The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-02-01

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resident Of the town Of Summit. Like so
many others, he was returning home in a
wagon when the storm overlook him, and.
like the other victims he never reached his
house alive. Mr.. y. Il. Payne, in the same
county, travelling agent, saved his life by
taking refuge under his overturned sleigh.
He remained in this disagreeable position for
one day and two nights, and, although badly
frozen when found, will probably recover.
Many COWS and sheep were frozen to death in
this county.
In Morrow County some curious results OF
the storm are announced No lives were lost,
fortunately, but stock persisted and much
damage resulted to grain, as the fine particles
OF snow penetrated into granaries where no
rain, however driving, had ever been known
to enter. Numbers of horses and stables
were completely enseloped in the drifting snow,
and in order to go from house to house in the
village of New Meadow tunnels were dug, aud
people IN the houses were communicated with
in some cases though the chimneys.
But one death, that of Swede named CLANS
Gulbrandson, is so far reported in Freeborn
County. He was frozen to death with his
team Of oxen while on his way home from
Albert Lea. A man named Ole Peterson had
perilous but at the same time comical ex.
perience. While endeavoring to make his
way out OF the storm ON Tuesday his beard
became so clogged with snow that solid mass
OF ice was formed all over the lower part of
his face, entirely cutting ofTrespiration With
knife which he fortunately had in his pocket
he cut hole through the mass Just in time to
allow him to regain his breath. The expert.
ence of Gilbert Halyerson, another Swede, OF
Hartland, was equally strange. He had
gone to the stable to look after his stock,
and the rapidly formed drifts completely
blockaded the exit from the stable, and he
was kept prisoner, with neither fire nor food,
for iorty.eight hours. In the meantime his
house, n few yards of-a rude construction
dug in the side Of hill-was buried under a
bank of snow ten feet in height, with his fam.
lily in i. After gaining an exit from the stable
he with much difficulty effected an entrance
into the house, where he happily found his
wife and little ones, safe. In the same county
n number OF children, caught in the school.
house by the storm, were compelled to remain
therein, some from Tuesday to "Wednesday and
Others until Thursday, without any susten.
ance.
One death is noted as having occurred in
Blue Earth County-that of Mr.. Kirk.
Some interesting episodes among those who
escaped are, however, reported. A man
overtaken by the storm with his team was
Obliged to leave the wagon, as the animals
refused to go further. He made his way To a
fence and felt along il until he came to a hay.
stack. He dug his way into this place OF
shelter and therein passed the night with no
other detriment to his health than the freezing
of a hand and a foot Two other gentlemen
in the same vicinity saved their lives in the
same way.
Watonwhn County suffered the loss of a
number of its residenta. Special correspond.
ence from Madelia and st. James give n list
OF twelve persons who are known to have been
lost. Il is hoped that the number of those
| who have persisted will not exceed this number,
notwithstanding that il has been announced
that within an area of twenty miles square at
the latter town fifty persons have been frozen
to death
Further tidings of loss of life and property
in Minnesota and neighboring States must be
| left with time. But il is confidently believed
that the worst Of this fearful storm has been
known.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, Jan. 2l.-A lengthy letter
might be written describing some OF the more
striking incidents OF the late storms in Mime.
sofa and Northern Iowa.
In many cases whole parties Of families were
swept away at once. A stage was found on the
road between Madelia and st. James Two
dead horses were harnessed to it, and the dri.
yer, who still held the icy reins, was dead.
Within the curtains were crew as CHASTITY as
that which sailed with the ancient mariner
two men, three women, and two children
wrapped in robes and blankets which were
icy shrouds.
Near Fort Ridgeley six little children start.
ed for home from school, but the home they
reached had many mansions, and was entered
by an icy and narrow portal. One of them
was found with his books under his arm two
others, locked in death.embrace, had little
tears of ice in the eyes there we're no kind
hands to close when they grew dim in the
binding drifts. More prudent than their
teacher was Hugh Jones, who taught the
school at Judson, In Blue Earth County. He
yentured through the snow for blankets and
food, and with much of the Pierian spring to
wash down very scanty fare kept his flock to.
gether till the storm ceased on Friday.
In many and many instances the victims
persisted on the very threshold Of their homes.
So binding was the storm and so fierce the
gale that no object could be distinguished al a
distance of ten yards. At New Ulm one man
undertook TO close his barndoor, held open
by drift, and did not live to finish the Job.
At Nicollet they found two men sitting dead
in a sleigh within 100 yards Of the railroad
station. Mr.. Charles Decker and Mrs. Cash,
of Madelia, abandoned their team within 100
yards of house, took to the snow, and died
Three miles from st. James Mr.. Trowbrilge
found n man and his team dead in his yard.
Death found out its victims not alone on the
highway, but in their homes. In Canisteo,
Dodge County, whole family of FIVE persons
persisted in their house. Near Madelia child
and her aunt, Mrs. OF, took refuge in barn
and lived there two days by chewing hay, sue
cumbing at last to hunger and cold.
At Fort Ridgeley three brothers took refuge
in corn-crib, where they froze to death. Al
Mound City sexton who had gone to dig a
grave found his own grave in drift ere he had
reached the churchyard. At Elliott Creek,
Mr.. Lee and his son, boy Of thirteen, went
for load Of wood and were found frozen
stiff; the boy with his arms folded over his
chest, to keep with his torn and buttonless
coat the vital warmth at his heart Their lit
tie dog remained by the lifeless bodies, with
dumb affection, clearing away the fallen snow
that essayed to hide them from his faithful
view. The man left widow and four young
children destitute. Near Correctonville, two
men, Messrs. Sparks and Sanders, went for
wood. They were within mile and and a
half Of home when the storm came on, and
then they threw of their load. But a few
rods beyond they lost the road at a curve and
so wandered away from the homes they were
seeking. That night they camped three miles
from home under their sleigh. All day
Wednesday and Thursday they wandered
through the storm, and on Thursday night
they lay down and died of exhaustion. For
three days they were wandering from a mile
TO seven miles from home.
Singularly few were the instances in which
people had the presence of mind to turn their
tortures into the elements Of escape. A Mr..
Charles Deming, a mail carrier near Blue
Earth, had his buggy upset by furious gust
of wind; he placed buffalo robe over the
wheel aud remained in the shelter of this frail
fence till Friday when the storm cleared and
he found himself less than fifty yards from
house. One section man at st. James dug
into the lee side Of gigantic drift and made
himself spacious chamber in which he lived,
sleeping most Of the time, till Thursday morn.
ing, when he was discovered and asked If
breakfast wasn't yet ready. Mr.. l.. +. Rob-
inson, Treasurer Of Redwood County, under.
took to walk some twelve miles to Charles.
town, where he was to receive some taxes.
As the thermometer was 40 degrees above