Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-03-29
The Cold Friday of 1910.


January 18th, 1910, was day, the in
tense coldness of which will long be re-
memberrd by those who experienced its
rigor. The evening previous was mild,
but in the night the wind changed, and
the mercury in less than sixteen hours
decended to l3 degrees below zero. A
boisterous wind prevailed, by which trees,
and in some cases, houses were blown
down, and the day became memorable in
New England as "The Coll Friday
Here in Concord, farmers piled on the
wood and tended to their cattle, and that
was about all the day. Form Vol. V. of
the N. H. Historical Collections, the FL
lowing is taken of an occurrence on that
day, in the town of Sanbornton:
ION Friday morning, the 18th Of Jan
uary, Mr.. Jeremiah Ellsworth, of San
bornton, finding the cold very severe, rose
at about half an hour before sunrise. 1t
was but short time before some part of
his house was burst in by the wind. Be-
ing apprehensive that the whole house
would soon be demolished, and that the
lives of the family were in great jeopardy
Mrs. f., with her youngest child, whom
Sue had dressed, went into the cellar, leav-
ing the other two children in bed. Mr..
L. undertook to 90 to the rearest neigh
Dor, which was in a nOrihern direction,
for help, butihe wind was so strong against
him that he found it impracticable. He
then set out for Mr.. David Browns, the
nearest house in another direction, at the
distance of one-fourth of mile. He
reached there about sunrise, his feet con-
siderab'y frozen, and he so overcome by
the cold that he and Mr.. B. thought it too
hazardous for him to return. But Mr.. B.
went with his horse and sleigh with all
possible speed to save the woman and her
children from impending destruction.
Mrs. f. and one child in the cellar, and
the other children in bed, their clothes
having been blown away by the wind, so
that they could not be dressed. Mr.. b.
put bed into the sleigh, and placed the
three children upon it. aud covered them
with their bed clothes. Mrs. L. also got
into the sleigh. They had gone only six
or eight rods before the sleigh was blown
over, and the children, bed and covering
scattered to the wind.
Mrs. f. held the horse, while Mr.. B.
collected the children and bed, and placed
them in the sleigh again. She then con-
GUIDED to walk, but before she reached Mr.
BIS, she was so benumbed by the cold that
she sank down TO the ground finding it
impossible to walk any further. At first
she concluded she must perish, but stimu-
lated by hope of escape, she made an
other effort by crawling on her hands and
knees, in which manner she reached her
her husband, but so altered in her looks
that he did not at first know her. His
anxiety for his children led him twice to
conclude to 90 to their assistance but the
earnest importunities of his wife, who
supposed he would perish, and that she
should survive but a short time, prevented
him. Mr. b. having placed the children
in the sleigh, the second time, had gone
but few rods when the sleigh was blown
over and torn TO pieces, and the children
driven TO some distance. He then col
lected them once more, laid them on the
bed, and covered them, and then called for
help. but TO no purpose. knowing that
the children must soon perish ia that situ-
alton, and being pierced to the heart by
their distressing shriek<, he wrapped them
all in coverlet, and attempted TO carry
them on his shoulder, 5ut was soon blown
down, and the children separated from him
by the violence of the wind. Finding it
impossible to carry them all, he left the
youngest, the one who had happened to
be dressed, placing it by the side of a
large log. He then took one under each
arm, with no other clo;hing than their
shirts, and in this way, though blown down
every few rods, he arrived at his house,
after being absent about two hours. The
children, though frozen stiff, were alive,
but died within few minutes. Mr.. BIS
hands and feet were badly frozen, and he