Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-02-07
Four Days In Snow Drift-''Terrl-
BILE Suffering and Death.

FOuE DHlS III ~ JhVW
BILE Suffering and Death.
YESTERDAY there arrived in this city by
the Wilmar train, one of the poor suffer-
ers by the late terrific storm. This man,
whose name is Charles O'Neil, was taken
| to the Sisters Hospital, to undergo the
operations of amputation of both feet and
| an arm
His story, as gathered by Press report
er, is substantially as follows: On the
morning of the terrible Tuesday, party
of five men, Charles O'Neil and his broth.
ers John and Stephen, and Mike and
Thomas Holden, started from Beaver
Falls, Renville County, with five loads OF
grain for Wimar market. Wilnar is dis
tant from Beaver Falls about thirty-fve
miles of open prairie twenty OF which are
without a settler. Quite early in the after
noon it began to snow, but the WIND was
light and the party pressed on, anxious to
reach Wilmar with no delay.
When within about eight miles of Will
mar the wind began to increase, and blew
directly in their faces. They viewed the
situation with considerable dismay, and
about half concluded to turn about and
retreat to house about eight miles In the
rear, and fortunate would 1t have been
had they done so. But, about a mile
ahead, was the house of Mr.. Meagher,
and the party finally determined to press
on to this refuge.
The storm continued to increase in vio-
lence. however, and the wind hurled the
falling and drifting particles of ice against
and about them until they were Obliged
TO turn their faces from the storm and
trust to the instincts of their animals to
keep the right direction. Drifts began 70
meet them, and their horses could
scarcely founder through them. 1t was
now too late, and equally too hazardous
to take the back track, and they pushed
| on into the bitter hurricane in the hope
of reaching Meagher's. But now their
horses gave out, and became stalled in
succession of deep drifts 1t was found
; impossible to extricate the sleighs, and
thesonly alternative was to build the best
protection their circumstances would al
! low. One sleigh-box was set up edge
ways, turned from the wind, and another
was leaned against it to serve as cover
and brace. About this insecure and
} fimsy shelter sacks of grain were packed,
; and inside the five men were crowded,
t after having first cut loose the horses.
This was about four o'clock Tuesday, and
+, of course they had no food, and but
= meager supply or blankets. The snow,
driven across the prairies like stunning
, darts of lightning, was forced through
;. every crevice, and packed against and
: above the little shelter, and IN
( upon the men, and with such force was it
! blown that 1t was packed firm as sheets of
: ice. Tuesday night passed, and Wednes-
2 day Mike Holden announced his intention
e of seeking Meagher's house. He tried to
S persuade the others to accompany him, but
n they considered themselves safest where
/ they were, and declined. Mike started
o out and scceeded in reaching the house,
e having both hands frozen on the way.
" The storm continued so severe that no at
tempt could be made to rescue the others
o at that time. They, in the meantime,
e were suffering all the pangs OF cold and
d hunger, and it is quite probable that sew
Q, eral of them became delirious, for when
n found they were lying out of and near the
"a shelter.
T. About ten o'clock Friday morning a
I man, passing along the road with an OK
le team, heard shouts, as of some one In dis
Is tress, and, upon making search, discov-
cred the little barricade covered with
al packed snow, and was Mortified, upon
N disturbing several apparent knolls in the
Ia vicinity, to find that they contained the
W dead bodies of men. He found the bodies
8: of Thomas Holden, Stephen O'Neil ano
s. John O'Neil, the first two quite dead, ano
" the latter with life almost extinct. UpoT
e. searching under the cover he found two
feet protruding from the snow, and,
by breaking away the crust, he found Charles
IN ONeil, alive, but in terrible condition
90 The bodies were at once lugged to hi
68 sled and conveyed to Meagher's, anC
w thence to Wilmar, John O'Neil dying be
GO fore reaching that place. The details o
ed the sufferings of Charles O'Neil are horri
he flying and almost incredible. 1t seem
that he had laid down Immediately upol
M @Ia nOuar aud had Whila in thi
to position, been fastened down by the terri
40 a BILE weight of the snow which drifte'
q. upon him, or rather upon the upper por
"a tion of his body 1t was so heavy, h
vn said, as to cause unbearable torture
'rs After he found he was unable to rise, an,
tn that the snow was covering his head, h
ca feared suffocation, and to keep that mem
'ni Tn ber free he constantly raised and lowere'
as it, and in this manner, while he could no
liz prevent the drift from forming over 1t, h
ut formed an air chamber, which prevente
ok suffocation. In his endeavor to free hi
head the poor fellow actually tore Tn
aw hair almost entirely from the scalp, Her
ma he lay, with his feet exposed to the al
nu and frozen stiff and with the cruel frot
oh slowly creeping up his limbs, and unabl
re- to move scarce muscle of his bod
on from Tuesday night until Frida
it. noon. Can a more horrible situatio
he be imaginedY The poor fellows rigl
ex- arm is frozen TO the elbow, the rigt
Ie5 leg to the knee and the left leg above II
he ankle. These members are thus II
lat completely dead, and he has been lying
Mr. Wilmar until yesterday, when the mr.
by train succeeded in getting through.
nat Five of the horses were frozen 10 deatl
'ut and the Others were found five mile
Tx away all rights. Paul Press.
% -
tly The San Francisco Bulletin say
ore "there is no true coal found west OF u