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slide of gigantic proportions passed over the Aspen mines. The engine-house was 
crushed in, and the engine and boiler buried, and several men killed. Half an hour 
later another slide occurred in an adjoining gulch, which passed over the Last Chance 
mine, but without damaging effect. At 5.30 the fire-bell announced the occurrence 
of another slide, and investigation revealed that two ore-wagons, mules, and drivers 
bad been buried in another slide near the Late Acquisition. 
Another slide occurred on Castle Creek last night which caused the closing down 
of the electric-light works. The seven men who started for Maroon Pass yesterday 
morning have not yet been heard from. A slide between here and Ashcroft last even- 
ing took away a shanty, in which a man and woman were known to have lived. 
Just before dark last night three teams and four men were caught on Aspen 
Mountain near the Last Chance mine. They were found to-day uninjured, having 
been imprisoned nineteen hours. 
Aspen, Colo., January 21, 1886.—The results of the terrible snow-slides of Tuesday 
continue to arrive. (Accounts of accidents are given.) During the past three days 
twenty-seven snow-slides have occurred in the neighborhood of Maroon Pass. This 
evening a miner from Conundrum stated that a fearful slide occurred this afternoon 
in exactly the same spot where occurred the fatal slide two years ago in which sey- 
eral men were killed. 
Ouray, Colo., January 21, 1886.—George Boss, mail-carrier, reported a large slide on 
the Dutton mine, in which four miners were swept away and the new plant of ma- 
chinery and houses a total wreck. The Gilpin County Mining Company’s building 
and George Porter’s store at Sneffels are all gone. The loss of life and property will 
be large. 
Leadville, Colo., January 21, 1886.—About 10 this morning a slide occurred on the 
Blue River Branch of the Rio Grande near Chalk ranch. The track covered at 
least 10 feet. 
Gunnison, Colo., January 26, 1886.—News has just been received here of two snow- 
slides which occurred yesterday morning, in the northern end of this county, in which 
five men lost their lives. The Excelsior mine in Poverty Gulch, 8 miles north of 
Crested Butte, was the scene of the horrors. The second slide occurred on White 
House Mountain, in Crystal Basin. Many small slides and narrow escapes are also 
reported in different sections. 
In the following, therefore, that which appeared worth noting in the 
volume referred to has been presented. As far as could be ascertained 
no literature on the subject is extant in this country. 
NATURE OF SNOW. 
Snow is of different qualities according to the temperature of the 
atmosphere, and on its quality depends the form, the manner of forma- 
tion, and the progress of snow-slides and avalanches. 
The temperature at which snow may fall (in the Alps) ranges between 
40° and 12° Fahrenheit. At low temperatures snow falls rarely, and then 
only in fine needle-like crystals. With a north wind it snows mostly 
at a temperature below, with a south wind above, the freezing point. 
The snow-fall at temperatures above zero is to be explained by the ex- 
istence of a lower temperature in the higher strata of the atmosphere 
where the snow forms. During a continuous snow-fall, and especially if 
the wind changes, the temperature, and with it the form of the snow, 
may change considerably. 
Snow falling at low temperatures is dry and composed of small flakes, 

