“A Quick Trip Through the Snow to Mineral King in 1880”

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The following appeared in the Mineral King Chronicle in the Spring – Summer edition of 2000. Compiled by Joe Doctor.

For you Mineral King buffs, here is the complete story of the famous rescue party that went to Mineral King after the big snow slide in April of 1880 which wiped out the Empire Mine bunkhouse, the tram leading from the mine to the mill at the foot of the mountains, and other structures as well as Tom Fowler’s fortune. My notes say the story was probably written by M.C. Butz and appeared in the Visalia Daily Times on April 28, 1890.  

“On Sunday, April 18, the startling news reached here that a fearful snow slide had occurred at Mineral King and that half the miners employed at the Empire Mine had been killed and the other half had either parts of their limbs frozen or broken.

At 1:30 p.m. a party consisting of Dr. A.E. Hall, Adolph Mack, E. Wing and your reporter left Visalia for the scene of the disaster. They were well supplied with instruments and material for the relief of the injured men as well as a jug of whiskey for their own relief.

Mr. Wing acted in the capacity of Jehu, and the last thing heard before leaving Visalia was the injunction of Tom Fowler to Doherty’s camp tonight or bust. We did it. We made Pogue’s in less than two hours and while the men there hastened to change horses, we hastened to consume all he carbonaceous food in sight and succeeded just as our fresh horses became too impatient to wait for us any longer.

We started again and reached Smith’s (Slapjack) at 6:30, just as the shades of night were falling. The folks at the house were expecting us and had a bountiful supper spread, so that no time might be lost. We expected to go on horseback from Smith’s, and while we did not relish the prospect, the thoughtfulness of Mr. Bob Doherty relieved us from what would have proven to be a most disagreeable task.

            He had the two seated buckboard ready for us and drawn by two powerful horses belonging to the company and had two tough little jackasses as the leaders, belonging to Slapjack Smith. At exactly 7 p.m. we started, Mr. Doherty driving, and I think if we had had any other driver, one unacquainted with the road, we would have gone to the devil for sure, for the county road is fearfully washed out from Smith’s to the toll gate and had it not been dark, we certainly would have preferred legging it. Our animals did splendidly until we reached the snow about a mile his side of Doherty’s camp, and there the hard work commenced. Then, all of a sudden, we heard the melodious voice of Wing saying, “keep your seat, Horace, and we’ll get you there on time”.

            Clinging to our seats right manfully, we assisted our animals as much as possible by whispering sweet nothings into their ears. That was all right for about two miles (the snow was becoming deeper every step) then they began to think “too much talkee no good” and commenced floundering around to the great inconvenience of the passengers. We concluded to render material assistance by getting out of the buckboard and walking. At first we let Doherty drive and Mack, Wing, Dr. Hall and myself walked. Hall soon sought his old seat, having become winded, and the rest of us kept on. After the snow became three feet deep it became downright hard work. Dr. Hall was kept busy with the hatchet, chopping the wheels clear of snow. We kept our courage up by pulling ay the demijohn frequently and telling yarns. Wing is the boss yarner. He just kept spinning them out and filling up again on snow and the stuff in the jug.

            Finally, when within about a quarter mile of the camp, one of our large horses gave clear out and lay down. We knew the jig was up so we unhitched and Dr. Hall mounted one of the large horses and started for camp with Doherty and the asses following and Mack, Wing and your reporter bringing up the rear. No more foolishness then. We were winded but stayed with it and reached camp at 5 o’clock in the morning, having traveled continuously over 15 hours and made 60 miles. We were too weary to sleep but lay on our blankets and rested as much as possible. At 6:30 breakfast was announced and right glad we were to hear it although we were too tired to eat.

            The miners at camp have big hearts and did everything possible to make us comfortable while one old friend, Reynolds, exerted his skill in the culinary department and succeeded in placing before us a fine tenderloin steak, chicken pot pie, beans, asparagus, spuds, peaches and coffee, toothpicks and chateau au rose in our minds. Anyway, we got away with a goodly portion of hash and by 7:30 were ready for the windup of our tramp. While your reporter and Mack started ahead with Dr. Hall and his bodyguard Wing and Slapjack Smith in the rear.

            We tramped along on an average depth of 10 feet of snow resting at various springs frequently to likker up on cold water until half the distance had been made when we came to Slapjack Canyon and Jackass Gulch. There we started a fire in the smokehouse and made some flapjacks and coffee. These refreshments made us feel like new men and we started again. The advance party met with no further accidents until we reached the flat, where we were held in silent and close embrace by Col. Wagner who made us feel at home. After walking about half an hour, we became anxious at the non-arrival of the rest of the party, especially from the fact that Dr. Hall had complained before we left camp.

            Sure enough, we saw a solitary figure floundering up our way. It was Wing, who said the doctor had given out. We concluded the best thing to do was stimulate him, so we prepared a flask of Col. Wagner’s best and some crackers and sent Stanegar, the assayer, with the revivifer. In a short time we noticed two long poles and a man coming and ascertained it was the doctor. Although the last six miles took six hours, I think we made the trip in very good time, 23 ½ hours from Visalia to Mineral King.

            Dr. Hall commenced looking after the men immediately and succeeded in getting them bandaged up and relieved before dark. To see where the slide occurred and the various parts of the mountain taken up by debris of the boarding house and to know it was occupied a few hours before by 20 men, and considering what might have been the result, their escape was truly miraculous. One who has never been to the mountains 7,500 above sea level and snow around, below and above, at an average depth on the level of 10 feet on the mountain sides can have no conception of the true power and force as the result of one of these snow slides. If ever a person thinks of his Jesus, it is this time.

            The result of the damage may be summed up thusly:

            One man injured internally from pressure of timbers, and feet badly frozen, one with collarbone broken and hand mashed and frozen, one with both feet badly frozen and the rest, about 12 with hand or foot badly frozen. 

The doctor attended them all, with Mack holding the plaster when necessary and when we left they were all cheerful and happy. The quicker they can get out of there and reach some place with more conveniences, the better it will be. One of the men said he had been dreaming and when he had gotten to the portion where he was going to Hell, he found himself rolling over and over in the snow and when he stopped, he was up to his neck in snow. He had to be extracted by his hair.

            By the time the men had been attended to we were hungry enough to relish the good things prepared for us by Mrs. Herrington of the Mineral King restaurant. After we had talked and smoked until about 8 p.m. we were tired enough to appreciate the good beds prepared for us by Col. Wagner. Mr. Harper, the manager, wishing to do as much as possible for the men, decided that Dr. Hall should remain there until the next stage at least. The next morning Wing, Mack and myself started the return trip. After walking about a mile we came across a pair of snowshoes and our legs began to ache. You see we all wanted to try them. I tried them first and everything went swimmingly for about 100 yards; then I sat down and the snowshoes went on.

            We walked another mile until we came up on the snowshoes and wing pit them on but gave up in despair. Then came Mack’s turn. He did well for about 2 ½ miles, when we came to an unusually steep grade. I suppose he thought he could do it as well as the letter carrier, Edwards, who had gone over about an hour before. He did much better, in fact, and went down like greased lightning. We found him and one snowshoe in about 10 feet of snow. He walked the rest of the way with us to camp. Anyhow, we made better time going down than coming up, about 4 ¾ hours. About 12 o’clock we left Doherty’s in the buckboard and reached Visalia 17 hours after we left Mineral King.

            Taking the trip all around it was about the toughest experience any of us had ever had. Later from the stage driver John Wolfley, it was learned by the times that M. Burns had broken ribs and was not expected to live.

Three more slides occurred Thursday and all work was suspended at the mines. Slapjack Smith brought out the injured men in a few days. In two weeks, the Mussel Slough tragedy crowded Mineral King off of the front page. Last of May the road was cleared, and many headed for Mineral King.”

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