New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-03-10
THE pERILs OF THE PRAIRIE IN WINTER.

About nine ten years ago we witnessed snow storm
upon the Grand Prairie of Illinois and the
wind has clear sweep the surface of Lake Michigan
800 miles cng and thence equal extent Of bare
prairie-.hst was not matched by the terrible which
swept over The Atlantic coast Monday night, February
90 In feet we have many terrible storms in
New but equal TO those OF the Western pra
res for terrific grandeur spd terrible danger TO those who
chance be caught out far from shelter We have seen
ice solitude of he deep forest but never found spot
where grow that lonely and desolae the mid
de Of brood prairie midnight in winter We have felt
the full force Of the icerushing power of food bursting
river upon frah boat and have chung to sea tossed
wreck upon lee shore and have t the full blast Of
prairie snow storm as ii ho.ed while lying wrapt
in cloak upon the frozen ground add that OF all others
Is the mos, terrible rorm that the and.msn can know.
Ia the woods one can get behind a tree or rock, or
bush perchsnce can find hollow log or stump which
viii afford him sheer but upon the broad sxpanse Of those
srel vest m pastures there shelter hope even
the ass has been swept away in the ausumns fires and
ne traveller feels night approaching sees nothing around
bu, the cos black surface bound around at the hori
zon On every side with black clouds just beginning to spit
snow ey.ry fake Of which viii be hurled before the north
wind in Il. eourse TO the earth, mile after me before il
ends rssog place and before that traveller can find
estirg place where may be not also be driven by that
sind blinded 90 he will be by the snsw' How often
sh such prospect before have we strained our eyes
q catch The sigh, Of some grove or tree, or LAID mark 70
yrde our course before the storm or before dark
cess shut out all signs hid al gudes and left US the wind
alone TO seer by scros the miles intervening between
the SPOT where darkuess down like thick vail aud
lie hre.side which striving to reach We have
sen s,eered cur By that OF the wind but tins ID ex
emeiy difficult in storm ne seems 70 come
A. at oroe cu even point of compass and with force
enough 10 tbru.t strong man radely to the earth
One of the most OF these prairie snow storms par
,cn.,Iv reeoleeed came on about the middle OF Noyem
Der we think N ls44 the day previous having been 40
bright sunny one AID warm than the day preeed
ny cur late crest storm In fact the weather ali along
had been 50 mid thai many persons bad not dcnned their
winter clothing This The with one Of neigh
Ron BY tie rame Of Wells stout hearty man, tough
Knot and apparently hard as q Canada 'hisle to kill
This man eft home in the morning the day previous to
70 nil job usually occupying two days one to 20 aad
one to coma providing the miller able to fnsh the
srst during the night which in this case be would not
10 uni night the second day. which was ooeo sur
passing beauty such OILY American suumn an'fas
mt near srndoxn when il commenced moving oa' Only
wfh sight prospec, Of storm Mr. "es s'oPpea
house ven niles from The mill just Q; dark. and was
aooed nv the 10 stay ill mOrrng o. o. any rate
an sner sunney az he said he had eaten nothing since
,oyn;,, bu he said be rust would 90 home that night
ps nile from The bouse lie passed on; Of Bourboacs
ove on to the Grand Prairie open to the norh fifty miles
q Chicago and the Lake and in every ether direction only
broken By here ard there grove As be le be shelter
If ts tinker tie full force Of ncrhess storm met hin
he face The nearest hoase several niles distant IN
that direction He nigh; hsye turned beck bu. that was
70. Z h, nssre-he Go; the man to urn his b'ek