American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-04-23
Winter Hardships in the Northwest.

A STORY told by Joseph Sterrette, of Big
Lake. Dakota, who has just managed TO break
through the terrible snow blockade in hat sec
ton of the country, gives only fair state
ment of the troubles experienced by the set
tiers of the Northwest during the severe win
ter. Mr.. Sterrctte 'pre-empted 100 acres of
farm land in Big Lake two years ago, and at
once moved omit with his family and settled
I down to work. At the end of the year he was
in shape for farming. and had u com Portable
cabin. Last year he harvested sixty acres
of wheat twenty-five bushels to the
acre, and res allied $1,000. He laid in aquantity
of fuel, and prepared for winter, but it proved
more severe than he or his neighbors had cal
culated- In fact, Sterrette's better prepare
tion for the rigors of the. season turned out to
be the only means which prevented himself,
family and several neighbors from starving
or freezing TO death. In February he found
it necessary to rescue the entire >fanileso Of
two neighb0ring farmers not so well housed
from perfshng by cold by taking them into
his own house. The cold was 50 ste ady and so
bitter that before the season was half over the
fuel which he had gathered to hast until spring
was all consumed. - t>rf -
Then he and the men staying with him went
out and took down the Fences and outhouses
and burned them. The heavy snowfall, (which
at this Time blockaded the railroads, was piled
in such drifts about this house where Sterette
and his neigh bors were domiciled as to abso-
lutely cut on all communicated with the out.
side world. The mercury fell lower than ever;-
the winds grew ffercar, and the surrounding
snsw caked and tsokidified. AT this time the
moaa dug thftr way, or rather mined
il, through the blockade to the railway near
by, and dug out ties which, they chopped up,
took home, and barned to cook their scanty
fopd, and save their wives, aud children from
freezing. When the. lies and telegraph poles
that could be reached were consumed, il was
decided to dig through to the cabins of those
sheltered in Storrette's house, and break them
up for fuel. This WAS done. The bitter cold
still continuing, Sterrette's furniture was next
sacrificed, even to the bedsteads, trunks and
children's toys. -
While the coldimprisoned pioneers we're
upon this last supply OF fuel consultation was
held, and it was decided to MAKE desperate
attempt to drive through the deadly blasts
on the crust for relief John Becker
agreed to go. A sleigh was prepared, and
with five horses hitchetto it Becker started.
1t was q terrible undertaking, and when the
brave man left there were tears frozen on his
cheeks. Becker persisted in taking fine
shepherd dog. He gave as his reason: I" 1
don't know what may happen; would rather
bury Carlo in my belly than have him .eeze
to death" Sterrette and his companions be-
came alarmed when AT the end Of two days
Becker did not return. and they started out
for him. They had not gone far when they
came across II hole in a drift where Becker
had broken through. The man. was found
curled up in the sleigh, frozen dead. His faith
full dog was lying huddled up against his
breast, dead. The five horses were standing
hfeless on their feet, all frozen stiff. The men
carried Becker's body back, made a coffin of
the sleigh, nailed the corpse up in 1t, and then
reverently placed it in the corn crib until the
weather should permit of its burial.
Soon after this, and just as the party was on
the point of despair, the weather moderated
sufficiently to break the snow blockade, and
Sterrctte and friends found relief. A neigh
boring family during this time had no other
food than soup made from an ox-pelt, which
happened to be in the house when the block
AIDE began. Notwithstanding all this, Mr.. Stcr-
rettc says the people like the country and say
for severe wint ers. The land is good. the soil
is deep black, most of the settlers are foreign
ers, and the ownership OF land is to them so
novel and precious that they will not give 1t
up.-Dubuqtc tIood) Cor. Boston G,obc.
AN old Ruby Hill miner. says the
Carson City Appeal, who has had fifteen
years experience under ground, says
that he has observed ono peculiar fact,
that between twelve and two O'Clock
in the night, if there is a loose stone or
bit of earth in the mine it is sure to fall.
Says he: about this time it seems
that everything begins to stir, and inn
after twelve, although the
mine has been still as a tomb before,
you will hear particles of rock and
earth come tumbling down, and if there
is caving piece of ground in the mine
it is sure to give way.