The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1867-02-20
From the Iowa Northwest, Fab. 6.
A Fearful Adventure In . Snow 8 torn

From the Iowa Northwest, Fab 6.
A Fearful Adventure In snow-storn
On Wednesday last, we published all tn
was known up to that date, of the loss
the Western stage, which runs from Siou
City to Fort Dodge. The stage that wa
!. due here on Thursday, the Oath, had &c
lost in the great snow storm during tn,
night, and as nothing had been seen of
for nearly week, all hope of the drive
ever being found alive, had been abandon
ed. 1t was known that Charles Hale, IL,
driver on the station from Twin Lakes
Calhoun county, to Fort Dodge, had star
ed late on Thursday afternoon in an ope
sleigh, with the mail for this place. Tha
when he left, the Lakes, it was snowin
quite fast. That the storm increased, at
companied with a terrific gale from tn
northeast, which became more violent eve
lry hour through the night, and as the win,
suddenly changed around to the northwes
the cold became intense. All day Friday
and through the night following, the al
was filled with the driving snow, whicl
enveloped everything in its icy covering
piling heavy drifts in the streets, blockin!
highways and railroads, and sitting throucl
every crevice of our best houses. 1t wa.
one of those fearful winter storms which
can only be realized in the fullest degree
by the traveller on the great, bleak, tree
less, unsettled prairies of the Northwest.
As soon as the storm abated parties
started out to look for the missing stage
but up to the time Of our last issue, nc
trace of the lost driver could be found
Wednesday night Mr.. Rifentary came in
from Dayton and brought word that Mr.
Hale was alive, but badly frozen, and had
made his way into the settlement five miles
west of Dayton, on Monday afternoon
The agent at this place, Mr.. Albee, sent a
team early the next morning to bring him
into town, if he was able to be moved
Upon his arrival he was placed under the
care of DR.. Olney, and everything that
skill and good care can accomplish will be
done to save his life and limbs.
On Saturday, after he had somewhat re-
vived we went over to'see him, and learned
from his own lips the story of his fearful
sufferings and almost miraculous escape
from the terrible fate that every winter
| overtakes some unfortunate traveller on
the great prairies Of Northwestern Iowa.
ON THURSDAY, JANUARY "a,
at halfpast four o'clock in the afternoon,
Charles Hale left the station at Twin
Lakes, in Calhoun county, twenty-six
miles west of Fort Dodge, with the Sioux
City mail, in an open sleigh drawn by two
horses.
The day had been very pleasant, but
just before he started, it began to snow
The wind was in the northeast, and as
piOhf mo on ~ ;noro,cal 20 =, ,&.o,~
gale, the snow falling thicker and faster,
SO that it soon became difficult to keep the
road, which is simply track across the
great prairie, without fence, tree or
house to guide the traveller, for ten miles.
tie passed a small deserted cabin (the on
ly building of any kind on the route) just
after dark, and soon after, the night be-
came so dark, and the binding storm was
driving, so fercely in his face, that he was
unable to guide his team, or see any signs
of the road. He knew that he could not
be more than mile or two from the Yates
settlement, and believing that the horses
would find their way to the station, he left
them free to take their own course. After
travelling thus long time, and failing to
reach the settlement, he knew that the
team had lost the road, but was utterly
unable to determine whether he was north,
south, east or west of the station. Aware
of the hopelessness of finding the road or
settlement, in the dense darkness that had
by this time come on, he determined to
turn around and try to retrace his tracks
to the deserted cabin which he had passed.
But the storm which had been steadily
increasing with each hour, drifted the
snow over the track almost as fast as it was
made and Mr.. Hale soon found that he had
lost all traces of it, and was wandering
around on the great prairie, utterly lost
His presence of mind never deserted him,
and he ut once determined that his only
chance for life was to keep the team NOV
ing slowly, that they should not perish
with cold before morning.
Mr.. Hale had taken the precaution to
prepare for storm before he left the
Lakes. He had on two flannel shirts, two
pair of socks, two pair of pants, two heavy
coats, two pair of mittens, pair Of thick
boots and buffalo overshoes, and over all
of his clothing was wrapped large heavy
rubber overcoat. All through that long
terrible night he kept his team slowly
moving, knowing very well that if they
stopped, the team and driver would soon
become chilled through, and the sleep and
stupor which precedes death from freezing,
would seize upon them long before morn
ing. All through the night the storm
seemed to be gathering in strength and flu
ry, and we all remember the terrible
FRIDAY
that followed. Business in town was en-
tirely suspended. No stages left the sta
tions, streets were blocked up, railroads all
over the country were buried beneath the
great drifts, cattle perished with cold
And out in the midst of great prairie,
alone and lost the driver of the Western
stage watched anxiously for daylight
When morning came, the storm darkened
the sky so completely that he could not
discern the direction of the sun at any
time during the day.
Early in the day the horses which had
been travelling through the great drifts for
about eighteen hours, gave out and could
90 no farther. Mr.. Hale hesitated not
moment, but unhitching them from the
sleigh, he turned them loose, that they
might if possible reach some settlement.
He was now left entirely alone, in the
midst Of the most terrific storm of
the winter, the snow two feet deep, and
lying in imense drifts, miles and miles from
the nearest habitation, with no idea of
which direction he must travel, or what dis
tance to reach the nearest shelter. Sup
posing that he was north of the main road,
he started in the direction which he sup
posed to be south, in hopes that he might dis
cover the lost track. Hour after::hour did he
wade through the snow, with the fearful
storm chilling him through and through.