Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-09
From Correspondent of the Worcester Spy ]
A Snow Storm in Nebraska.

We pitched our tents carelessIv, intending
to take early start next morning But.
alas. for our expectations, During the night
. strong wind set in from the northwest, and
about A. VI. II begad to SNOW. None of us
could judge well of weather indications in
Nebraska. and our guide did not suspect any
thing serious, for the .-oldest inbabitant'
could not recollect a blizzard in October. and
it was now only the 18th Of the month The
guide thought and the drivers believed. that
the storm would cease at II NJ. and we. of
course trusted to their Judgment But. in
stead, the storm grew fercer. the snow fell
more rapidly. and the northwest gale in
creased in fury. Before night 80 much snow
had fallen that if it had lain as il fell it would
have been al least one foot deep, but now it
had been piled into drifts that our poor
mules stood with their feet nearly as high as
the wagon tops, and the stove and furniture
in our cooks tent were completely hidden
from view.
The night shut in upon US gloomy and aw
full. We had two light canvass tents. in each
Of which slept four men, with just blankets
enough to keep them comfortable in ordinary
weather. But now we must provide for the
guide. two drivers and a porter, who had
usually slept in the wagons, and IS they were
but shiny provided with clothing. we must
share our stock with them. So into the larger
ten, VIC ,ook ,bem There was but little
.leep in the tent that niabt. for the cold was
intense and the wind wa. so terrible in its
effects that we feared every moment the larg-
er tent would fall, though we had strength
ened it in every conceivable way. With the
morning light it seemed as if all the spirits of
the air were let loose and all day long the
storm roared win ever-increa.inofu rv. The
u L
| we found ourselves buried beneath il. and
now we were Obliged 10 gather all of our bed
| dino into the middle of the tent to keep il
fram heinz wet throuob No man conld long
endure the storm outside. and we stood hud-
dIod ,ooe,ber fram mornino till night stamp
inc our feet To keen from suffering Even
| then We could not keen comfortable. For
hours ,ooe,ber VIC stood with our backs braced
| LIN, ,Lo ton, ,o boon !, tom giving awav
nndar ,he areat waigb, of the snow and the
terrific force If the Gale know Of no Ian.
| ,,nao. ,yb;cb can no used IN convey tn any
nerson ;nexnerienced in sncb a time anv AIDE.
| nua,e concen,;on of tho furv of the storm
nnr;na Tho second dsv we succeeded in DIG.
g;no onr litrle stove ont of the snow drift
and se,tinv il ut the entrance of our
ton, we MANAGED TO keen little fire
through tho rest Of the day and the night
| mt of wood small and
,bere was M more 10 he had within we knew
no, how many miles The other tents com.
| nany had M stove and M fire During The
second night of the storm il was impossi.
HE that ali sbould sleen at once. even If thew
could ,leep. desnite the cold for what with
the stove On one aide and all our provisions
| hro,ob, in from tho wagops on tho other
their vas M room for ali tn lie down. Re.
l. ;dos 4, was necessary m keen the fire ooipo
los, re mich, ali ner;sb toge,ber
So we stood bending over the stove all
n;gh, two ar a time while the others tried n
sIeen II was an awful niobt To add n
our anxiety. the guide and drivers declared
that the horses and mules were likelv to per.
isb. They were a pitiful sight. indeed. Two
of them had no blankets. and the others were
little better off. At times it was difficult to
conceive that the creatures before us were
horses so literally covered were they with
u todtlup VI IcCs iltti tWo anu t"b