The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-20
a SNOW.BOUND VILLAGE.
Relief Sent out to vi,ginIa's Buried
Hamlet.
BEnRYvILLE, Clark County, Va,

Ane feiiei 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 tn the con-
dition of the villagers, and also the details
oi several catastrophes resulting from The
heavy snow, which continues to fall.
The relief party, which left here in a
mammoth four-horse sled, made rapid
progress for four Or six miles, but, when
they reached the foot of tho mountains.
the roads became almost impassablc.
Several drifts were encountered of iucred.
ioie proportions, while the men were
rendered nearly helpless by the cold.
One Of the horses got stuck in a snow
drift and was abandoned, the third horse
being led as a 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. NJ. Friday.
Not sign of life could be seen, and the
newcomers nt first thought that they had
arrived at
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 building was almost hidden from
view, but, IA four despairing cries rang
ont, faint response was heard, followed
bya mans head emerging from an open.
ing cut in the wall twenty feet from the
ground. He proved to be MIR. Wright,
tho energetic head of the committee, who
quietly summoned his men aud had the
relief party carried into one of the houses,
which, in honor of its arrival, was soon
glowing with 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, Mr. Wright
summoned tho 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 the two village grocery
stores, which, together with the frozen
game, alleyed 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 i'll charge, who, with nearly 100
Cases to care tor, had not been to bed for
over week. The committee expressed
the opinion that it would be able to get
along for another week without further
aid, provided the snow ceased and q
crust formed. This would allow forage
and they could then doubtless procure
fuel. hIr. Wright, who appears to be
omnipotent, then expressed the wish that
some one be dispatched back to Berry.
vile the next morning to allay the anx.
icty of friends and relatives of the SNOW
bound hamlet. Mr. Watson volunteered
for the dangerous journey, and prepara.
tions were commenced for his departure
the next day. The committee has made
number uf 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 cutting
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 were given
4 supply of provisions and fuel.
One man was placed in charge
and the house closed Indefinitely. The
snow was then .!sc'sed to accumulate at
will, and, as q consequence, one half 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 OIL their search for fuel and
birds. These latter, as well as deer,
foxes, coons and chickens, are succuu.b.
ling to the cold by thousands, and the
villagers, by gathering them before they
are covered by the snow, obtain q whole
rome and agreeable article of diet. The
daily struggle through the snow is attend.
ed with varying success, the party usual
iy returning about noon. Mr.. Wright
then gives to each generous drink of
whiskey or brandy, aud the exhausted
generally hauled In through windows OF
roof. Mr. Wright has every drop of Ii.
quor the village contains locked in his
own home. At frat the ardent was in
charge of the committee, but the ener-
getic chief found that they were not all
to be relied upon, several getting glori-
ously drunk. He thereupon had the bar.
reIs remnved through the snow with
great difficulty 10 his own house, where
either he or his sons mount guard, at
all times, with pistol in hand, to prevent
it being stolen. If it were not for this
precaution, dozens of the men would be
continually intoxicated, endangerinn
their 0wn and othere iyes. Many of the
houses. by direction of the committee.
have been torn to the second story, the
wood being used as fuel to keep warm
the little garrisons on The lower floors.
Mr. Watson left the village early this
morning. and, being supplied with s
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