The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-02-15
A Fearful Adventure.
An Iowa HAIL Stage Lost I'm a
Storm ON the Prairie.
Terrible Suffering Of the Driver
-Four Days and Nights
'e3S Without Food. r--
A Story of Heroic Endurance and
Wonderful Escape.
From the Iowa Northwest, Eel. a


all that was known up to that date. of
the loss Of the Western Stage. which
runs from Sioux City to Fort Dodge.
The stage that was due here on
Thursday, the 9th, had got lost in
the. great. snow storm during that
night, and as nothing had been seen
of for nearly week, all hope ofthe
driver ever being found alive had
been abandoned.saIt was known that
Charles Hale, the driver on the sta.
| ton from Twin Lakes in Calhoun
| County, to Fort Dodge, had started
late on Thursday afternoon in an
open i sleigh, 5 with the sa mail
for this place. That when he
| left the Lakes it was snow
ing quite fast, That the storm in.
creased, accompanied with a terrific
gale from the northeast, which be-
came more violent every hour through
the night, and as the wind suddenly
| changed around to the northwest, the
cold became intense. All day FRI
day and through the night following,
the air was filed with the driving
snow, which enveloped everything ia
its icy covering, piling heavy drifts In
the streets, blocking highways and
railroads, and sitting through every
creYice of our best houses. 1t was
one of those fearful winter storms
which can only be realized in the full
est degree by the traveller on the
great, bleak, treeless, unsettled
prairies of the Northwest. ae llfi
As soon as the storm abated partiesr
started out to look for the missing
stage, but up to the time of our last
issue no trace of the lost driver could
be found. On Wednesday night Mr.
Rifenbary 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 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 DIR. Olney,
and everything that skill and good
care can accomplish Willsbe done to
save his life and limbs 4ucge v.spWKna
On-Saturday, after he had some-
what revived, we went over to see
him, and. learn FROM hls own lips the
story of his fearful sufferings aud all
most miraculous escape from the ter y
rible fate that every winter oyertakes
some unfortunate traveller on the great
prairies of Northwestern Iowa. f23 -
oNTHuRsDAY, THE 24TH OF JANUARY,
at half past four o'clock in the after.
noon, Charles Hale left the station at
Twin Lakes, in Calhoun county, twen- !,
lty-six miles west of Fort Dodge, with.
the Sioux City mail, in an open sleigh
drawn by two horses. ~. 81,
The day had been very pleasant, but
Just before he started, it began to
snow The wind was in the north ,
east, and as night came on, it increas- (
ed to a strong gale, the snow. falling I,
thicker and faster, so that it soon be-
came difficult to keep the road, which
is simply a track, across, the great +.
prairie, without a fence, tree, or house
He passed a small deserted cabin (the
only building of any kind on the
route) just after dark, and soon after,
the night became so dark, and the
blinding storm was driving so fercely
in his face that he was unable to O
guide his team, or see any signs OF the
road. He knew that he could not be
more than a mile or two from
the Yates settlement, and. be.
| lievinga that the horses would lind
| their way to the station, he left them
free to take their own course. After
| travelling thus long time, aud failing
tn reach the settlement, he knew that
/ tbe team had lost the road, but was
/ utterly unable to- determine whether 81
1 he was north, south, east, or west OF ?
| the station. Aware of the hopeless i
ness of finding the road or settlement
IN the dense darkness that had by q
this time come on, he determined to
turn around and try to tretraee his
tracks to the deserted cabin which he
had passed. ~ al ~, ,TiFgss
But the. storm, which, had been d
steadily increasing with. each hour,
drifted the snow over the track al
most 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 at once determined that his
only chance for life was to keep the
| team moving slowly. that they should
not perish with cold before morning.3 q
MI. Hale had taken the precaution O
! 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 PaiI o. =.
mittens, pair of thick boots ana put 2
tfalo overshoes, and over ail OF MS
clothing was wrapped a large, heavy .
as E9Ssss srts GBSsiGsih ssh he kept rs s% ssa
sIo1lv I moving, knowing very we'll
sbst if they stopped, the team and
driver would soon become chilled
through, and the sleep and stupor5