The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-02-09

From the St. Louis Intcig.ncor Of Fe,ruarv3
latest from the Frozen Trains---f.rcat Suffering
and Observation-Disclosures of Passengers.
We conversed, this mourning, with a gentle
man. a citizen of St Louis, who came down last
night from Springfield, and who gave US some
information of the condition of affairs on the rail-
roads. Our informant left Bloomington last Sun
day, and by dint Of severe labor, in which all
tie passengers toiled heartily and laboriousiy
the train succeeded in making its way through.
A, one drift the snow was deep that il over
topped the cars, and the train had to root its war
through mplete y hid from view, and envelop
ed in the bleak shroud. To aid the engine, the
passengers turned out, and having lot Of shov-
els prepared for an emergency, worked for several
hours, IN throwing the snow off the track The
intensity Of the cold may be imagined. when it
Is stated that the thermometer indicated thirty
degrees below zero. Twenty seven miles bevo
Bloomington train of cars was frozen ND in a
drift, not able either TO proceed or retreat in
Consequence Of lack OF fuel The cars were
filed with passengers, many OF whom are wo-
men and children, and their sufferings may be
conceived when we state that they had torn three
cars to pieces for fuel. While our informant was
a Bloomington, an effort made to reach the
sufferers, Sleighs were started off to the spot,
bl: after a day OF weary labor, in which the
horses were broken down and exhausted they
returned to Blooming ton, having gone only twelve
miles. The grea; depth of the snow, the diff
culty Of getting through the huge drifts, living
Al frequent intervals along the prairies, the ter
rife force OF the wind, which flied the air with
whirling snow, and the almost insuferabe severity
Of the cold-Enade the attempt to reach the cars
with -leighs, hopeless and futile task So
much for the suffering on the Chicago and Mis-
sipPi Road.
On the Illinois Central, affairs are worse still
A t ain Is frozen up near Decatur and the wret-
ched passengers suffer, not only for lack Of fuel
but for want of food, and shocking 70 relate.
were compelled by the bitter necessities of their
condition 10 eat dogs 10 keep from starring. This
fact IS reliably stated in the Bloomington and
Springfield papers. and is further confirmed, says
our informant, by the testimony Of individuals
IN Bloomington. Indeed, it was subject OF
conversation in that city. We can imagine how
deplorable must be the situation of persons, and
to what extremities they reduced, when they
have no other alternative than to eat dog flesh TO
drive off the demon Of starvation.
A Mr.. Morgan, nephew of the Superintendent
of the Chicago and Mississippi road. had both
his legs frozen and it is feared that many Others
have suffered similar calaInies. like condition
of things prevails the Rock Island railroad.
though detailed accounts from there have
reached Us Cor. Ma.teson had sent dispatches
To Bloomington 70 have the track cleared, thAs
the trains might come through. at any expense
l. was supposed yesterday IN Springfield, that
sufficient number Of the absent Legislators would
get in to day. constitute quorum in both houses