Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-12-06

Storm and Attempts at ReScue-A
Happy Termination TO e Threatened
Terrible Calamity.
NEW UI.1I, MINI, Nov. 22.-The eX
tfeme western point Of the Winona and
1t. Peter Railroad, now being constructed
by the Chicago and Northwestern Com
?:any, came near being the scene Of one OF
the most terrible calamitits recorded i'll
history.
y gang CT over eight hundred tracklayers
aud iahorcrs in the employment Of Colonel
y. Graft contractor, have been at work for
wes Is past on section Of the road between
Marshall, q this State, and tie Big Sioux
river, in Dakota Territory, on the western
banks Of which il was the desire Of the
Northwestern Company to lay rails before
Lio coming winter. Not contemplating any
heavy ftl OF SHOW during the present
month to interrupt communication, no at
Tempt was made to keep OH hand an extra
s.ct,, rfproyi:ions, the wants Of the COM
na1ay being supplied by cons trilction trains
-UIari. rUnning,' and 10y contributions
fr1lu tie scattered settlements within a
r..ii;tS Of fifty miles.
UE TUESDAY WEEK \ TERRIFIC SNOW
STORM
ya1l.o ou, covering all parts of the State
with q fieecy robe, and buried the gang Of
t.ack!aytls SO that it was impossible foI
avs communication to h. had with them
The telegraph vine to tie Uist.uciiOn-
train Gei,Ct was over one hundred miles
eastward, and ordinary help by COIStruc-
: tinn trans was altogether cat { II. RecOL-
n.ziIg the immine Danger involved in
the situation, Superintendent j. II. Stew
\ a, { organized q rCltftTa! and started to
the rescue If tl,e beleagured men. The
superintendent Was hardly more fortunate
~ Of
Marshall he was caught in a snow-dI ift
! and unable TO advance or retreat, the
/ tlnoatencd men being still sixty miles to
/ the westward. AS the superintendent went
on two other trains started. carrying re-
| lays Ct men to the number Of $50 to aid il
! the rescue, among them some of the
! OLDEST RAILROAD VETERANS IN THE
WEST.
Since the time Of stating till this morn
| ing nothing had been heard Of either Uarty
and heavy storms having prevailed, the
worst fears we've entertained by the officials
/ of the railroad at Winona, while others of
! the line expressed great confidence that no
serious disaster would result, and figured
! OuS on the sectiOn-map numerous places to
which tie camps, by means f teams, could
! betake themselves for shelter. The valley
along the course of the Big Cottonwood
~
we'll settled. On the line Of the former, at
! two stations westward Of Sleepy Eye Sta
ton, was the last telegraph station on the
! road.
/ W;th,regard to Indians, II : arc reported
| east Of the State line. On the arrival Cf
| the Herald Corrt s. OndeDt this afternoon at
! this place, the present terminus of the Wi
| mona and st. Peter railroad, en- route to Sc
! care an account Of the reported calamitieS
/ !.1 hot Il Of
| The whole patty had been rescued and that
! large numbers were in the citv,-which is
| known to fame as the scene of the great In
/ dian massacre i'll 1862. The men present.
I e very Oil. p,dated appearance, the last
: few nights experience having been of a
III, S. ,ja.nNiting character. They are dis
tyibutcd around in various buildings in
town.
STATEMENT OF AN ENGINEER.
T. W. Kim6al, chief engineer of the
section, arrived here with large party
from Marshall, and made the following
statement:
Seven engines were employed on section
,, being stationed east of Marshall. Gangs
! oil men were scattered over about seventy
i've miles OF line in parties of from ten to
/ fifty. Tie snow storm commenced on
tuesday, and snow continued to fall until
I Friday. The various camps were all cut
I Oil from communication with the end of
/ The line ana with each other, and suffered
severely for want of warmth mere than
want Of food. Owing to the storm the men
were obliged TO keep inside the camps.
MANY sWEDES DUG HOLES
and covered themselves with their blankets
to preserve life. At the headquarters of
Colonel De Graft at the State line, there
/ are three frame shaUties, one being used as
a store. a party of fifty men were showed
up, and were consumed with anxiety for
fear other parties would attempt to start
cut and be lest il the storm. Every camp
has been heard from, and not a man is re-
ported lost. On Tuesday, after the first
snow fell, We were confined to the huts,
and spent the time in various Ways-card-
playing by those who felt comfortable
enough TO do SO, others trying to keep
warm, some respondent, but they were
generally late arrivals. The majority took
the affair quietly, confident that the storm
would abate in time for their rescue before
the food gave out. This continued till
Saturday, when we first heard news from
! the outside world. There was
GOOD STORE AT HEADQUARTERS.
l have heard Of no persons suffering from
munger, but if relief had not come soon we
| should have starved. On SATURDAY. and
Sunday the storm abated.