Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-01-08
4 Storm on the Plains.

The Kansas Pacific Railway train, a few
weeks ago brought to Kansas City, Mo.
two of the members of party of herder,
who We're caught in the recent tcrribl,
norther which swept over the plains during
that week, \ reporter of the Time
of that city waited upon them at the La
/ clede Hotel and from them obtained the
/ following particulars concerning their Jour
ney from Plum Greek, Nebraska, to Els
worth, Kansas:
The party consisted of five. including
Professor l.. p. Cooke of Northampton
r. l.; Colonel Samuel james, of Los An
gclos, and three hcrderS. named James
Lloyd. ii, y. Grespy, and " Savers
The party left the Platte valley, near il
junction with Plum Creek, for the purpose
of striking across the country towards Els
worth, from which point it was intended
to proceed to Texts. They started out
with one wagon drawn by two mules,
LLOYD and Savers bein" mounted ON two
br0Hcb0 ponies Nothing occurred worthy
of mention until W WcdneSday night. The
party had reached the north fork of the
Solomon River, and We're cncamped III Il
ravine on the southern side of that stream.
when a severe snow-Storm and hurricane
struck them. Professor Cooke describes
the storm ~ one of the most terrific he
ever experienced The wind and snow
began to pelt down early in the evening,
the air became dark and murkv as early
Us + clock in the afternoon, and before
the party succeeded in reaching timber.
they found it impossible to proceed far
ther: 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
kindlc fire with 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 blank
cts and robes and 90 to sleep. if such Il
thing were possible The mules and horses
were left to shift for themselves. Towards
midnight the 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 were bccom-
ing winding-sheet of ice.
1t was finally resolved. to save life. to
get up and build fire. and to do this the
bed of the wagon was taken off and prop
ped up as a shelter from the pelting sleet.
/ " nllt a lew }IONS HUN liiC tNt liliuS ne
wood of the wheels \ fire was made af-
ter 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 says that the cold was So severe
that it was found impossible to keep warm
without scorching the clothing from the
body He describes the. nights suffering
/ , tho ,,,o,t bo1..iI,1a h.a nyat
Towards morning the wind moderated,
and daylight dawned upon scene dreary
and uninviting The party succeeded in
cooking breakfast ut the expense of their
wagon-bed. while Lloyd and Savers start
ed out to search for the missing horses 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 Solo
mon. whether the stock was found or not :;
fair distribution offood and whiskey was
made, and Messrs. Cooke. James and
Grespy started over the snowy waste to-
wards south fork This separation was ia
tai to Savers; he was never seen again
alive. Llyod says that they got upon the
trail of the animals, which led them down
among the rocky bluffs of the North Solo
mon, when they became separated and
both became lost. LlOvd made u fire in
the creek bottoms and spent the following
night; and next morning came upon the
mules grazing upon the edge ola small
bottom, which was comparatively shelter
ed from the storm. He made search for
Sayers, but finding no traces of him, start
ed across the divide for the south fork. He
discovered, about two miles south of the
Solomon, what appeared to be the remains
of a man the bones We're entirely clean
and scattered over the drifted Snow. Ow-
ing 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 rest of the par
ty was found in comfortable camp. The
four reached the Kansas Pacific at Els
worth 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.
Professor Cooke describes the - norther :
which has been sweeping over the plains
for the past four or five days as very severe.
1t is almost impossible for 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.