Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-01-19

TERRIBLE SUFFERINGs UPON THE PLAINS.
Ten Men Frozen to Death.-Mr. John NJ. Guth-
RE, who left Salt Lake City on the 9th of No
vember for the East, with the mail, gives the
following account of the terrible sufferings
which he and his companions endured from
the cold weather on the plains and in the noun
tans:
at had been showing for seven or eight days
before MIR. g. left the valley. The snow was
from one to six feet deep in the Pig 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, and the men in charge of the mail
had their feet and hands frozen, and 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 lie
down in the snow till morning. Fourth day,
they made Big Sandy Station and left there
about 2 o'clock in the evening, and travelled
twenty miles, wind blowing from the East
The storm increased so as to prevent them
from seeing five feet ahead, and compelled
them again to lay up. They camped in hol-
low, and, during the night, snow drifted on
them to the depth of two or three feet Here
viz "iOiO NOhilduJ diillOeblbEC. wi. W. SldlcS
that his feet and legs were so numb as to be
almost unable to 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 trav-
eled eight miles; one of the mail mems face
and hands froze, and the other was so far froze
as to be almost asleep. Mr. G. here finding
that the men would freeze took them off and
made them walk. They then turned and went
back twenty-eight 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 drifting 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
dritted 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 and all,
and took it afoot down Sweet Water on the
ice. Mr.. Ashton begged to be left in the bed,
as they had to cut the boots on his feet. Mr..
G. pulled off his buffalo moccasins and put
them on Mr.. Acknowledging his feet with on
ly a deer skin moccassin on. The whole COM
pany concluded their time was growing short,
but like heroes made desperate effort-part of
the time carrying Mr., Ashton. They reached
a station-house about ten miles distant They
then had some hopes of making the trip, al
though the thermometer stood twenty-seven
below zero.
They left Mr. Ashton after lying 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 frozen around their camp fire, some
within two feet of it. The men all had their
hands and feet frozen, and lay four days with
in eight miles of the station, unable to get in.
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 Dec overlook Mr.. g., and
having no men to send with the mail, Mr. G.
took charge of it and brought it to Laramie,
where he met an agent having men. Mr.. 6.
took the coach, in company with four other
passengers. Below Laramie they had but lit
tie snow and the roads were good most Of the
time. They found men at almost every station
on the road, frozen"