, 1881-04-09

Houl 1'ogct1ler-TEe Trying Expsri-
cfaccs OF Now Settlers In til. fur
Northwest During slio B'.1Ht Winter.
huhH9Ht tfd.} LofftspoHlst,re Doston Gtobe.
Il story told BY Joseph Sterrette, of Big
Lake. Dakota, who lIns Just managed to
break through tile terrible SHOW blockade Il,
tiae sect|on Of tho country. gives only II fair
statement Of tho troubles experienced by tilo
settlers 1T the Northwest during the severe
winter. Afr. Stcrrel.e prg1mpted 100 acres IT
farin land III Big Lake two years ago, and ut
once moved on 1t with his family md settled
down TO work. At the end Of tho year liz
wns III sElnpe for farming, and Ind n conf
fortahl1 cahin. Lust year he harvested sixty
acres Of wheat, twenty-five buslcls to tho
tcrc, md realized Si,aO0, liz lait lit a l1au-
tity Of fuel, aud prepared for winter, but 1t
proved more severe tIinn liz or his nei9hb0rs
had calculated. III fnct. Stersette's better
preparation for tho rigufs Of tlIe sunson
turned Dnt TO- 6e t1lc un1y. inea'Is which pre-
vented hlnisulf, family, aihl several nptghbOrs
from starting mud frouzmg to deatl,. Il, Feb
rM.sry he tot,rh 1t necessary 10 rescue tic eil-
t!ro int,illcs u, two ncgllboring farmers mt
taklIlg them into Ills own hHllse. The cold
WIS 10 Xtent!y aud 50 bitter TINT before tElo
sensnn WIS tMlf over tho fuel. which lie ilnt
gathered to lust until spring was aIi coi,-
slill!el.
Then l,e and the men staying with HIN
went out niid took down tho fences ulld out
houses nlltl burned then.. 1'hu heavy snOw-
fall. which ut this time blocknded the, rail-
hoasa whore stsrrettu ard h1s ieigl!burs were
domlcftetl ns to absolutely cut on ult cUn,ntl-
itcatlon with the Oltslaa world. 'rha uler-
curry fell lower than over; tile wlrtls grew
sfc'r; a s; a'd ts sarf9hnnalnE }ns & soM ~ cnksa liked
III Il thros s Tic bi"sk,o 3e ts the ttaF rsiway 'a sar
by, aud dug out ties which TINY chopped
np. tuok home. antl burned to cook tlleir
drcn from freezinx. When tlle ttes and tela-
grnpll poles that could be reachnd were cum
s,sned. It WIS decided to dig through, to tl,Q
cabins OF ttIosa sheltered III Sterrette's hnuse,
and bsyak y, t|ts @ Up u!' f'r n!at Ths .!s do,e
flirnitnre was next yacrttlced. even to tho
beAsteatls, trunks, md cl,ittlreM's toys.
While the solt!-in,ptisonsd pioneers were
upon ,.n1 @ tals , last ,supply y Df tte consltnton
peratu attempt to drive Though tho deadly
btusts on tho crust ft,r. reItrf. Jotlu I}eckur
agreed to 10. A sleigh was preparetl, and
With live horses l,ltclltd to 1t Decker started.
brave lnaif1ett there wcro tears frozen ol, bis
cheeks. Becker -verststel III. taking a fine
shepherd dog. lie gave ns lils rcnson: 81
lolftktlow wIlnt may llapten; would rathar
Jury AuF!0 ~ NY Utkly ltlull lllSk II I'LL 1FGGz0
to DEATH" Sturretto ul,tl his companions be-
cano a!Armud ,wl'en ut the. end Ut two days
Becker did not return, md they started Ullt
for him. They had not gnMe fur when they
cane across q hole ln tlrift where Ieckor
had broken through. Thu man was ,follnd
curlr!l up IN thu Sleigh frozen dead. Ills
faithful dog was !ying, hutittlul up asatl,st
ILLS breast dead. rie tlve horses wore stnn,l-
Ing lteless '' their feat all frezctl stilf. Tho
llletl carried Bpcker's body back, l,lale a
coffin of the sleigh, nailed tho cntusu up lii
1t, md then rayerentIy PLACED It III tho corn
Grlh Hntll tho weather Should permit Ut Its
SHon after this, and Just rs the party was
Oh tho plllIt OF despair, tho weather nio.lcr-
ated sufficiently to 6reak the gl,ow blockade,
aud Sterrette and friends found relief: a
other food than soup 'I'slllo from MI ox-peIt,
WHICH happened to DO In Tho house wlleii tho
blockade begun. Notwithstanding Mi tlts,
MI. aterrette says .tno people lIk0 tho coili.
try, and say they viii stay alld In the future
he prepared Tor seycre ,Winturs. The land Is
good, tho soil Is deup black,. most ot tic sgt-
tiers ,aro Foreigners. aia4 tile. ownership of
innl IL to thonl So novel md precious tl,ut
they will not give 1t up.