Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-01-15
Caught in the Big Storm.

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RIcHLAND, n. Y, Jan. 5.-Thi'
point. the junction Of the three divisions
OF the Rome, Waterton and Ogdcnsbure
Railroads. has for the past few days
been the scene Of the greatest snow
storm and blockade known in the his
tory of the State. A binding sheet o.
snow has fallen steadily, accompanied
by a terrible gale, making it dangerous
for any one even to step out doors
Three trains. with nearly seventy
passengers among them number el
women and children, have just succee-
ded. with great difficulty, in reaching
this place. On TIL ursday last large
snow plough. driven by two powerful
locomotives, barely made the distance
and halted two miles south i'll q snow
drift. where 1t was abandoned. The
notels, three in number, were soon
filed, and forty or fifty passengers who
were unable to gain admittance pre-
parcd to make themselves as comfor-
table as possible in the coaches. The
wcrk of keeping the track clear was
imm edlatcly abandoned by order OF
Superintendent Van Horne, and all
things were lett to the mercy OF the
elements. the railroad men devotlng
their time TO keeping the fires in their
locomotives alive. Water could not be
procured. and fuel had to be carried BY
men a distance Of nearly a mile in
hanf-baskets, while the tanks were sup
plied with melted snow. This required
constant labor by men, causing intonse
suffering. Among the passengers were
many who were not prepared far any
DELAY on the road aud w'io were con-
sequently unable to proyide themselves
with necessary provisions. Among
these were A. Carley and wife. whs
we're returning to their home in Will
Gamstown. Their son had died in
Adams. and the expense Of sickness
and burial had left them penniless. n
little boy, Willie Burton. aged 8 years
was discovered on FRIDAY night in a
corner Of the coach. weakened by hunger.
having had no fnsd for thrty-si1 hours.
The theatre company that are playing
Ten Nights in Barroom" through this
region were travelling under the guar
dlanship of A. J. Sink OF Rome, whs
had charge of the party consisting eli.
r.. Waite. Z. II. Covert, w. n.
Fesslcr. B. Krene, Z. w. Tangney, L.
Lombard. Chas. Collins, Mrs. Henry
Daylon Fanny Drsyton and Little
Lulu when the party arrived In TINS
Town. Sink, who had charge OF the
finances throughout, provided his people
with two meals and two lunches, ant
then abandoned them, without a dollar
to the mcrcy Of strangers, while ht
made himself comfortable IN the hotel
suggesting that they might earn sunici
ent to live OIL by shovelling snow, know
ing. however. that no such Opportunit,
presented itself. The shsw folks
managed to spare from their scanty pro
visions of cheese aud crackers sufficient
to keep the boy and two or three others
from starving, and readily gave uI
their shawls aud traps to make other
comfortable. They organized dancini
= parties, furnished music, and, in tn
depo. waiting rooms supplied diversion
; for the others. Songs, dances. an
jokes served 10 keep every one IN goo
humOr, and in the first twsnty-fou
hours their unpleasant situation wa
forgotten.
CnF day the fury of the storm hat
if possible, been intensified, and tn
nussengers now became convinced thu
their stay would be prolonged for day
and the hotel proprietOrs looked to the
provisions. fearing that they might ru
I" hort. censentng to fee | only tho'
r whom they had originally contractt
with and few others able to pay f
food. There we're a few whose NEAR
were limited that shared with other
Mail Agent +. L. Briniustool. Of Il
Rutland and Niagara Falls route. er
; cared himself to the theatre compar
by inviting them tn his postal car, an
there himself breilng steaks over q
Goals. and with bread, salt, and te
> furnishing sufficient TO stay the pan
Of hunger, and afterwad celiectil
sufficient means for future meal. d
ar two OF the ladies whe had a lit
e. money also interested themselves,
hat none were actually lett hungr
Mr.. Quincy McAdam Of the Ud
offered to pay any person's erpeus
ry and s5 additional who would accomps'
i'm on foot to Rome, providing tn
reached that point by Monday. A ra
roadcr named Ryan accepted the Off
9, and the two started. notwiths'andi
the expostulausns ofths others. Th
." .v.re sure TO encounter snow drifts irt
a, .,v. .. twenty feet high, aud with I