Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-01-27
A Remarkable Adventure.

ODe Oh the most FtnarkaDie escapes
from death that ever came under our OBJ
servation is the case of Gustav Schneider,
resident of this county, one of the
Marengo homesteaders, who was brought
to this village Monday evening by one of
the st. Croix Lumber Company's teams
in most deplorable condition. He is
now being made rs comfortable as posi-
BILE by Mr. Mattson, at the scandinavian
Hotel, and will probably recover. We
interviewed him Tuesday, and learned
the following particulars Of his fearful
adventures and sutferings, and of his
timely rescue:
Mr.. Schneider has spent the past sum-
mer in Minnesota at work, most Of the
time i'm the vicinity of Winona. Having
earned a little money, and desiring to con-
tinue the Improvements on his homestead,
learning that work had been renewed
on the Central at this end of the road,
he started back, leaving Saltwater on the
eth ult on foot, intending to walk through
ria the Namakagon winter road. With
his pack containing his provisions and
few extra clothes he made good time,
arriving at Greeley's old camp at Namaka-
gon Lake on the 14th. After nights
rest he left camp for Ashland, forty miles
distant, Wednesday morning, and at six
O'Clock in the evening reached White
River, ten miles from his destination. 1t
being dark when he reached the river he
could not see the true condition Of the
ice or the breadth of the water but hav-
ing crossed one branch of the stream he
supposed he had reached another and
smaller branch. Taking off his boots,
he started across When about the mid.
die of the river the ice broke and lac
found himself struggling IN deep water
with thin ice around him, 100 weak to
hold him even To the surface. Letting
90 of his pack he managed to swim
ashore, landing on the edge of swamp.
Immediately chilling, he endeayored
to keep from freezing by walking as
fast as possible, but at every step he sank
in mud, and having lost one OF his boots
he found To his dismay that the other
had frozen so that he could not put il
on. Throwing IL away he made another
desperate effort TO keep on his course, and
finally managed to reach haystack on
the meadow, where he took off his pants
for the purpose of wringing them out, but
before he could get them on again they
froZe stiff In his hands and left him naked,
exposed 10 the cold blasts that every mo-
ment were sending the death chills
through his frame. Having lost his
matches with his bundle he could make
no fire, and with the desperation Of a
drowning man he tore hole into the hay
stack, and, dragging his frozen garments
into the hole with him, endeavored by
lying upon them to dry them by the
warmth of his body. The friendly hay
protected him from the wind, and by con-
slant rubbing he managed TO keep up CIR
culation and prevent freezing. All night
he lay there rubbing his limbs, while the
winds moaned among the trees, and the
cold air penetrated his shelter like sieve
Thursday morning came and found him
exhausted and faint; hunger added 10 his
terrible sutferings. The weather that
morning was very cold.-the thermometer
here in town indicated ten degrees below
zero. All day he laid there vainly en-
deavoring to keep from freezing by rubbing
his hands with hay, and throughout the
night he never relaxed his desperate ef.
forts. Friday morning at last came, and
found him with his feet badly frozen and
the weather terribly cold. The thermom-
cter was below zero in Ashland that
morning, though the weather moderated
during the day. All day Friday he still
kept his now faint voice calling for help.
During the day man and dog came,
but he could not make him hear, and he
lay with the terrors Of death staring him
in the face and listened to his retreating
footsteps. About three O'Clock in the at
ternoon he heard men talking across the
river, and crawling out Of his hole he saw
them with a team near by, they having
come in from a lumber-camp after hay.
He called out with the cry OF dying man
and was heard. The river being open the
men sprang TO their sleds, and taking the
boxes off dashed them into the water, aid
in few moments had reached the now
exhausted and almost dead unfortunate,
whom they found specifies. They
wrapped him in blankets and carried him
to the camp, where fire was built, and
by constant work brought him back 10
life Staying by him all night and all day
Saturday and Sunday, their care was re-
warded by seeing the sufferer sufficiently
strong to bear removal. VIM. Chalmers,
Esq, of the st. Croix Lumber Company,
came 10 the camp 10 see what was the
matter that the teams did not return with
hay, and taking in the situation he put
four horses on one of the sleighs Monday
morning ard started with him for Ashland,
arriving about six O'Clock the same even.
ing. Too much praise cannot be bestowed
upon Mr.. Chalmers and his kind.hearted
men for their kindness TO the unfortunate
man.
Schneider Is badly frozen, both feet and
legs TO his knees being In very bad
shape, but hopes are entertained by DIR.
Marchesseaulf, who is attending him,
that he will pull through without loss OF
limb.
Mr.. Schneider Is German. about
thirty five years Of age, and came 10 this
country about two and a half years ago TO
labor ON the railroad, but finally took up
d homestead. He has no relatives except
a. brother, who is job printer at $40 Pearl
street, New York city, lining in this
country.
How any man could live through what
he has lie almost naked, without morsel
10 cal, in hay-stack two days and nights,
with The thermometer ten degrees below
zero If not lower, Is almost beyond com
prehension. That he ~ a tough man Is
evident, and II King Williams army WAS
made of this stuff no wonder be got away
with Napoleon in the last Continental
struggle. Milwaukee JoaTnat Of Com
meftc.
Ipyrry Ia the xottI nf vrif