New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-10-11
A Man FROZEN. Aa following sad
description of tn btsman at
tached to the Gl edition at
Portage Lake, is erior Jour-
nal of the 18th ulty


Portage Lake, is erior Jour-
nal of the 18th ultN N
Not many days since we had a conversation
with one Of the persons who first saw Mr.. Schls
ter after be was frozen to death last winte
near the Quincy mine, on Portage Lake Tho
whole affair is so sad and striking that it de-
serves more notice than il had received. Mr..
s., it is wei known was one of the best draughts-
men in the United States. His maps made for
the Geological Survey, were mistaken by many
persons at Washington City for engravings
His sketches and plans of the mines are familiar
to every one who has visited Lake Superior
He had been in the country from the commence
ment Of mining operations, engaged in surveys,
explorations and mapping Of locations, and was a
good woodsman. His health and strength, ow-
ing to an unfortunate failing not uncommon in
the early days in the mining region, had be-
come impaired, and as he had some pride in per-
forming his part well, he set out for Portage
Lake, on the day previous to his death, alone
He did this because he knew the country well,
although there was no road, and because his
surveying instruments were with him. There
was track iR the snow made by snow-shoes Of
other parties who preceded him. He left the
North American location about ten o'clock in
the morning, without a blanket or food, and
without matches or flint and steel, expecting to
reach the Quincy mine that night.
The distance is about fifteen miles, through
the woods, and is easily walked on snow shoes
in half day. The next day some parties came
through and stated that Mr. Schlatter had
started in the morning just related, and that on
the way his track had been seen leaving the
usual route. Mr.. sheldon, Mr. Van Anden,
and others at the Quincy, at once concluded he
must have been lost, and although it was now
| night, Immediately started out to find him.
/ About sundown they discovered the place where
he left the track, and following his trail enter
| ed thick cedar swamp. 1t was evident he had
been in the swamps the night previous, and
i that he was lost. He had crawled under logs
and tree tops to find shelter from the snow
/, and wandered about crossing and re-crossins
h Is own track as people do when they are bewil
der ed, but did not 90 to sleep or remain long il
| q place. Itis supposed that in the morning h
| left the swamp, but did not take the prope
| course for the mine, and did not use his compass
to determine the direction
| Although the night was a cold one, even fol
this region, aud the snow. deep, it does not ap
! pear that the feet or hands we're frozen WheI
| It became dark, the party lighted torches, am
pursued the steps of the lest man by the bla
of parcels of birch bark. i1is strength wa
shortrxi - tsylgEhe WA was no doubt
avs atlMew was n a bewildered state, i,,,.r he
ga not straight course, but the valley o.
* About O'Clock in the evening, the
P'-.'g SaaiS uPohi .hS pouy, lying ut length
under the shelter of stout cedar. The tons
and dropping limbs of this tree are SO thick as
frequently to keep the snow from falling for a
space around the roots Mr.. Schlatter, cor.
scious that his fate was fixed, had crawled under
this shelter, and calmly lay down to die-his
compass was laid one side, his hat and wig re-
mained on the other; and he was found-the
vital warmth not all gonej+lNng with his hands
folded across the breast, his@pbs and boH0
Hetly straight, and the face upward
y scene The venerable cedar
he snow, the winter wind moauii
through its branches. n
mining for the first time it hbs, and
the dreary expanse of snow tn On the sur
face of the ground. In the na Of the circle,
dead body, not frozen or disfgured, the coun-
tenance not even disturbed by agony, the eyes
closed, but no doubt remained that it was. the
repose of death. By the glare of the lights the
face of the living contrasted wildly with that
of the dead, expressing the deep emotions of tho
human heart-pity, wonder and sympathS
The body was taken on a litter to the Quincy
mine, and is buried there.