The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-12-25
A NoRTHER ON THE PLAINS.
Horrible sunerinRs OF a Party of Trav-
eIeI.a On lI.a aalo-..nn-

/ - -NO@a&AA414s yin In Z EAELlN0a
Horrible snnerings OF a Party of Trav-
eIers on the Solomon.
The Kansas Pacific brought to this
city last evening, two of the members
of party of herders, who were caught
in the recent terrible norther, which
swept over the plains during the past
week. A Times reporter waited upon
them at the Laclede Hotel, and from
them obtained the following particulars
concerning their jorney from Plum
creek, Nebraska, to Ellsworth, Kansas
The party consisted of i've, inclu-
ding Prof. L. p. Cooke, of WooIhamp-
ton, r. L, Col. Sam. James, of Los An
gelos, and three herders, named James
Lloyd, H. N. Grespy and - Sayers.
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, Lloyd and Sayers being
mounted on two 67'O71cho ponies. Moth
ing transpired worthy of mention until
last Wednesday 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 snow-storm and hurri-
cane of last Wednesday night struck
| them. Prof. Cooke describes the storm
as one of the most terrific he ever expe-
rienced. The wind and snow commenced
to pelt down early in the evening, the
air became dark and murly as early as
four o'clock in the afternoon, and before
| the party succeeded In Ieaching timber,
they found it impossible TO proceed far
ther, the trail was lost in the drifting
snow, and sudden darkness coming up
on them they went into camp beneath
the shelter of a rocky bluff. An at
tempt was made to kindIe fire with a
few weeds and dead willows, but the
force of the wind was so strong that it
was found impossible to keep fire
enough together to boil coffee. The
party resolved to wrap up in their
blankets and robes and go to sleep, if
such thing were possible. The mules
and horses were left to shift for them
selves. Toward midnight the storm in
creased in violence, snow mingled with
sleet pelted down, the wagon cover was
blown from the bows, and the five men
huddled togsther in the wagon found
themselves freezing with cold, while
the robes and bedding was becoming a
winding sheet of ice.
Tt was finally resolved to save life to
get up and build a fire, and, to do this,
the bed of the wagon was taken off and
propped up as a shelter from the pelt-
ing sleet, while a few blows from the
axe made frewood of the wheels. A
fire was made after some difficulty, and
all crouched around it with blankets
and robes drawn around to shelter it
from being blown away by the terrible
blasts sweeping over the plains. Mr..
Cooke states that the cold was so Sc
we're that it was found impossible to
keep warm without scorching the cloth
ing from the body. He describes the
nights suffering as the most horrible
he ever experienced. Towards morn
ing the wind moderated, and daylight
dawned upon a scene dreary and unin-
viting. The party succeeded in cook
ing breakfast at the expense of their
wagon-bed, while Lloyd and Sayers
started out to search for the missing hor-
ses and mules, which had been left to
seek shelter from the storm as best they
might.
1t was agreed that all the party should
rendezvous on the south fork of the
Solomon, whether the stock was found
or not. A fair distribution of food and
whisky was made, and Messrs. Cooke,
Col. James and Grespy started over the
snowy waste toward South fork. This
separation was fatal TO Sayers. He was
never seen again alive. Lloyd states
that they got upon the trail of the ami
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 in the
creek bottoms and spent the following
night and next morning came upon
the mules grazing upon the edge of a
small bottom, which was comparatively
sheltered from the storm. He made
search for Sayers, but finding no traces
of him, started across the divide for the
South fork. He discovered about two
miles south of the Solomon, what ap-
peared to be the remains of a man the
bones were entirely clean, and scattered
over the drifted snow. Owing to the
extreme cold he was obliged to abandon
one of the mules, but the animal fol-
lowed its mate to the rendezvous on
South Solomon, where the balance o
the party was found in comfortable
camp. The four reached the Kansas
Pacific, at Ellsworth, in safety. They
we're very badly frost-bitten, and made
all haste to this city and Lawrence,
two of the party stopping there on bus
mess.
Prof. Cooke describes the "nOrther'
which had been sweeping over the
plains for the past four or five days SIS
very severe. It is almost impossible fo1
animal life to exist out of shelter.
Nothing could indUce him to again peril
his life in an overland trip between the
two Pacific roads.-KaRsGs city Times,
Dec. Z.
ESTIMATES OF GovERNAIRST EXPENSES.
The following is the total recapitulation
by departments of the estimates for the
fiscal year of 1875, and also those fol
/ 1874: