Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-02-22
WHOLE NUMBER 1901.

sEeP: over the PIairisa, and the sRoW-dfhs
blinded them.
The wind blew s.ill harder than when they
arrived at Lexington. and the candle in ths
lantern went out, leaving them in slmost tote,
darkness in an open prairie. exposed 10 the in
elemency Of the weather. aud unable to pro.
eeed. as they mad lost their way They drove
around 10 different directions for about four
hours, when they found farm house Mr..
Dawson's. Here they took the gears of thelr
horses to feed them, and warm thsmselyss.-
One Of the horses broke loose and was soon
Ost to sight, as be scampered OF towards his
nome. Started at daylight with three horses.
The horses wouldn't ptlf together They EN-.
ployed farmer 10 assist them in getting back
on the road, and hired horse Of bis. They
reached Pontiac Wednesday evening, at dark
hired four fresh horses, and took on about fifty
more bags Of eastern mail, sent from this city.
Took supper. and then started for Deight.
They left Mr. Burnap at Pontiac, and Mr..
Fitch, road agent, wen! with them. They
reached a railroad station house, KEEP! by an
individual named NcManus. at place about
niles from Dwight, called 0dell, at la O'Clock
Wednesday night Their lantern had again
been eztinguished, and they were almost help
less, they we're SO benumsd with cold Nc
hanus refused 10 open his door, notWilhsIand.
ing they told him who they were, their bus
ness, and tha: they we're in danger Of being
frozen TO death, Offer Of pay, entreaty, and
even threats. all were resoryed TO, but with no
avail. Iney were fnally compelled TO break
in The door Of his kitchen, and warm them
selves without Obtaining his consent.
They soon started, and when within three
miles Of Dwight, the tongue Of their sleigh
broke. and their light again went out. They
bound the tongue together land walked through
lie snow in advance Of the sleigh, 10 prevent
running into some ~. or down some embank.
ment About daylight, Thursday morning,
the wind was blowing very hard, filing their
eyes with snow, so that they we're unable to
see more than few feet ahead Of them. They
ran into deep ditch filed With shOw, and
we're unable to exlricate themselves. Mr. Ea-
ton started to Dwight on foot for help to get
them out of the snow drift, Capt COuzsiAs.
and the driver, meantime, proceeded to unload
the sleigh, and carry tbe mail up the steep
bank to the level ground
Mr. Eaton met boy on horseback, and sent
aim to the sleigh. The entire party than went
to work to get the sleigh out. The boy then
informed them that they were two miles and
half on the road to Dwight. They employed
him to show them the road, They reached
Dwight during the forenoon, and found at that
place two passenger trains, bound for St. Louis,
full of passengers, as well as two cars full of
newspapers, and eighty bags Of letters. Mr.
Eaton then commenced making preparations
for carrying the mails they had taken so far,
on to Chicago, which place he probably reach
ed on Friday Capt. Cousins started back a.
gain about ten O'Clock. with the letter bags for
this city, in the sleigh, He reached Pontiac
at dark. on the same day. Mr. Fitch stopped
here, and Burnap took his place. The driver
refused to proceed farther, and the pilot, or as
si.tant driver was drunk. The Captain and
Burnap resolved to start without them, which
they did.
The driver afterwards concluded to follow
them, ard drive them through. They travel.
ed al! n ght, and reached Bloomington, at IL
o'clock on Friday evening. Here they took
the cars, reached Alton at ten o'clock, Friday
night, and arrived in this city yesterday morn
ing, with sxty.three letter bags, full, and three
newspaper bags. The Postmaster tells us that,
upon distributing the letters brought down, he
found them to amount to about 10000,