Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-05-12
A STORM IN THE WEST.
Snow, Wind and FrOst-Winter Travel
on the Kansas Pacific Railroad.
Three Men and a Brave Little Woman
Bring FOOd-SnOw. PlOws TO
the Rescue.

DENVER, Col, May 6.-Some poet,
with commendable wisdom, advises sub
lunary mortals to 'shun delays, they
breed remorse," but fails to give fair
reasoning to show that it's always mad
ness to defer" have believed implic-
itly in the injunction. In one instance,
however, in endeavoring to "act accord
ingly," | came very near establishing
for myself fatal precedent. Ten days
ago l left Memphis for the far-west, in
tending, conscienciously, to shun or
avoid all "delays," if possible, when /
unwittingly met up with the
greatest delay of the season,
and this delay came very near
breeding a famine instead of remOrse,
and now, after my experience, / am
| forced to believe that it is madness not
to defer sometimes. But allow me TO
explain. In coming with a friend, j
journeyed over the Memphis and Louis
vile road on the twenty-sixth ultimo,
to enjoy leave of few months on the
plains. Nothing occurred Of any inter-
est until Sedalia, Missouri, was reached.
At that point, as supper was announced
for the passengers, l stepped upon the
platform and walked TO the doorway of
the hotel, and stood there few mo-
ments debating with myself the ques-
ton whether a man ought to "supo
when not hungry. Just then shot
was fired in one of the coaches, and inn
mediately after man came staggering
out. Another shot followeSi-a random
shot it was-and it had the effect to
smash a window-pane very near me, and
briRg about aquick decision in favor of
the Affirmative; / retired. BY cautious
inquiry l learned, after supper, that a
man had been badly shot-sOme old
family feud. The excitement was over
and we resumed our journey. We left
| Kansas City at eleven o'clock Monday
night. The weather was mild, spring
like, in fact. We accomplished dis
tance of several hundred miles without
trouble, anticipating with pleasure the
prospects of breakfastiDg miles away in
aristocratic Denver But expectation
failed US, after fair promises. Late Tues
day evening (the twenty-ntnth) the
| temperature changed decidedly in favor
of winter. Heavy clouds rolled in great
dark masses from the northwest, and at
dark storm burst upon US in full fury,
Such groans of roaring wind and rain l
never remember to have heard before.
As we thundered on the storm increased
in severity, and our coaches swayed
to and fro as if rejoicing at a
young earthquakes birth. AT midnight
it commenced to snow, and the gale
grew to such force as to compel us to
take the siding at Aroya, one hundred
and twenty-eight miles east of Denver.
Aroya has only a windmill, tank, one
sectionhouse and 'dug-out' IA large
hole dug in the ground and covered,
with the exception of few portfolios,
with logs and earth as aprotection three
years ago to the pioneers against the
Indians) to distinguish it as landmark
of civilization on the bosom of the
great American desert.
For forty hours the wind blew per-
feet hurricane, whirling and piling the
snow here and there in drifts of from
five to fifteen feet deep, and leaving the
ground in exposed places entirely bare
The cold was intense To give you an
idea of it, two large rabbits crawleC
under the engine for shelter and were
afterward taken out frozen to death. Nc
assistance could be given us from east
or west. The wires were pros
trated, and communication with
the division officials was entirely
out of the question. However, the pas.
sengers endeavored to accept the situa.
ton with good grace, but it was rathel
failure. We had been twenty-foul
hours without a meal. 1t was now
twelve noon, Wednesday. The gloon
was intense, and it appeared unsafe fol
a passenger to leave the train any dis
tance for fear of being lost. Notwith
standing this we were visited through
the driving storm by three men and
delicate little woman from the section
hOuse-all heavily muffied with furs anC
robes, and each carrying IA well-filieC
, tray, closely wrapped. They were queer
looking objects, all bronZed with eX
posure and covered with snow. The lit
tie woman seemed to be in authority
and came, she said, to "bring us bite t
eat" The "biten proved to be a qud7atttB
| su6icH for every passenger. she re
; peated her dangerous trips until the pas
sengers were supplied with three meals
, and after a greater portion of her pro
visions were eaten up she refused Il
[ charge anything. The passengers votet
her heroine in a handsome sum quick
ly subscribed. Before she came TO ou
r relief the passengers descanted freely
upon the situatiOn-and some went 81
, far as to abuse the superintendent
because of the courageous delay"-
but afterward good humor prevailed
and the vendor of sweetmeats and pa
pers, with his "lOwest satisfaction anC
highest prices" was ruled out.
On Thursday the storm was still tear
ing things to pieces generally, bu
3 abating; cattle were seen lying her
, and there frozen to death, and all kind
of stock had suffered. AS relief to on
} train, a snow-plow, with three eRgines
) was started from Denver Wednesda,
D night. AS it was driving furiOusl.
3 through a heavy cut of twenty-fee
snow, seventy miles from Denver,
I left the track, ditched three engines i
heap, wrecking one engine and tn
plow, and severely injuriDg the con
' ductor and an engineer. Another plOv
. with four engines, left Hugo, one hun
f dred miles east of Denver, Thursday, t
D release us. We were enabled to max
!. Hugo by five o'clock the same day, an
: remained until Saturday night, almos
}. producing another famine. The plOV
e and four engines were sent eastward, an
v were clearing the cuts and throwing tn
!. snow beautifully, when the plow mounte
: a heavy packed drift, wrecked itself com
n nlakolv and difohed two engines on