The Nevada Democrat., 1859-02-16
NEVADA, CALIFORNIA WEDNESDAY, MORNING. FEBRUARY 1859
Horror. or MOunt.in Travel in " inter.


The Weston (No.) Argus of January 7th,
gives the following account Of dreadful suffer
Jugs on the Salt Lake or Central overland mail
route. obtained from mail party that bad just
arrived:
We bad a call from Mr.. JLhR NJ. Guthrie, aud
learn the following facts of his "trip In. Mr.. G..
lett Salt Lake City OF the 9th OF November,
with the mail on packed animals, in company
with q. A. BcaIdly, Of New York. Ii had been
w,ng lor seven or eight days before Mr.. G..
left the valley. The snow was from one to six
feet deep III the Big Mountains and they had
to tramp the snow 10 pass with their animals.
5, cond day out the snow was 30 deep that the
company got lost, and lay out all night, ard
the men iu charge of the mail had their feet
aud hands frozen. aud their boots had to be cut
OH their feel the next u orning.
The third day they made Brdger at sunset
aud after travelling about twenty miles got lost
again, aud We're compelled again to lay down
Ia the SHOW till morning. Fourth day they
made Big Sandy Station, aud left there about
z o'eiock in The evening, aud Travelled about
twenty miles. wind blowing from the east. The
! storm Increased so az to prevent them from
seeing Eve feet before them, and compelled
them again 10 lay up. They were camped in
hollow, aud during the night snow drifted on
them TO the depth Of three feet Here the whole
company almost froze. Mr.. G. states that his
feet aud legs were so numb as to be almost un-
able to stand up. The mail men having no bed
ding, were compelled to walk ,around all night
to keep from freezing.
FIfth'day, left early in the morniug--travel-
ed eight miles; one OF the mail nen's face and
hands frOze, aud the other man was so far fro.
zen as TO be almost asleep. Mr.. G. here finding
that the men would freeze. took them of and
made them walk. They then turned and went
back twenty-eigh, 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 at dark. Here
the wind raised again--the snow being drifted
from five to ten feet deep. aud again they be.
came lost. For three or four hours they wan
dered around in hopes to fud the road, and
their only hope was TO face the wind in order
to reach the Sweet Water, which they did
They then atteptcd to travel down the stream.
but the driited snow was 50 deep az TO be i'm
| passable.
They camped, and Mr.. Ashton froze one of
his feet while in bed. In the morning they
left mules mail, aud all, and took it a-foot
down Sweet Water on thu ice. Mr.. Ashton
begged to be left in the bed, as they had to cut
the boots off bis feet Mr.. G. pulled Off his
buffalo moccasins and put them on Mr.. Ashton,
leaving bis feet with only pair of deer skin
moccasihs. The whole company concluded
their time was growing short, but like heroes
made desperate effort. part of the time car
ryug Mr.. Ashton. They reached " station
about 10 miles distant They then had some
hopes OF making the trip. although the ther-
noneter stood II degrees Lelow zero. Mr..
Sanders, the surveyor on the new road south Of
Larime. had Mr.. Miller stationed at this place
with barometer and thermometer, In order
TO take notes Of the weather. The oldest noun.
tancers. one in particular wh0 lives close by
the station. states that it was the coldest wea.
thcr they had experienced for thirty years
They left Mr.. Ashton, after laying over three
or four days. While here the ST. Joseph mail
arrived, Mr.. GarVis, the Indian Agent for the
Snakes, coming through with it. They had
nine mules TO freeze around their camp fire,
some within two feet Of the hte. TIE men all
had their feet aud hands frozen. and lay four
days within eight miles Of the station, unable
TO get in. Here Majors d Russell had ten men
frozen 10 death. They attempted to follow the
train and became lost and froze. While here
the Salt Lake mail. Of December 4th. overlook
Mr.. G., and having no men TO send with the
mail. Mr.. G. took charge of it and brought il
tn Larime. where he met an agent having men.
Mr.. G. took the coach, In company with four
passengers; below Larime they had but little
snow. aud the roads we're good most Of the
time. They found men at almost every station
on the road Iroz"n. They met Mr.. Hockaday
At Cottonwood Spring, on his way mp with
mules to supply the mail stations. From here
and in some places they had TO swim the mules.