The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-01-05
Frozen In a Rlizzard.

Frozen In "a blizzard.
A NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH IN A SNOW
STORM on MINNESOTA PRAIRIE.
Fergus FAILS (Minn) Journal
On Saturday, the 18th of December Mr..
Stordock left his place OF business at Mars
ton at the usual hour in the evening TO go
home, about q mile across the fat, bleak
prairie. carrying, as was his custom, Ian.
tern. On the wav his cap blew off, and in
rushing for his cap the lantern went out.
In his effort TO relight the lantern he lost
one glove. and in his search for these
needed garments became confused, and
etfectualy lost his rond. Hatless and with
one bare hand, therefore, this weak and in
firm man commenced one OF the bravest
struggles with the elements of which we
have any record. Mr.. Stordock's first i'm.
pulse was TO take course which
would lead him to the RAILROAD
line, by following which he could
regain the Marston station or some other.
Sometimes be thought he had reached the
track, and would waste his strength in dig
oiup in the snow for the rails. WcariCd at
last with his vain efforts, the sufferer lay
down and burrowCd in the snow, making the
best possible protection of his buffalo over
coat, without which he would soon have
dock he dared not again burrow IN the
snow. being fully aware that he would not
rally. He bad on bis person 50 800 in cur
rency-wheat money, belonging to Pills
bury & Co. ; and Stordock has since said
that money saved his life, for rs he strug-
gled and stumbled on in the drifted snow
and trcacherous footing he would OCCASION
ally fall and lie for time, feeling tolerably
comfortable, hut when he thought OF his
wife and children, and also Of the money in
his care, the thoHght would come to hlm
that if he should perish and his body not be
recovered it might be suspected that be had
skipped the country with the money. sum
monlng his energies. therefore, he would
rise and 90 on again.
Monday at last came, and with less wlnd
! blowing, Stordock kept moving in hopes
soon TO find house or some person TO as
Slst him. Badly frozen in feet. bands, face,
and ears, his progress was painful ana SLOW.
He at last sees a man with team, WHO
comes so near to him that he calls 10 him.
| The man is taking load OF flour from
Elizabeth to Breckinridge, and is about
half way between those points. StordocK
| tells him that he has been lost since Satur-
Gay and that he is frozen and hungry, and
wants him to take him home or to the near
est house. The stranger declined, as we
are told, with some excuses about the ur-
pency of his trip TO Breckenridge, but
offered to convey him TO that place, twelve
miles away. StOrdock knew that be would
die before be could ride half that distance,
and very properly declined the prohereo
ride. The teamSter lett the frozen wan
derer by merely pointing him to house
about two miles away and advising blm 10
make his way there.
| Rev. A. c. Schmidt, pastor OF the Ger
man Methodist church OF Elizabeth, was
the Good Samaritan III this case. On his
wav from Elizabeth to Breckinrid@e on
MONDAY. when he reached the house OF
William Linsay, ten miles from the former
and fourteen from the latter place, he saw
q man out on the level prairie, half Il mile
away, whose movements arrested his atten'
t,On. The man seemed to be stumbling
abou, and making but little progress. Mr..
Schmidt thought il OF sufficient importance
to make inquiry at Linsay's house. The
family knew nothing OF any man out there,
and. turning 10 look, the man had disap'
neared. This convinced Mr.. Schmidt that
The man had fallen IN the snow. 30 taking
with him Mr. Linsay they went out IN searcn
OF the sufferer. Half a mile distant they
found Mr.. StOrdock lying on his side, able
to speak when spoken TO, but helpless
They carried him to the house as quickly as
possible, and cared for him in the very best
possible manner. AS described by Mr..
Schmidt, StOrdock presented sad appear.
ance. His nose WIS swollen with frost and
broken open and bleeding. His moustacheS
and wbiskers carried a mas OF SOLID ice
weighing at least three pounds, which pre-
vented him from drinking water, for the
want OF which he was suffering. His face
aud ears were badly frozen, but, worst
Of all, his feet were solid to the ankles
and his bands nearly TO the wrists
Removing his boots with knife, his feel
and hands were at once placed in snow anC
kept in that condition until thawed. II
took fourteen hours to fully extract tht
frost from his feet. DR.. Bedford says ina
Sordock was frequently delrious while
wandering over the prairie, saw visions O
home and family, OF warm houses will
lniceIy-spread tables, and that he actualI!
advanced to these visions to lind them
cold and hollow mockery.