The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1855-02-15
From the St. Louis Intelligencer Of February3.
Latest from the Frozen Trains.-Great
Suffering and PFiVati0n. Distress OF
PRagemReFS,

Latest from the Frozen TraIns--Gre0t
suffering and observation-disclosures OF
Passengers.
We conversed, this morning, with a
gentleman, citizen of St. Louis, who
came down last night from Springfield,
and who gave us some information Of the
condition Of affairs on the railroads.
Our informant left Bloomington last Sun
day, and by dint of severe labor, in which
all the passengers toiled heartily and la
boriously. the train succeeded in making
its way through. At one drift the snow
was so deep that it overtopped the cars,
and the train had to root its way through,
completely hid from view, and enveloped
in the bleak shroud. To aid the engine,
the passengers turned out, and having
lot of shoyels prepared for an emergen-
cy, worked for several hours, in throwing
the snow off the track The intensity Of
the cold may be imagined. when it is sta
ted that the thermometer indicated thirty
degrees below zero. Twenty-seven miles
beyon Bloomington a train of cars was
frozen up in drift not able either to pro-
ceed or retreat, in consequence OF lack
of fuel. The cars were filed with pas
sengers, many of whom are women and
children, and their sufferings may be con-
ceived when we state that they had torn
three cars 10 pieces for fuel. While our
Informant was at Bloomington, an effort
was made to reach the sufferers. Sleighs
we're started off to the spot, but after a
day of weary labor, in which the horses
were broken down and exhausted, they
returned to Bloomington, having gone
only twelve miles. The great depth OF
the snow, the difficulty of getting through
the huge drifts, lying at frequent inter
vals along the prairies the terrific force
Of the wind, which filled the air with
whirling snow and the almost insuffera-
BILE severity ofthe cold-msde the attempt
10 reach the cars with sleighS, a hopeless
and futile task. So much for the suffer.
ing on the Chicago and Mississippi Road
On the illinois Central, affairs are worse
still. A train is frozen up near Decatur
and the wrelched passengers suffer, mo-
only for lack Of fuel but for want of food
and shocking to relate, were compelled
by the bitter necessities of their condition
to eat days 10 kepp from siarv'ng. Tins
fact is reliably stated in the Bloomington
and Springfield papers, andis further con
firmed, says our informant, by the tesll
mony of individuals in Bloomington. In
deed it was subject of conversation In
that city. We can imagine how deplora
BILE must be the situation Of persons. and
to what extremities they are reduced
when they have no other alternative thar
to eat dog flesh to drive off the demon o
starvation.
A MIR. Morgan nephew of the Superin
tendent of the Chicago and Mississippi
) road, had both his legs frozen. and it |
feared that many others have suffered
similar calamities. A like condition @
things prevails on the Rock Island rail
, road, though no detailed accounts iron
, there have reached us. Gov. Matteso
! had sent dispatches to Bloomington t
have the track cleared. that the train
might come through, at any expense. |
5, was supposed yesterday in Springfield
I that a sufficient number Of the absen
Legislators would get in to-day, to con
stitute quorum in both houses.
We doubt very much if the tracks vii
be entirely cleared for several days longe
yet, unless human efforts are aided by tn
melting influence of the sun. There ar
|. business men Of 81. Louis at Blooming
ton. anxious to get on to New York, an
others at Chicago, who are anxious to re
; turn home. A dispatch from Chicago
y sterday gives the reason to hope tia
the track will be clear as soon as we ex
pected. The delayed mails will hardl
reach here before Sunday or Monday.