The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-02-01
A Hero.


From the Milwaukee Wisconsin.
During the terrific snow storm that
blockaded the track on the Iowa and Min
nesota division Of the st. Paul railway, it
will be remembered that several trains
were showed in, and for such length Of
time were hey without aid that the passen-
gers were in danger of freezing and starv-
ing.
One train had been showed in between
Ridgeway and Connover, and was thus
blocksded for % hours. There was dan
ger Of the passengers suffering for the want
Of fuel and food. The weather was fearful,
and the thermometer varied from 25 TO 80
degrees below Zero. Tho condition OF the
passengers Was becoming very critical.
More than one day and night had elapsed
since the train had first been blocked in
the snow, and no aid had reached the pas
sengers. News, however, ut last reached
place called CalmaE.spf the condition of
the train and passengers, and that some Of
them were probably perishing. CalmAr
was distant seven miles from the train.
The thermometer then marked u degrees
below zero. The keen cutting wind blew
iiercely. piercing through to the marrow.
A CONDUCTOR STARTS TO THE RESCUE.
A conductor in the employ Of the rail
road, but not belonging to the train snow
ed IN, volunteered to go to the relief Of the
passengers His name is James Wilson.
Having procured upward Of 30 pounds
weight of crackers and cheese, he packed
them and placed them upon his back En-
velopipg himself in what il technically
termed a "Ku- klux hood and cloak, he
started for the train seven miles distant.
The wind blew gale, and with the ther-
mometer at p below, he had hard road
H. travel 1t was hard work, the wind
penetrated through his hood, and notwith
standing he felt his face and ears freezing,
on he trudged, until he reached the train
almost exhausted, and unable to speak dis
tinctly, his face, ears and nose frozen
badly.
THY UNPAcK AND rHAw OFT THE COY
DUCTOR.
The train reached by Mr Wilson vas
the one before noticed IN The Wisconsin,
and On which, among the passengers, was
John Lawlor, Esq, Of Prairie du Chen,
who had four ladies under his care. bIr
Lawlor applied some snow to the frozen
face Uf " ilson, and did all that MAS need
sd to restore him as much as possible. Mr..
LaWlor then took from his own neck a
massive gold chain, which he had worn for
long time, and puttilgit around Wilson's
neck, remarked " It's pretty good man
that has worn that chain, but I've found a
better, and he shall have it" The chain is
reputed to be worth up among the hund
reds Of dollars, and was a handsome pres
ent, worthily bestowed Under touching
circumstances like these, the writer of such
All incident can hardly tell which to admire
the most, the true heroism OF the cOnduc
tor, who periled his own life to take aid to
his fellow creatures, or the man who 50
promptly and generously rewarded the
deed Of the hero.
However much opinion may differ ON
that subject, all will agree that the record
ing Of the conductors act is pleasant
duty, SO that i'll years to come all who re-
fer to the fearful snow storms that buried
whole passenger trains out Of sight, IN
northern Iowa, in January, 1873, shall
read the conductors story" how one
railroad man nObly and bravely hazarIed
his own life to take food to perishing pas
sengers, who had been cut OFF from all
communication with the outer world for
26 hours, in the most fearful storm ever
recorded, and who reached them with but
little Of his own life left in him. And
they will read, too, Of another man who, in
the presence of the relieved ones, as soon
as consciousness was restored to tine reliev-
er, rewarded him with handsome present.
James Wilson's name will always be call
ed to mind as that Of a brave and noble
hearted fellow, and while IN the future it
will always be foremost whenever the in
cident is referred to, John Lawlor's will be
next to it. We have been told that James
Wilson once lived in Milwaukee We hope
the statement IS true. Whether true or
not, Milwaukee feels proud tlat the Nil
waukee and st. Paul railway has such
conductor in its employ, and great many
people will think he deserves promotion
We find since writing the above that
James Wilson, above mentioned, was a
breakman, and not a conductor.