The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-10-21
A MOTHERS HEROISM.

Recovery of Charlie Slanks His
Parents Brave Every Danger and
Bring Him 10 Safety Letter OF
his Father.
In addition to the general account
published Wednesday morning OF the
ShankS case, the Tcrrc Haute journal
Of yeste rday contains thrilling letter
from the Hon }. p c. Shanks to IL e
postmaster OF Terre Haute, which H.
illustrates the strength Of IA mothers
love. and also relates the almost mi
raculous recovery of young Shanks
The Journal says: 1t is we'll known
to the readers of the Journal that
some four weeks ago General Shanks
received the sad intelligence that his
son, Charlie, who was with Prof.
Haydens exploring expedition in the
Rocky Mountains, had been taken
sick and left in the wilderness, unable
to be removed, and that supplies aud
medical aid had been sent to him
Upon the receipt of the sad news Gen.
and Mrs. Shanks Immediately started
to see whether they could reach their
son before his death. The journey
was a long and tedious one, such as
almost any others would have shrunk-
Ell from with dismay. But the love
the parents bore their son impelled
them to brave all dangers in an at
tempt to save him. Alter an absence
of several weeks and no news from
the General and his party, letter
was received by j. j. Kamm, Esq.
postmaster OF this city, on Thursday
night, containing the most gratifying
intelligence of the safety Of the party
portion of which letter we have
been permitted to copy, and is as
follows:
GRANITE. COL, Sept. 20, 1874
Myself, wife, with those of DR.. Hay
dens party who aided us, reached a
place called Twin Lakes, the nearest
town to the camp where my son Char
lie was reported to lay sick, on yester-
day morning We started out from
that point, it being the last house and
last road of any kind in this section
of the country. We were three days
riding out to the camp, remained there
SIX days and were niue days in return
ing. We found Charlie alive and car
rled him ninety miles across the
mountains, and are now out of danger
OF being cut off by snow storms. Mrs.
5. was advised by every one not to at
tempt the trip, as no white woman had
ever tried it. But she persevered and
succeeded. We camped
THREE NIGHTS IN SNOW,
and were often travelling above the
timber limits in snow and ice. Our
only method Of saving Charlie was to
keep heated stones around him. He
was very low and delirious most of
the time, but is much better now at
the house of Mr.. Davies, the last set
tier In that direction fer distance of
three or four hundred miles. DIR.
Hayden and his party have done all
that men could do for Charlie lie
sent one hundred miles for physi-
clan. DR.. Dobing formerly of Pauld-
ing county, O., who reached him in
four days, and barely saved his life |
have no doubt. The doctor remained
with him over three weeks, and aided
us in bringing him in, not leaving him
for single hour. Charlie was so low
at one time that all believed he was
dead, and Il place for his burial was
chosen, a chapter to be read at his flu
neral selected, a mountain and stream
named in his memory by Dr. Hayden;
but he revived, and will, under the
| greatest care, soon be entirely we'll.
He can not sit UP yet, but soon will.
We will start for Denver in two days;
will be home before the election if the
railroads and stage lines do not fail,
as We are now on roads among settle
ments, and only one hundred and fifty
miles from Denver. | did want to
canvass the district this fall, and talk
to the people. But it has been order
ed otherwise. We are not always
masters of our wishes.
| Yours very truly,
| J. p. G. SHANKs.