The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-26


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/ ICorrespon Of EGw York Herald 81 -
GEw ULMs MIN, November %. 1872 -
The extreme western point of the w mona
| and St. Peter Tailroad, now being con.
| structed by the Chicago and Northwestern
Company, came near being the scene of enc
of the most terrible calamities recorded in
history. 49,, 3 !.
A gang Of overnight hundred tracklayers
land ,laborers in the employment of Colonel
De Graf, contractor, have been atwoFk for
weeks past on a section Of the road between
Marshall, of this State, and the Big Sioux
river, In Dakota Territory, on the western
banks which it was the desire of the North
western Company to lay rails before the
coming winter. Not contemplating any
heavy fall Of snow during the present month
| to interrupt communication, no attempt was
made to keep on hand an extra stock of pro-
visions, the wants of the company being
| supplied by construction trains regularly
running, and by contributions from the
l
miles. a:..g.,, -, ...-.yssz.s
ON TUESDAY WEEK A TERRIFIC sSow-sToRm
came on, covering all parts of The State with
a deecy robe, and buried the gang of track
layers so TINT it was impossible for any CON-
munication:to be had with them. The tele-
graph wire. to the construction train depot
was over one hundred miles eastward, and
ordinary help by construction trains was
altogether cut of. Recognizing the imminent
danger involved in the situation, Superin-
tendent j. Fl. Stewart organized relief train
! and started to the rescue Of the beleagured
| men. The superintendent was hardly more
fortunate than the men, for within twenty
miles Of Marshall he was caught in snow
| drift and unable to advance or retreat, the
| threatened men being still sixty miles to the
| westward. AS the superintendent went out
two other trains started, carrying relays OF
men to the number of $50 to aid in the rescue,
| among them some of the ...-...
OLDEST RAILROAD VETERANS IN THE WEST.
Since the time of starting till this morning
pothing had been heard of either party, and
heavy storms having prevailed, the worst
fears were 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 out on
the section-map numerous places to which
the camps, by means of teams, could betake
themselves for shelter. The valley along the
course of the Big Cottonwood and Mime
sofa rivers were reported to be well settled.
On the line of the former, at two stations
westward Of Sleepy Eye station, was the last
| telegraph station on the road.
With regard to Indians, none reported east
49, nx,< l~rtt
| correspondent this afternoon at this place,
the present terminus of the Winona and st.
Peter railroad, en- route to secure an account
of the reported calamities, he found that by
dint of untiring exertion. the whole party had
been rescued and that large numbers were
! in the city, which is known to fame as the
scene of the great Indian massacre in 1862.
| The men presented q very dlapidated APP
pearance, the last few nights experience
| having been Of most uninviting character.
| They are distributed around in various
| buildings in town.
| 'r'Is,.' STATEMENT OF AN ENGINEER. 1sf
F. W. Kimball, chief engineer of the Sec
| ton, arrived here with large party from
Marshall, and made the following statement:
Seven engines were employed on section
| 3, being stationed east of Marshall. Gangs
of men were scattered over about seventy
five miles of line in parties of from ten to
fifty. The snow-storm commenced on Tues
day, and snow continued to fall until Friday.
| The various camps were all cut Off from
communication with the end of the line and
with each other. and suffered severely for
want of warmth more than want of food.
| Owing to the storm the men were obliged to
keep inside the camps. -g.-..s ...
| 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 shanties, one being used US Il
store. L party Of fifty men were showed
I'D and were consumed with anxiety for
| fear other parties would attempt to start out
and be lost in the storm. Every camp has
| been heard from, and not man is reported
| lost. On Tuesday after the first snow fell we
| were confined to the huts, and spent the
time in various ways-card.playin by those
who felt comfortable enough to do so, Others
irving to keep warm, some Respondent, but
they were generally late arrivals. The ma
iority took the affair quietly, confident that
the storm would abate in time for their res
cue before the food gave out This continued
till Saturday, when we first heard news from
the outside world. There was t-t. tr.t1
/ IN AGooD STORE AT HEADQUARTERS.
| / have heard of no persons suffering from
/ hunger! but If relief had not come soon we
i should have starved. On Saturday and Sun
I day the storm abated. We sent off teams TO
Marshall on Monday. started one myself.
| I found the construction train helping Su-
perintendent Stewart. Returning with it on
wednesday I heard from De Graft. On
crossing Cottonwood river the first engine
sent on the relief train ran off the track at
Broke bridge. Other trains following In the
dark, all three were wrecked. BY this time
a greater number Of camps had broken up,
some going to the State line, others TO Mar
shall. The latter, reinforced by parties from
the extreme end of the line, have been COM
ing from New Uim ever since. At the head.
quarters there are still about one hundred
and fifty men who have just come in from
the River station, and yesterday wagon
started from Marshall to tell them to break
up camp there for the winter and fix things
up ard come home. ............
COLONEL DE GRAFT, TIE CONTRACTOR,
was also interviewed, and expressed his salts
} faction at the present ending Of what wa:
appsrentiy 80 unfortunate an event. lie wa!
at New Ulm at the commencement OF tn'
storm, but started on the relief train Will
; Superintendent Stewart, and, with him, wa
, blockaded three days in the snow. Th
, Colonel. who, Is also the contractor to tn
|, ST., Paul mud Pacific and other parts Of tht
u Northwestern division In Wisconsin, ]
now engaged In paying of bis men, AM
| lively times are expected before the larg
| gangs separate. The men generally expires
4 10. uaHy