The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-01-31
THE GREATEST OF BLazzAKDs.

THE GREATEST OF BIIZZARDs.
"Reminiscences OF the Great Three Day.
| Snow Storm I'm Minnesota.
| wcrthinyton Adysnee,i
The great storm OF 1878 was the most vic.
lent known in the Northwest for fifty years,
as the records kept at wort Saeilinx showed.
1t was violent electrical storm, extending
over the whole Northwest, so that the tele-
graph wires west of Chicago refused to
work.
It struck Minnesota on the Itho of yanu-
airy, 1873; and ragged for three days, the wind
blowing gsle, the temperature being shout
eighteen degrees below zero, asd' on the
prairies the air was filed with snOv as fine
as sour; Through every revice, keyhole
and nail hole the snow pen stratedy putting
into houses like steam. Tne-number of hn-
man lives lost IN Minnesota was about
seventy.
| The morning Of January Z, 1879 was
beautiful and bright The air was mild and
still, and farmers set out for town or went
| to neighboring farms with heir teams
sGenerally it was thought that Jan nary
thaw" was imminent: but Professor Humis-
ton. who had a good anaroid Iaromenter,
toretold 3 storm. The barometer had been
| falling for twenty four hours and never was
known to fall so low before
Between. 12and u O'clock white-waH was
seen moving up from the northwest UPON
Worthington. The front of the storm was
distinct and almost as clearly outl- ned as o
great sheet When it struck the town,
| farmers began to scatter to their hor,es. A
number. however, remained, and were
1 housed up for three Gays Persons visiting
in the village, only few squares from
home, in some instances remained till the
storm abated, not daring to yenturs out
upon the streets.
| j. H. MAXWELL drove four miles against
the storm and then took refuge with a
neighboring farmer, not seiug able to reach
home. Rev. Mr.. Stone walked five miles
| facing the storm, this side of Jackson, and
finally took refuge in e sod shanty. A
| party of Worthington men, among whom
were DIR. Langdon and Cornelius Stout, were
caught on. the road between Worthington
and Jackson, and also remained showed up
in sod house A man north of Worthing-
| ton was caught on the tTackless prairie
! driving an OK team. He unhitched and un-
yoked the team, then took hold OF one OF
| by the tail, and, by twisting &, kept the ami
| NAL on trot. The other or followed, and the
man b. ought up against his own wood pile.
The school in Indian Lake Township was
taught by young lady in log school
house. The snow drifted m through the
crevicss, and soon covered the floor. The
supply OF wood was soon exhausted. and
then teacher and scholars split up furni-
ture and eked out seant FIRE ill the storm
absted. To keep up circulation they formed
in Indian file ana marched around the stove
through the dreary days and long nights
till, on the third day, they Esade their es-
cape. Joseph Poots was caught in the storm
In the western part of the County, and lay
for several days in snow drift. Unfortu-
nately his feet become exposed, kicked the
cover off so to speak, and both feet were
| frozen and had to be amputated.
A Mr.. Small, who lived four miles south
east of Worthington, started from town
with an OK team and sled just after the
storm struck Us He drove within few
rods of his own door, and wandered over
| the prairie till he came TO some hay stacks,
around which rail fence had been built
He evidently attempted to climb the fence,
but was too near gone 10 accomplish it.
| When found the day after the storm, he
| was standing with one hand on the fence,
covered with ice, and as stiff as an icicle. A
| Mrs. Blixt, who lived a few miles beyond
Mr.. Small, went to the stable when the
storm came on TO turn the cattle in. In at
tempting to return to the house the snow
| blinded her, and she wandered off on the
prairie and persisted.
| But the one case, among the three fatal
| ones in Mobiles County, which has been the
subject of the greatest interest because of
the ghost story connected with it, was that
of John Weston, of Seward Township. Mr.
| Weston had been to Graham Lakes and was
returning with load of wood when the
storm caught him. Hedroye across his own
farm and missed the house. Turned and
! went in q circle, making the same circle
twice, as shown by the tracks of the sled.
He then turned north to the vicinity of the
place now owned by III. ID. Winters, in
Graham Lakes Township. He abandoned
his team, and the oxen, after wandering
| ouvht fr1rr cd tha 10 nd oh bod ~
death. Mr.. Weston, from this point EVIL
IDENTIFY concluded to walk with the storm
and made bee line for Hersey. He walked
about twelve miles and fell forward on his
face, clutching the grass as he fell and the
blood gushed from his nose. His body was
found the following spring, with the hands
full of grass and the blood on his face.
The story of John Weston's ghost was first
published in the Advance and widely cop
led so that it became known throughout the
country. Weston appeared to Mr.. Cosper,
who is still a resident of Seward Township,
and was an intimate friend to Weston.
few days ago we caught Mr.. Cosper in town
and had the story from his own lips He is
a practical, unimaginative man, aud gives
the story in circumstantial way.
The day after the storm Mr.. Cosper had
been out with some neighbors searching for
Weston's body. He had returned to his
home and was at the stable feeding his
stock Just before shutdown. He came out OF
the stable, and passing around to the east
end, saw John Weston coming up the path
from the creek Weston had on the blue
soldier overcoat which he usually wore. His
hands were tucked up under the cape,
and he approached Cosper with his
usual smile and usual salutation, saying
How goes it," Cosper said. "Why, Wes
ton. thought you were frozen to death -
Weston replied, Il am, and you will find
my body mile and half northwest oil
Hersey!' Saying this, he vanished. Mr.
Cosper says that even after Weston was gone
, it took him some time to realize that he had
seen ghost and to feel queer"
Before this. Weston had evidently an
nounced his death to his wife. Mrs. Weston
+ related the incident, and it was confirmed
by her son. The second night of the storm
, she was awakened by a knock at the door
|, She dozed off again and was aroused by 9
second rap, when she asked what i.
wanted?" A voice answered: ibid you
know that John was frozen to death~ The
voice sounded like that of her Lrother, Mr.
Linderman, who lived in the vicinity. The
boy heard the voice, and, rising up in bed
said: Mother, did uncle say pa wa,
frozen to death?" Mrs. Weston went tC
: the door, but there was no one there, anG
no tracks could be found in the snow. Mr.
Linderman had not b zen there, and il seem,
that Weston, wishing to announce his death
and at the sane time not to brighten hi
wife too much, assumed the voice of hi
brother-in-law