The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-20
A SNOW.BOUND VILLAGE.
Relief Sent out to virginia's Buried
Hamlet.
BERRYvILLE, Clark County, Va,
January s, 1880,

BERRYv1LLE, Clark County, Va,
January s, 1880.
The relief party which was dispatched
from here to the snow-bound village of
Paris yesterday succeeded in reaching its
destination, after an exhaustive and dan.
gerous journey, during which all of the
party were painfully frost bitten. To-day
Charles A. Watson, one of the four
who made the trip, returned here, bring.
ing additional information as to the con
dition of the villagers, and also the details
Of several catastrophes resulting from the
heavy snow, which continues to fall.
The relief party, which left here in q
mammoth fourhorse sled, made rapid
progress for four or six miles, but, when
they reached the foot of the mountains,
the roads became almost impossible
Several drifts were encountered of incred-
ible proportions, while the men were
rendered nearly helpless by the cold.
One of the horses got stuck in SHOW
drift and vas abandoned, the third horse
being led as reserve. During Thurs
day night the party only made four miles.
the crust of the snow not being strong
enough to bear the sled, which broke
through again and again, compelling the
half-frozen men to get out and walk.
They kept bravely on, however, and
reached the village by 10 A. N. Friday.
Not sign of life could be seen, and the
newcomers at first thought that they had
arrived at
A CITY OF THE DEAD,
only to die themselves. They urged on
their only two horses that had survived
the night, and, traversing the main
street, finally reached what they judged
to be the .school.house, where the com.
mittee of fifteen had established itself.
The btu ling was almost hidden from
view, but, az four despairing cries rang
out, faint response was heard, followed
by mans head emerging from an open
ing cut in the wall twenty feet from the
ground. He proved to be Mr.. Wright,
the energetic head of the committee, who
quietly summoned his men and had the
relief party carried into one of the houses,
which, in honor of its arrival, was soon
glowing with a generous fire. In the
other occupied houses only small fires
were burning, as the fuel had become
very low. As the supply could not be
replenished, nearly all were suffering
from terrible frosl-bites and were almost
incapacitated from work. The women
and children were also suffering, although
given the warmest rooms and supplied
with old clothing in which to wrap
themselves. After the four strangers
had partially recovered, MIR. Wright
summoned the committee, which, since
last Monday. has been governing the
villagers with an iron hand. An inven-
tory of the stock of fuel and provisions
showed that there were only four cords of
wood and number of old buildings left
with which to keep the fire going. As
to provisions, the committee had seized
the stock of tue two village grocery
stores, which, together with tine frozen
game, allayed all fears of immediate
starvation. The contents of the sleigh,
consisting of medicine, soft linen for
bandages, canned fruits, preserved meats,
wine and liquors generally, proved an
invaluable.
ADDITION TO THEIR LITTLE STORE.
The doctor, who formed one of the
relief party, at once went to work in the
hospital, relieving the exhausted physi.
clans in charge, who, with nearly loo
cases to care tor, had not been to bed for
| ,,or 1,ooI, Tito ropor,,ittoa ovyraacac
the opinion that it would be able to gel
along for another week without further
aid, provided the snow ceased and 8
crust formed. This would allow forage
parties to walk without serious trouble.
and they could then doubtless procure
fuel. Mr.. Wright, who appears to be
omnipotent, then expressed the wish thai
some one be dispatched back to Berry.
vile the next morning to allay the anx-
iety of friends and relatives of the snow.
bound hamlet. MIR. Watson volunteered
for the dangerous journey, and prepara'
tions were Commenced for his departure
the next day. The committee has made
a number of excellent rules for the gov
ernment Of the village. In the early
part Of the week the strength of the men
was daily tried by their efforts it cuttisg
tunnels through immense drifts which
every night formed around many Of the
houses. The committee determined to
stop this, and detailed number of men
to each inhabited house, who we're given
r supply of provisions and fuel
One man was placed in charge
and the house closed indefinitely. The
snow was then allowed to accumulate at
will, and, as a consequence, one.haIf OF
the villagers were prisoners when the
relief party arrived. Every morning
each house furnishes its quota of men,
who are lowered by ropes or ladders from
the roof of the
HALF-BURIED DWELLINGS.
These men make tour of the village,
ascertain the condition of the sick and
then depart on their search for fuel and
birds. These latter, rs we'll as deer,
foxes, coons and chickens, are succumb.
ling to the cold by thousands, and the
villagers, by gathering them before they
are covered by the snow, obtain whole.
some and agreeable article of diet. The
daily struggle through the snow is attend.
ed with varying SUCCESS, the party usual
ly returning about noon. Mr. Wright
then gives to each q generous drink of
whisEey or brandy, and the exhausted
villagers return to their homes, being
generally hauled in through windows or
roof. Mr. Wright has every drop of IL
quor the village contains locked in his
own home. At first the ardent was in