A FATAL DISASTER.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 202, 28 August 1886, Page 5

A FATAL DISASTER.

Sudden Fall of a Snow Arch in the

White Mountains,

A Boston telegram of July 25th says: — The great snow arch in Tuckerman's ravine, 3,000 feet below the summit of Mount Washington, and just to tbe southeast of it, fell at 2 o'clock on Saturday afternoon and instantly killed Sewall Faunce, the fifteen-year-old son of o Boston lawyer, who has an office on School-street, and severely injured Miss Pierce, of New Bedford. Early in tho morning a party of four gentlemen and six ladios left a cottage in Shelburo, three miles east of Gorbam, for a drive to Crystal cascade, Glen Ellis falls, and a visit to Tuckerman's ravine. The leader of the party induced the father of young Faunce, who was stopping at the same place, to allow him to accompany them on the day's trip. Just at what hour the party entered the ravine ia not known here, but from what can bo learned Faunce and Miss Pierce had entered the arch, and a little after 2 o'clock it fell, instantly killing the former and seriously injuring the latter. The snow arch is one of tho great attractions of Tuckermnn's ravine, and is visited by huudreds of people every summer. The warm weather caused it to melt rapidly, and its fall is from two to four weeks earlier than at any time in the laet ten years. It is exceedingly dangerous for parties to go under it later in the season, and only a year or so ago it fell with a terrific crash within a few minutes after a party had pa*sod under and out of it. Tho party that went out on Saturday consisted of eleven persons. Moat of the party were resting near the arch, some on one side and some on the other, whon suddenly the enow arch came down, burying Master Faunce entirely out of sight, under fully Bix feet of snow. Miss Pierce was more foitunate, boing enveloped to tho waist only. YVhen rescued from ber perilous position she was unable to walk. Word was at onco sent to tho summit, and a relief party started for tho scene of the disaster. The members of tbe I relief party, who haoV taken axes and shovels with them, began at once to remove - the snow. Aft;r chopping and shovelling at tho place that had boen pointed out as where the body of Faunce would probibly be found, they saw it would be impossible to get through the snow for a long time, so they went to work to tun Del under the great mass. They had removed only a small amount, when they came upon tho head of tho unfortunate young men, and after a few minutes' hard work they took the body out. It was in an upright position, crushed back to the rocky wall which formed one side of the arch. Life, of eoursQ, was extinct.