Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-16

iabIe Condition.
From the Kansas City Times Dec. I.
The Kansas Pacific brought TO this city
last evening, two of the members Of par
ty of herderS, who were caught in the re-
cent terrible norther, which swept over the
plains during the past week, A Times re-
porter waited upon them at the Laclede
Hotel, and from them obtained the follow
ing particulars concerning their journey
from Plum Greek, Nebraska, TO Ellsworth,
Kansas:
The party consisted Of five, including
Prof. l.. p. Cooke, Of Northampton, X. l.,
Col. Sam. James, Of Los Angeles, and
three herders, named James Lloyd, III. \.
Grespy and -- Savers. The party left
the Platte Valley, near its junction with
Plum Creek, for the purpose Of striking
across the country towards Ellsworth.
from which point it was intended
to proceed to Texas. They started
out with one wagon drawn by
two mules. Loyd and Savers, being mount
ed on two br0RchO ponies. Nothing trans
pired worthy of mention until last Wednes-
DAY night. The party had reached the
north fork of the Solomon river, and were
encamped in a ravine on the southern side
of that stream, when the severe SHOW
storm and hurricane of last Wednesday
night struck them. Prof. Cooke describes
the storm as one Of the most terrific he ever
experienced. The wind and SNOW COM
menced to pclt down carly in the even
inc, the air became dark and mTky as
early as four o'clock in the afternoon, and
before the party succeeded in reaching tim
her, they found it impossible to proceed
farther, the trail was lost in the drifting
snow, and sudden darkness coming upon
them they went into camp beneath the
shelter Of a rocky bluff. An attempt was
made to kindle fire with few weeds and
dead willows, but the force Of the wind
was so Strong that 1t was found
impossible to keep fire enough to-
gether to boil coffee. The patty resolved
TO wrap up in their blankets and robes and
90 to sleep. if such thing were possible.
The mules and horses were left to shift for
themselves. Towards midnight tie storm
Increased in violence, snow mingled with
sleet pelted down, the wagon cover was
blown from the bows, and the five men
huddled together in the wagon found
themselves freezing with cold, while the
robes and bedding was becoming a wind
ing-Sheet Of ice.
Itwas finally resolved to save life to get
up and build a fire, and, to do this, The bed
rs a shelter from the pelting Sleet, while a
few blows from the axe made firewood Of
the wheels. A fire was made after some
difficulty, and all crUuched around II with
blankets and robes drawn around TO shell
ter it from being blown away by the terri
BILE blasts sweeping over the plains.
Mr.. Cooke states that the cold
was SO severe that it was found impossible
TO keep warm without scOrching the cloth
inc from the body. lie describes The nights
suffering as the most horrible he ever eX-
perieuced. Towards morning the wind
moderated, and daylight daWEcl upon
scene drcaIy and uniuviiing. The party
succeeded in cooking a breakfast at the eH-
nensc of their wagOn-bcd, while lloyd and
Savers started out to search for the missing
horses and mules, which had been LETT to
seek shelter from the storm as best they
might.
Ii was agreed that al the party should
rendezvous Oh the south fork of the Solo
mon, whether the stock WAS found or not.
A fair distribution OF food and whisky
was made. and Messrs. Cooke, Col. James
aud Grespy started over the snowy
waste toEard South Fork. This separa-
ton was fatal to Saycrs. ftc was never
seen again alive. Lloyd states that
they got upon the trail of the am
mails which led them down among the
rocky bluffs Of the North Solomon, when
they became separated, and both became
lost. LLOYD made a fire inthe creek bottoms
and spent the following night; and next
morning came upon the mules grazing upon
the cdce of a small bottom, which was COM
parativcly sheltered from the storm. lie
made search foy Savers, bat finding no traces
of him, started across the divide Tor the
South Fork. He discovered about two
miles south of the Solomon, what appeared
TO be the remains of man; the bones were
entirely clean, and scattered over the DRIFT
ed snow. Owing to the extreme cold he
was Obliged TO abandon one Of the mules,
but The animal followed its mate to the
rendezvous on South solomon, where the
balance of the party was found in comiorta-
HE canrp. The four reached the kansas
Pacific. at Ellsworth, in safety They
were very badly frost-bitten, and made all
haste to this city and Lawrence, two OF
the party stopping there on business.
Prof Cooke describes the "norther'
which has been sweeping over the plains
for The past four or five days as very severe.
II is almost impossible for animal lie to
eyist ont of shelter. Nothing could induce
him TO again peril his life in an overland
trim between The two Pacific roads.