The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-01-26
snow HOUND.
The Worst storm Ever seen In
this H1eg1Oa.

Monday, Jan. 18th, wasa dayloDg
TO be remembered here. The most
furious and violent snow and wind
storms witnessed since the period
of the first settlement Of this region
prevailed. It came up about 9 o.
clock in TIE morning, aud ragged un-
til in the night.
The wind blew q perfect burri-
cane, and the flying snow filed the
air, so that, on the prairie, the eight
was completely obstructed at q dis
lance Of 100 feet.
There must haVei been considera-
BILE suffering.
The 9:30 train on the Santa Fe
road, gong east, stopped at the juno
ton to get an extra engine, aud to
taken a extra supply of coal and
water, as late experience had taught
the road men not to be caught nap
ping, and il was well these useful
articles were provided. because III
reaching cut AZ miles this side of
Reading, the train stuck in drift.
The senior of this paper was SO un-
fortunate rs TO be one of the 100
passengers on the train, of which
the accomplished gentleman, and
faithful conductor, Hi. Diggins, had
charge. The two engines were
Powerless TO move the train oae
way or the other. At fret the pas
sengers were rather gloomy, as their
situation was anything but prom
Using. The storm ragged with flu
robustness aud wildness never wit
messed before. 1t seemed at times
as though the cars woHld be blown
from tho track. All the railroad
men worked with will to get out
of the difficulty. but every effort
was utterly futile.
About 2 o'clock. the section boss
at Reading, whose name we did
not learn, being informed by tele-
gram that the train had left Empo-
ria, made his way to it four-and-
a-half miles, almost at the risk of
his life. He returned with tele-
grams from Mr.. Diggins to the rail-
road authoities at Topeka and EN-
poria. A snow plow and lot of
hands were started from Topeka,
and two engines went out from
Emporia. About 8 p. m. the plow
appeared within about half mile of
the imprisoned train. While the
two engines from this city got with
ia one fourth of mile OF il at an
earlier hour, but owing to the furi-
Gus storm, all efforts to clear the
track were useless, as the snow filed
the clearing as fast as it was made.
Meantime the passengers devoured
everything eatable. Many were
so fortunate as TO have a lunch.
Everything in the possession of the
news agent was gobbled, even to
the rotten apples. One gentleman
on the train had ham of buffalo
which he was taking east. He gen.
erously devoted il to the hungry
crowd, who cooked it by various
improvisde means on the coal
stoves. 1t would have pleased the
friends of his honor, Judge Peyton
who was going to court at Lynden,
to have seen him frying his buffalo
on the end of the poker and then
sitting on the coal box and content
edly devouring it. Dignity was at
a discount. A car load of Mennon-
ties had a supply of bread. This
they strenuously refused to. divide
until the persuasive powers of
German Methodist preacher from
Nyandotte were brought to bear on
them. But in the afternoon Senator
Gillett of Emporia, and j. w. Sim
cock of Council Grove, concluded
to see If they could not find a farm
house. They made their way back
as far as Badger Greek, a mile and a
half, and the two engines from EN-
poria coming along, they were glad
to retreat to the cars. Major Gillett
froze his cars, but he brought with
him large tin pail full of biscuit
and butter, dOughnutp, cakes, pies,
etc., generously donated by al. Gla-
zier, of EmpOria, which were de-.
voured with a relish by the raven
Gus passengers. Hon. S. N. Wood,
Capt. Brandy of Chase, Secretary
of the Senate, and Mr.. Armstrong,
of Wyandotte, LEFT the train about
4 O'Clock, and made their way to
Reading.
The hands brought up by the two
engines from Emporia, and those
who came from the other direction,
worked faithfully, and shortly after
IL o'clock at night, the passengers
heard the glorious news that one of
the Emporla egines had made con-
nection with their snow-bound
train-and soon we began to move
in the direction of this city, which
we reached little before 3 a. m.
- Violet the following resolutions
adopted on the train the next day.
finish this story:
The passengers were called by S.
N. Wood. Almerin Gillet was che
cen Chairman and John S. Gilmore
and DR.. Rogers were appointed
Secretaries.
On motion, a Committee on Res
olutions, consisting of s. N. Wood,
Jacob Stotler, j. W. Simcock, L. B.
kellogg and e. j. Fry were appoint
ed. The committee reported the
following resolutions, which were
enthusiastically adopted:
WHEREAS, Passenger train No. 2, on
the A. 7. d ). f. railroad was yesterday
showed In ON the high prairie between
Emporia and Reading, and for fifteen
hours the passengers were helpless, with