SnowSlide24Mar1915n6wp0637

Edmonton Journal

24 Mar 1915

n6wp0637

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~abwcobit/NewsExtract/1915Edmonton/Lists/SnowSlide24Mar1915n6wp0637.jpg

SURVIVORS TELL OF SNOWSLIDE


Terrible Shock Took Place Which Some Thought Was Explosion of Magazine

By Bulletin Leased Wire
VANCOUVER, March 22.-- Survivors of the snowslide disaster which carried away houses at Britannia mine, Howe Sound, arrived tonight on the steamer Bellena. Three men came down the gangway carrying bundles. These were Harry Baxter, Jim Dougan and B. McPhail, none of whom were injured. Baxter placed the time of the disaster at midnight.
They were awakened by a terrible shock that some thought was the blowing up of the magazine. When they went out to search, the whole camp was groaning and calling out for help. Some of the men hurt could only crawl along the ground and some were able to walk. One of the boulders that struck the camp, said Baxter, was as big as a house. When it was light they got some of the wounded out. Some of the men were dead. "We got out a mucker who was killed with two of his babies, while his wife and another child were not hurt," said Baxter. "The dining room and kitchen," he added, "are now covered with rocks the height of a ship."
The slide swept away a bunk house containing 15 men, a cook house containing 10 men and several private houses in which were a number of women and children. Several men who were going off the night shift at midnight were also killed. At last report reserves were working on the pile of debris but no bodies had been found. Fifteen of the injured were being brought to Vancouver tonight by steamer.

Dead Bodies Recovered.

Dead bodies recovered are as follows: P. Burns, St. Louis; S. Duggan, Ireland; A. Dupuis, Vancouver; M. Haligan, Britannia Beach; W. Morley, Vancouver; J. McKune, Britannia Beach; J. Newpose, Lancaster, Eng.; J. Stuart, Scotland; F. Wall, Britannia Beach; G. P. Marshall, Vancouver; John Duggan, Ireland; Mrs. Appleton and two children, Britannia Beach; William Stamp, Vancouver; M.O. Hara, Japan; S. Kawasaki, Japan.

Seriously Injured.

The seriously injured are :  A. Compagnola, jaw broken; Mrs. A. Clempson, leg broken; John Davie, probably internally injured; H, Dupuis, head cut; Mike Miller, leg badly cut; A. J. Hughes, head cut; C. McGrath, lower limbs injured; Joe Parnack, teeth knocked out; F. W. Park, back hurt.
Slightly injured-- E. Andratta, W. Marchine, Mike Burtch, R. Baso, Bert C. Compagnola, Jim Duggan, J. Emery, C. F. Morse, T. McGurkie, R. Perry, J. Robertson, L. Tonesama.

The Missing.

The missing are as follows: Mike Bolva, Britannia Beach; John Borick, Britannia Beach; Mike Bradich, Britannia Beach; A. C. Lempson and three children, Vancouver; W. F. Claque, Lancaster, Eng.; John Duggan, Britannia Beach; Mike Gasco, Britannia Beach; M. Latica, Britannia Beach; Carol Marson, Quesnelle; S. Martin, Vancouver; John Olsen, Vancouver; John Pavelich, Vancouver; Peter Ponark, Vancouver; Ella Smilgemick, Vancouver; M. Sulleck, Vancouver; George Starr, Vancouver; John Sobul, Vancouver; Mrs. Thomas McCulla and daughter, Seattle; C. Copeland, Los Angeles; and wife, of Seattle; P. Lepage, Vancouver; J. B. McIntosh, Greenwood; George Neap, London, Eng.; J. McGillivray, Nova Scotia; A. L. Starkey and wife, London, Eng.; C. H. Dainton, Britannia Beach; S. Kawasguchi, Japan.

Others Missing.

The following cookhouse employees are also missing: A. Evans, A. Gorman, A. Combs, R. Bould, Frank Friet, W. Cox, George Leys, F. Fowler.