of their ac-
quaintances--their friends, and perhaps
relatives-were certainly beneath the
mighty mass of snow and debris? In less
time than it would require to re-
late it scores of hardy miners were act
lively at work digging away the snow
from where had stood houses occupied
by human beings While thus engaged
faint cry of "help," came through the
snow; again it was heard, and again, but
growing more faint and weaker at each
successive cry. 1t did not take long to
ascertain the direction from which the
voice proceeded, and when once the men
on the surface had found the location
there was lively shoveling of the snow
for q few minutes. Short as those min
utes were, each must have been an age to
him who was underneath the snow and
whose sands of life were so near run out;
but the quick strokes of the shovels grew
more distinct to the ears of the almost
doomed man, and finally he was lifted
from his snowy bed, and the light of a
dozen or more lanterns shone full in his
face The fortunate, unfortunate man
was George Iomlins, an old gentleman
who has made Alta his home for several
years. By his side, in the bed on which
he had been lying, was the body of
Michael Kelly" Old Mickey"-who was
known to every resident of Alta and
vicinity The snow had done its work
for &C Old Mickey" He and Tomlins had
retired early, but were not asleep when
the avalanche came. Before they knew
what was the matter, or, had they known,
before they could even have got out OF
bed, the building was crushed aud the
two men buried under at least six feet of
snow. " Mickey's" back was broken
and it is thought he died instantly, but
Tomlins was more fortunate.


While Tomlins and his mate were
being uncovered there was busy scene
at another part of the snowy wreck. The
residence Of Mr.. James Carey was in the
course of the slide and had been either
carried away or crushed. Above the site
of the location the men commenced
working with their shovels and soon sue
ceeded in finding what had been the in
terror of the frame house, though the
| building was broken to pieces and some
of it carried away. A little more shovel
ing discovered heart-rending sight and
one which caused many of the stern,
| hardy miners to shed tears. Many an
eye which had not been moistened by a
| sympathetic tear for years now swan in
| briny drops, and noble sons of toll who
could scarcely remember the time when
they had wept now cried bitterly. Seat
ed in an easy-chair and clasping to her
| breast her infant babe sat Mrs. Carey
mother and child both dead. Near them
was the lifeless remains of the husband
and father, and in another part of the
room was the corpse of an
adopted daughter, bright lit
tie girl about six years old, named Laura
Wilson. None of the bodies exhibited


bruises of any kind; hence they had all
suffOcated. The expression on the moth
er's countenance was one of mingled


anxiety.an despair, as if she had hoped
/ that her dear ones might yet be saved,


but had finally died, realizing that all


must perish. The snow around the hus-


bands body showed that he had struggled
hard to extricate himself


In another place the dead body of an


o d miner named Vanderleen was found.


There We're apparently two slides, each


OF immense proportions, which started


about the same time and though they


headed at different points and did not


travel the same route they united imme-


diately above Alta The whole force and


mass entering and crushing through the
town.


4 The Salt Lake Herald of the 21st


says 6 At half-past twelve o'clock


last night Mr.. Sol Kimball, the
Big Cottonwood mail-carrier, reached
.. this city, bringing the sad intel