The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1859-01-21


Mr.. John NJ. Gathrie returned from
Salt Lake City few days since, and gave
.he Weekly Platte Argus the following
account Of the horrible suferings which
he and his companions eLdured from the
cold weather on the plains aud 10 lhe
mountains:
Mr. @ lef; Salt Lake CITY on the 9th
.of November, with the mail on packed an
imals, in company with G. A Beardloy.
Of New York. Ii had boon showing Tor
seven or eight days before Mr. G.. left
the valley. The snow from one to six
feet deep in the Pig Mountains, aud 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
on. all night, and the men in charge Of
the mail had their feet and hands frozen,
and their boots had TO be cut off their feet
the next morning.
The third day they made Bridger al
sunnet, and after travelling about twenty
miles got lost again, and were compelled
again TO lay down in the snow till morn
ing. Fourth day they made Big Sandy
Station, and left there about O'Clock 10.
the evening aud Travelled twenty miles,
wind blowing from the east. The storm
increased so as to prevent them from see
ing 5 feet ahead, and compelled them again
to lay up They oamped 10 a hollow. and
daring the night snow drifled on them to
the depth Of three fact, Here the whole
company almost froze. Mr. G.. states
that his feet and legs were so dumb as to
be almost unable to stand up. The mail
men having no bedding were compelled TO
walk around all night to keep from freez-
ing.
Fifth eay-left early in the morning
Travelled eight milestone Of the mail
mems face and hands froze, aud the other
was so far froze as TO be almost asleep.-
Mr. G. here finding that the men would
free ze, took them off and made them walk
They then turned aud went back % miles
to Big Sandy. The next day the wind
ceased and they started in company with
Mr.. Ashton. the mail agent. They reach
ed the South Pass at dark Here the
wind raised again; the snow being drifted
from five to ten feet deep, and-they again
became lost-for three or four hours they
wandered round in hopes to fnd tho road
and their only hopes was TO face the wind
in ords, 20 reach Sweet Water, which
they did. They then attempted to trav-
el down this stream, but the drifted snow
was so deep as to be impossible. They
escaped and Mr.. Ashton froze one Of his
feet while in the bed
In the morning they left mules. mail
aud all. and took II foot down Sweet Wa
ter on the ice. Mr.. Ashton begged to b,
left in bod, as they bad 10 cut the boot,
OF Of his feet Mr.. G pulled off mis- buf
falo moccasins aud put them on Mr.. Ash.
ton--leaying his feet with only deer skin
mocoasin on The whole company con.
cluded their time was growing short, but
like heroes. made desperate effort-parI
Of the time carrying nr Ashton. They
reached a station house about ten miles
distant. iheT then had some hopes of
making the trip, although the theEMom-
eter stood twenty.seven degrees bslow ze-
70. Mr.. Sanders, the surveyor on the
new road south of Laramie had Mr. Mil
Ter stationed at this place withka barome-
ter and thermometer in order TO take notes
of the weather. The oldest mountaineers
one in particular who lives {close by the
station, states that il was the coldes
weather they had experienced for thirty
years.