Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1872-03-07
SIXTEEN DAYS OF PERIL.

Adam Aulbach, assistant editor of the
Corinne Reporter, recounts in that journal the
sufferings of himself and fellow passengers
in the but recently terminated snow blockade
ON the Union Pacific Railroad. We make
the following extracts from his letter, show
ing some of the trials, difficulties, and vicissl-
tudes which beset him and his fellow passen.
gers during their sixteen days of peril. Mr..
A. says: .#ls 5t
"From Laramie to Bitter Creek, distance
of two hundred miles, is where the heroes of
the shovel displayed endurance, where the
piously inclined travellers held fast meetings,
where the snow towers above the cars, where
the U. p. managers tried hard, within dis
agreeable proximity of success, to start an
extensive grave yard, astretch of country that
will eyer remain memorable with the late
unfortunate travellers. The blockade fairly
set in eighteen miles this side of Laramie, and
for sixteen days the trains with their precious
human freight, dragged their slow lengths
along. q The substantial provisions of the
company--the wholesome food above men,
tioned-were brought forth with undertaking
regularity, and for sixteen days the passen-
gers had crackers and cheese for breakfast,
cheese and crackers for dinner and crackers
and cheese for supper, washed down by suck
ing cakes of snow, often being totally with
out water. This steady diet had q binding
effect upon the hungry travellers, and . coma
pagaois dw coyage, q young silver king of
ders before he found relief, g,,,a,',ga
awe escaped martyrdom to railroad mis-
management, but a victim was found in the
little daughter of Mrs. Louis Famonti, of
Montana. The remains Of the child were
brought to Corinne, and buried last Sunday.
The grief-stricken mother continued her Jour-
ney to Montana, there to join her husband,
but it win be a melancholy meeting. Several
doubt but that some disease may have insinu-
ated itself into the system of others which
has not yet had time to develop.
%yys y M - tMe
i.The passengers turned out en- masse Sun
day, February 4th, the wind blowing gale
and the snow drifting in binding clouds, and
cleared more track in fivehours than the COM
pany's force had done with more favorable
weather the two days previous. Half-hour
changes were made, each of which seemed
day to the attenuated workers, but they were
like the boy after the woodchuck, who, being
told he could not get him, exclaimed: ''Get
him? Hi! must have him. The folks are
out of meat" We werein the same extremity
Coal had given out, and frost and starvation
stared the passengers in the face. OF course,
no umcouth language was used against the
company on that day, it being Sunday; the
fourth commandment was frequently thought
Of. A salutary example was given the COM
pany which didsonle good, for the company's
force labored with better effect after that.
The demand to open the express cars was
complied with, but their contents, frozen po-
tatoes and onions, only added fuel to the fire
of indignation. The passengers now fully
resigned themselves to the situation, and those
who had shoyeled snow in the morning could
not again be tempted to leave their cars. The
wind and storm prevailed up to last Friday
morning, when the weather grew miider and
news flashed across the wires of our deliver
ance from the blockade. We can assign no
other cause than incompetency for the block
ade. The passengers demonstrated clearly
that the distractions are not insurmountable
The force is not strong enough to cope with
the difficulties. The want of motive power
is sadly felt, and the nine hundred loaded
freight cars at Cheyenne and Sidney win be
a long time in reaching their destination. The
snow Is packed tightly on the track, and some
cuts are from ten TO fifteen feet deep and two
miles in length. Should the weather turn
suddenly warm, the change will be as disas-
trous to travel as further snow storms
would be. The mild weather of the past few
days will give the snow crust, and If the
proper exertion is made communication viii
remain uninterrupted with the east.
.zif32 R-&<9D\r