The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1859-02-10
miscellaneous
Horrible Suffering upon the Plain g

Horrible Suffering upon the Plain g
Mr.. John NJ. Guthrie returned from
Salt Lake City few days since and
gave the Weekly Platte Argus the fol.
lowing account of the horrible suffering
which he and his companions endured
from the cold weather on the plains and
in the mountains
Mr.. G.. left Salt Lake City on the 9th
Of November with the mail on pack au-
imals, in company with G. A. BCardly,
of New York 1t had been showing for
seven or eight days before Mr. G left
the valley The snow was from one to
six feet deep in the Big Mountains, and
they had to tramp the snow to pass with
their animals. Second day out the snow
was so deep that the company got lost
and lay out all night, the men in charge
Of the mail had their feet and hands
frozen aud the boots had to be cut off
their feet the next morning. The third
day they made Bridger at sunset, and
after travelling about twenty miles got
lost again, and were compelled again to
lay down in the snow till morning
Fourth day they made Big Sandy Station,
and left there about o'clock in the
evening and travelled twenty miles,
wind blowing from the cast. The storm
increased so as to prevent them from
seeing 8 feet ahead and compelled them
again to lay up. They camped in a hol-
low, and during the night snow drifted
on them to the depth of three feet. Here
the whole company almost frozc. Mr..
g. states that his feet and legs we're so
numb as to be almost unable to stand
up. The mail men, having no bedding,
were compelled to walk around to keep
from freezing Fifth day-left early
in the mOrning-traveled eight miles
one of the mail mems face and hands
froze, and he was so far froze as to be
almost asleep. Mr. c. here finding that
the men would freeze, took them off
and made them walk. They then turn
ed and went back % miles to Big San.
dy. The next day the wind ceased, and
they started in company with Mr. Ash
ton, the mail agent. They reached the
South Pass at dark. Here the wind
raised again. the snow being dritted
from five to ten feet deep, and they
again became lost-for three or four
hours they wandered round in hopes to
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 drifted snow was so deep
as to be impossible. They camped 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 the bed, and they had to
cut the boots off his feet. Mr.. G. pull
ed off his buffalo moccasins and put them
on Mr. Acknowledging his own feet
with only deer-skin moccasin on
The whole company concluded their
time was short, but like heroes, made a
desperate effort--part of the time carry
ing Mr.. Ashton. They reached sta
ton about ten miles distant They
then had some hopes Of making the
trip, although the thermometer stood
twenty-seven degrees below zero. Mr..
Sanders, the surveyor on the new road
to Laramie, had Mr. Miller stationed at
this place with a Barometer and Their
mometer in order to take notes of the
weather The oldest mountaincers,
one in particular, who lives close by the
station, state that it was the coolest
weather they had experienced Cor thirty
years.
They left Mr.. Ashton after laying
over three or four days. While here
the St. Joseph mail arriyed--Mr. Gar
Wis the Indian agent for the Snakes
coming through with it, They had nine
mules frozen around their camp fire.
The men all had their hands and feet
frozen, and lay four days within eight
lays Of the station, unable to get in
Here Majors and Russell had ten men
frozen to death. They attempted to fol-
low the train and became lost and frozo
While here the Salt Lake mail of Dec
4th, overlook Mr.. c., and having nc
men to send with the mail, Mr.. G. took
charge of it and took it to Laramie
where he met an agent having men,
Mr. G. took the coach, in company with
other passengers; below Laramie they
had but little snow, and the roads were
good most of the time They found
men at almost every station on the road
frozen. They met Mr.. Hockaday at Cot.
ton Wood Springs on his way up with
the mules to supply the mail stations
From hero the roads became muddy and
the creeks high, and in some places had
to swim the mules.
The stage company refunded Mr.
Guthrie his passage money at St. Jo-
seph, on account of attention to Mr.,
Ashton, the agent the hands, aud for
taking charge of the maitland bringing il
through from South Pass to Laramie
himself
New Kird cf Cider.