On the night of February 28th, of last year, 1910, the snow stopped.

“But then a wicked thunderstorm moved in,” Jimmy continued. “The rain came down something fierce that night. It wet all that snow and then it froze and made it even heavier. Thunder and lightning hit the mountain as if a hideous war had broke out between the unseen devils who ruled Windy Mountain. I heard tales of how in the middle of the night folks heard the sounds of it starting.

Eddie joined the boys. He knew the story, but the fascination of it drew him back. They all huddled in a corner of the boxcar, listening to Jimmy.

He said he couldn’t sleep so he stepped outside to check the weather. ‘It was well after midnight. The rain was coming down in torrents with thunder and lightning,’ he said. ‘The sky lit up so much you could see the mountain. All of that snow had a sheen on it from the rain and it glistened with a look of pure evil. The whole mountain looked evil. Even in the dark, you could see it towering above us.’

 “You hear the sharp crack of thunder and a flash of lightning so bright, you think that daylight has begun.” Jimmy’s voice was low as he described what happened next. “You begin to hear the low, slow cracking sound of packed snow and ice as it begins to move. Giant fir trees way up there are caught. They snap off like broom sticks, or they’re dragged out of the frozen earth, roots and all. The sound of the slide grows louder. Soon it’s like a freight train that’s lost its brakes. And it’s coming your way.

“A Great Northern employee, a friend of mine, was up there that night. I talked to him the next day. He told me what he heard and saw. All he could do was shake his head and cry.” Jimmy paused as if his friend was right there before him.

 “He said that he stood under the depot’s roof wondering when it would be over. A crack of thunder shook the whole mountain including that little town. Lightning struck, as the echo of the thunder rumbled loud and close. He described it. I’ll never forget what he said. ‘I looked up and saw the white devil move.’ A chill of raw fear ran up his spine. He continued, ‘The lightning must have struck right at the top. Then all went dark again and I heard that sheet of ice and snow tear loose and it began to come down. Lightning hit again. I watched it move right toward us. It was a roaring, grinding thing. I heard trees snapping and giant boulders let loose.

‘We heard a loud rumble that must have woke everybody, even inside the trains. By then there was no escaping. The thing was a monster…

 ’ “He said it must have been ten acres wide and a thousand feet high. He went on, ‘I just froze in horror. It rumbled down the mountain bringing everything in its path with it. Then it smashed into the side of the trains and they were like toys. They were just swept over to the ledge and rolled over and over down to the bottom of Tye Creek. I heard only a few screams. Then silence. I thought they must have all died. It missed some of us and we just watched until it stopped. Then we scrambled to find anybody who was alive. It was a terrible thing. A TERRIBLE THING!”