Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-01-21
THE
FRIDAY MORNING. JANUARY q, 1852

FRIDAY MORNING. JANUARY 81, 1879.
SUFFERING on TIE WESTERN PLAINS.
Mr.. John NJ. Guthrie returned from Salt
Lake City Il few days aga, and gave the
Weekly Platte Argus the following account
of the suferings which he and his conran-
ions endured from the cod weather on the
plains and in the mountains:
1--WE had a call from Mr.. John NJ. Guthrie,
and learn the following facts of has "trip: Mr..
q. left Salt Lake City on the 2ItlI o! Novem-
Der, with the mail on packed animals, IN COM
pany with Il. \. Bcardly, Of New York. 1t
had been showing for seven OF eight days be-
fore Mr.. G.. left the valley. The SNOW was
from one to six feet deep in the Biz Noun
tains and they had to tramp the SNOW to pass
with their animals. Second day out the snow
was o deep that the company got lost andlay
out all night, and the men in charge OF the
mail had their feet and hands frozen, and their
boots had to be cut off of their feet the next
morning. The third day they made Bridgcr
at sunset, and after travelling about twenty
miles got lost again, and were compelled
again to lay down in snow until morning.
Fourth day they made Big Sandy Station,
and left there about two o'clock i'll the even
ing and travelled about twenty miles, wind
blowing from the east. The storm increased
So rs to prevent them from seeing five feet
before them, and compelled them I" lay up.
They campcd in u hollow, and during the
night snow driftcd on them to the depth OF
three feet. Here the whole company almost
froze. Mr.. q. states that his feet and legs
were so numb rs to be almost unable tn stand
up. The mail men, having no bedding. were
compelled to walk around all night to keep
from freezing. Fifth day, left early in the
morning. travelled eight miles; one OF the
mail mems face and hands ir"zc and the 9TH
or was so far frozen as to be almost asleep
Mr.. G. here tindingthat the men would freeze,
took them off and made them walk. They
then turned and went back twenty-cght miles
to Big Sandy.
The next day the wind ceased and they
started in company with Mr.. Ashton, the
mail agent. They reached the South Pass
mt dark. Here the wind raised again, the
snow being driited from five to ten feet deep,
and they again became lost. For three or
four hours they wandered round in hopes t"
find the road, and their only hope was to face
the wind in order to reach Sweet Water,
which they did. They then attempted to
travel down this stream, but the driited snow
was sodccp Us To be impossible. They camp
ed, and Mr.. Ashton froze one Of his feet
while in bed. In the morning they left mules.
mail. and all, and took it afoot down Sweet
Water ON the ice. Mr.. Ashton begged to be
left in bed. a. they had to cut the boots of
ofhis feet. Mr.. q. pulled off his buffalo
moccasins and put them IN Mr.. Ashton,
leaving his feet with only 4 deer skin moe
casin on. The whole company concluded
their time was growing short; but, like he
roes. made a desperate effort, part OF the
time carving Mr.. Ashton. They reached IA
station ten miles distant. They then had
hopes ofmaking the trip, although the Their
mometer stood twenty-seven degrees below
zero. Mr.. Sanders, the surveyor on thenew
road south of Laramie, had Mr.. Miller sta
toned ut this place with a barometer and
thermometer, III order to take notes "t the
weather.
The Oldest mountainccrs-nne in rartiru-
lar. who lives close By the station-statcS
that it was the coolest weather they had eX-
pcrienced for thirty years. They LETT Mr.,
Ashton after LAYING over three or four days.
While here the St. Joseph mail arrived, Mr..
Garyis. the Indian agent for the Snakes COM
ing through with it. They had nine mules
10 freeze tTOuuU liz ttiht NV ~
two feet of the fire. The men oil had Their
hands and feet frozen, and lay four days with
in eight miles of the station, unable to get III.
Here, Majors and Russell had ten men frozen
to death. They attempted to follow the train
and became lost and froze. While here the
Salt Lake mail of December 18th overlook
Mr.. c.. and, having no men to send with the
mail, Mr.. G. took charge Of it and brought
it to Laramie, where nc met an agent having
men. MIR. G. took the coach, in company
with four others passengers: below Laramie
they had but little snow: and the roads were
good most of the time. They found men ut
almost every station on the road frozen,
They met Mr.. Hockaday at Cotton-Wood
Springs, on his way up with mules to supply
the mail stations. From here the roads be-
came muddy and the creeks high, and IL
some places had to swim the muirs.D