Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-05-25
Che freeman.
Letter from Minnesota.
FREEBoRN. Mimi, Nav !

] should speak Of the feeling of relief
Eth Ehlch we all hail the return of the
-1mmer warmth after the long dreary
si1'er through which we have just passed
most lovely spring has followed the
Hnf tedious winter. never saw trans
'rnA,ion more rapid. more beautiful or
more complete. 1t seems only few days
a. hen farmers were wondering If il
souli not be too late to do any seeding
before the ground would be in condition
20 receive the seed. The ice remained in
ul- AXE till the 29th Of April-nearly
Ipn,h er than usual, and fully six
Seeks later than three years ago. The
a-ners could not commence to SOW wheat
this vicinity, on the most favorable
.r1ias. ..l the 18th Of April. Spring
--'iy began with us then, and the farmers
Hni been waiting long and patiently
~ '1e warm weather to come improved it
s'l slacritv upon It's arrival.
The winter of lSS0-Sl is one of those
'hs' will stand out prominently from all
't1ers BY reason of its pecuiarities. 1t
b, used as standard of comparison
-ha.. measure all others By it for many
V#srs 10 come. We have had Just as cold
Frniher during other winters, and just as
rercs storms, bat for persistent, straight
nrFArd. downright, business like winter
Fr''ber the past season will stand unrival-
ai. ani tor snow blockades on railroads
sad complete interruption of other meth
ois Of travel it is without an equal. The
.-,.imony Of all the oldest inhabitants is
unanimous IN this point.
Winter really began the 10th of Octo-
.rr. though il eased up for few days
tfe5 that, but on the lIth of November it
nut down Tor good, and only once for four
uoaih> did the mercury ascend TO the
neia' Of freezing, and then only for few
s1lr'. For days in succession it remained
a1l, twenty and below. We began to
1,ier it exceptionally pleasant when it
ras above zero.
Railroad travel was continually inter-
.iet by snow storms. One blockade
t-.el for ten days, during which time
t1.ra could be 70 communication with the
"'.ie world except by telegraph. A
us'-,nger train, two freight trains and
,l.re Engines that we're sent to their relief
Nere ,Eowbound during this interval at
u- tile town Of Hartland. This being a
.ua. station. the town containing but few
Irh,ai,tnts, il taxed their resources to the
most to provide for these railroad men
sos ta passengers. 1t took all the fuel
'sa could be found 10 keep the engines
'r and nil the food to keep the people
ge until the blockade could be raised
ea supplies brought in. The passenger
a7i railroad men seemed to enjoy the fun
7' dr't. but after day or two it grew mo.
nn'5nous, and before the end was reached.
...le serious
The snow bad bee shoveled gu, of the
cl'' aud trains run only a few days before
sla'hcr storm il,ed them again. The
.1eE fences on each side Of the track
s-iust all these deep cuts were worse
'.sa useless. The snow came in such
antilles that the whole space from the
Of one fence on one side of the track
re top Of the other on the other side
ets filled full, and it was only at an i'm.
mer,e expense that the railroad compa-
a'e' could keep it clear. Every little fairy
of snow wouli fill the narrow channel
Wsv were obliged to cut through these
l',s. SNOW plows we're useless-it had
b. 70 BE- taken out by hand.
Fl' in comparison with the inconven-
-s which the people west of US have
'Aered from snow blockades, our troubles
hardly worth mentioning. On the
se.irFn border Of this state and in Dako.
's railroad travel has been suspended
irely since the first of February. The
i--t freight train left Waseca, Mimi, for
Wa,cr'own, OAK, May I'd. During this
l.ervA. these settlers have been completely
-a'ated from the rest Of the world. How
.H. II w o"A'lllE HAS Dttu CduSGl DN
re'r blockade the public will probably
never knOw. II isn't for the interest r.
lose who are DESTROYS to attract emigra-
ton thiJher 10 make known such calami-
ues The emigration to Dakota last
summer was unprecedented. 1t seemed
He lhe rushing Of the populace 70 new
..Hrrr.sN
migrants, many Of them, were destitute
sf means 10 supply any but their immedi-
,,. necessities. The railroad com panies
81. promised to furnish them fuel and
miles At rates which should be not only
Enable bnt generous. On this they
=, dspend. for some of them were a
,,.d miles from a stick of timber or a
mill. Probably not one in a
l..J npprehended any such Interrupt
si' raiIroaiing, or made any provision
H'' 10 NEE, such an emergency. Their
therefore, couldn't be otherwise
10 meal All sorts of rumors have
5sn -..nayo' and all sorts of apprehen
30 pv those who had friends among
Hr ,.r- there. Perhaps many of the
.,-ions we're groundless, and GER
go ,.ny Of the rumors cannot be cred.
rnt some Of them are true, One
-n,c c>me from there said be saw a
- t1.Hen 10 death in a wagon on the
''l They evidently had seen that
.fu.,ion was getting desperate, and
.,h uas Inevitable unless they could
snd that in attempting to get
torn overlook them and they
s The mo her and three children
- II tl,e wagon. The man was leaning
.he wagon on the side opposite the
Ibe horses we're nearly buried in
.1d all we're dead. This man said
.a 20, ,ell what be bad heard, but
d. bad seen he knew. But hardly
.asny cases like this could have oc-
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