Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-01-25
Railway, mid, Winter, on a Prairie.

VIII ho" P'o0eeu W give you u pLic
outline of my adventures on the prairies
On Monday morning at 9 o'clock VIC lef
Chicago for St. Louis, with the thermom
eter at ID deg. below zero. A great dea
of snow was on the track, which threw u:
somewhat behind time. At o'clock il
the afternoon We encountered now-drifts
and stuck fast We were now out on 9
prairie and six miles distant from the
town Of Pontiac. Here our engine froze
up, and here We were on prairie in the
face of violent wind. As luck had j,
We were well supplied with wood. Gu,
''signals" we're set out in the snow to pre-.
vent trains from either way running into
US. The following day We we're in same
piacs-no train or NO one coming to our
assistance. About mile distant we dis
covered house, and several of us made
our way through the snow to it, for the
purpose of getting food and water. On
our arrival, and after explaining our stu
alton, the man of the house very kindly
proffered all the provisions he had to those
suffering for food but as every thing was
either buried or securely put away, it was
l o'clock before our meal was ready, and
l felt like eating everything within my
reach-fcr SO hours had expired without
tasting a mite or drinking drop of w:ter.
We returned to the cars refreshed, and re.
ported progress, when general rush was
made to the good old mans house-stand-
ing solitary and alone on an open prairie.
The lady of the house cooked until she
was SO tired that she was obliged to give
it up, but kindly offered US all she had ii
we could get cooks to prepare the meals.
Fortunately there were five ladies on the
train-thrcc of them volunteered and wa
ded through the snow to the house, rolled
up their sleeves aud went to work; but
long before the passengers were supplied
with q meal each, the provisions gave out,
aud many had to 60 without. To give
you an idea how cold it was, l will relate
one fact-the milk and sugar froze on the
table whilst We were eating, and the gravy
froze on the plate that contained the meat.
About 5 o'clock 4 locomotive hove in
sight, and after many Intellectual attempts
to reach the train--frozc in herself. An
other engine was dispatched to our relief
aud after taking the frozen engine some
four or five miles to switch, returned af-
ter us, and succeeded in drawing US with.
in four miles Of Lexington, when she, too,
froze up. Here We were without stick
of wood and none to be had nearer than
Lexington. It was now about s o'clock
at highland l think the coldest one l
ever experienced. Those of the passen-
gers, or rather some Of them, becoming
desperate for the want Of food, started on
foot for Lexington, and more thorough.
ly set of used up men could not be found
some had their noses and face frozen,
others their feet, legs and hands-before
reaching the town. Our wood, as l said
before, was completely out, and the only
alternate left was to burn the seats of the
cars; but, about l o'clock at night, and
after several Of the seats had been burned,
a wagon arrived from Lexington with wood
and provisions-two large sized checses
and two sacks Of crackers the cheese was
so badly frozon that we had to kick pieces
off with the heels Of our boots, and then
thaw it on the stove before it could be
eaten. Those who never eat cheese before
cat and relished tt upon this occasion
cheese was on our bcots-cheese was on
our clothes-in our hair-in our pockets
and our stomachs-cheese was on the floor,
on the seats and on the stove, and in
word, cheese was in every hole and corner
whore cheese could possibly get. One en-.
gine after another was dispatched to our
assistance, and eight Of them froze up be-
fore reaching US; the ninth one, however,
managed to draw one or two Of the others
into Lexington where they we're again fix.
cd up, and again sent on their mission,
and about two o'clock Wednesday after.
noon We were drawn into Lexington, and
reached St. Louis on Thursday afternoon,
satisfied that the next time we visit Chi
cago We shall endeavor to avoid the St.
Louis, Alton and Chicago railway-par-
ticularly if in cold weather. The ther.
mometer al Lexington-protected from
the winds-stood at 80 deg. below zero,
and it could not have been less than five
degrees colder on the open prairies. I al
most forgot to state that the cheese and
crackers above alluded to, we're sent to US
at the expense of the Railroad Company.
OLD GUARD.
sgWILLfAM ALEXANDER, Gan insane