Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-10-20
HORRORS IN THE ROCKIES.

Thomas Cox, now helpless cripple in
Omaha, has gradually recovered from an
experience such as no other man ever lived
through, and has been able to relate the
following story to the Omaha Republican:
"In April, 1872, he started 1rem Bonanza
City, in the Yankee Fork district Of Idaho:
for Sawtooth City, at the head of Salmon
river, going by the way OF Stanley Basin.
At that time the snow was four or live feet
in depth on the Lcmhi trail, the route
usually taken by miners and prospectors.
Stopping at Stanley Basin the first night
out, and starting the next morning on snow
shoes, with blankets and Il lunch OF crackers
and sardnes, Cox expected TO make Saw.
tooth City, thirty-fve miles, that day.
Meeting party of prospectors in the after
noon, inquiries were made regarding the
distance yet to 90 and where the trail
forked-one fork leading TO his destination
and the other to Atlanta, in the Rocky Bar
district. The information asked for was
given and another start made, bat msun-
derstauding the directions the trail was lost
and night overlook Cox in the timber near
Red Fish lake, some thrco miles from Saw
tooth City.
The day had been piercing cold, and TO-
ward night a drifting snow storm set in.
Wandering around in the timber for hours,
completely bewildered, he threw away the
blankets, lost the snow shoes and was in
sorry plight when an abandoned fisherman's
cabin on the lake shore was accidentally
reached. Here, sheltered from the storm,
his benumbed senses returned. a search
of the cabin secured wood and matches,
with which fire was made: but being
completely worn out the heat soon put him
to sleep. Awakening late next day, and
being unable to walk, examination proved
his feet badly frozen.
After rubbing them freely with snow ho
made an effort to crawl out to find the trail,
but had to return to the cabin unsuccessful.
Thus passed the first day without food. The
next three days were 81 repetition Ot tue hrst.
His feet and legs becoming very painful he
was in terrible agony and made an attempt
to take his own life Recovering spirits on
the fifth day and finding an old ak he made
pair of knee snow shoes. On trial be
found that his feet dragging on the hard
crust made the pain unbearable, aud this
effort 10 reach the trail and assistance
also had to be abandoned Day after day
passed and he grew weaker and lost all
hope of being rescued In the long, weary
night time he would suddenly awake from
his feverish sleep, and, hearing the tree tops
swaying in the wind, would crawl outside,
hoping to meet the long wished-fcr rescuers,
only to find nothing but darkness and soli-
tude. This often happened two or three
times OF night.
The horrors of tue Arctic night were pre-
scnti in this wild recess Of the Rockies. The
spectre which haunts icy peaks walked
through his dreams. Distorted visions of
sunny hooks in tropical cIInes swept over
the snowy wastes and vanished in the west.
The mind was gone : life was tast following.
Finally, on the afternoon OF The eleventh
day, after losing consciousness from being
crushed by part of the roof of the cabin fall
ing in, the long hoped-tor relief arrived.
Three miners on their way from Sawtooth
City to Atlanta, on passing the cabin, look
ed and found him. Administering what
stimulants they had, two started back to
Sawtooth for assistance. the other remain.
ing with Cox. On learning the mans con-
dition it took but a few minutes for the big
hearted miners and prospectors who had
put in dreary sevenmonths winter at
that little mining camp to rig up sled and
start up the mountain to the rescue. Re-
turning about II o'clock that night every
thing that could be was done to alleviate
the mans sufferings. The nearest physi-
clan was at HALEY, tifty-fve miles over the
divide on Wood river. The sled was re
rlgged, aud eight as good men as God gen
orally places on earth volunteered to haul
the poor man to that place.