Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-02-05
Frontier Experiences OF an old Graat
County Boy.

the hardships of frontier life:
have often heard of western biz
yards and in old Lancaster county have
sat by the fire and looked out the win
dow and seen them rave, but never till
December 20, 80 and 81 did encounter
one in its own dominion the frontier
and never do | want to another. This
cold spell had caught many of us but
poorly prepared for it as we had more
than we could readily accomplish in
getting ready for the first winter in
new country. Several of us were out of
fuel and the roads so bad, the distance
SO great and no chance to get shelter on
| the way that we hestated to attempt a
/ trip to the Dismal for wood So Dec
| ember - found me at Gothenburg fifty
miles away for coal and lumber. had
come away from home leaving less than
two days supply of wood and must
make the trip as quickly as possible. |
| had four good horses but frequently
found myself fast in the snow drifts
with but the empty wagon. From
| Logan twenty-five miles south the snow
was eight to ten inches deep. the little
valleys where the road was, badly
drifted. Still with four strong horses /
thought | could pick my way and get
home with a good load, it being hard
to induce man out here to travel fifty
miles and back with half load The
morning was reasonably fair and the
storm that had been threatening seemed
to be breaking away. So started as
early as soon as | could get my load
! 5000 pounds-onto my wagon, to en-
able me to make the Twenty Mile
House" before night. About tie mid
die OF the afternoon, when it appeared
that we were about as far from shelter
as we were likely to get, a blizzard
suddenly sprang from its lair among
the canons or elsewhere and struck us
| fair in the face 1t was almost inn
| possible TO face the horses against it.
as it cut their eyes and almost took
their breath. 1t took but few minutes
to hide all signs Of track, but as we
were in a narrow valley we managed to
/ follow that and so kept our way.
/ About an hour after dark we arrived at
| the Twenty Mile House, where we
/ found good shelter for ourselves and
teams. Ali night we listened to the
bowling of the storm, and considered
ourselves "snow bound for an indie
finite period. An hour or so before
day the storm seemed to ease up some
what and we went out and fed our
teams. I'VE" l say. | had over,
taken Il neighbor and we were making
the trip together At daylght-re-
membering my family had no fuel
determined to venture out, as the storm
seemed likely to subside somewhat, but
as | afterwards learned it was merely a
| trick billiards. have to lure travellers
from their shelter only to destroy them.
| started and, my neighbor followed.
We hadn't gotten five miles when we
found that the storm of the day before
was but zephyr in comparison and
now we came upon the worst roads of
the trip We had to make twenty
miles before we could find shelter for
our horses. There were shanties where
we ourselves could have found shelter
but no place for the poor, tired
horses SO plod on we must. The teams
were determined to turn round and
the snow was SO cutting and binding
that we could not endure turning our
eyes toward it. The moment we did
the tears would start and the moment
! they started they froze to our eyelashes
and cheeks. The ice accumulated in
such quantities on my beard that
could not close my mouth. My whole
face was frozen-cheeks, nose, ears
and chin and only by the greatest ex-
ertion could keep from perishing. /
could not see the road rod in advance
but by keeping constant watch behind
could keep my way as could see two
strips of pure white where the grass
had been tramped down by the sum-
mer's travcl--everywhere else the
/ tallest grass was above the snow.
Twice, however, / found myself lost
and knew not which SIDE of the road
/ had wandered. Then it is when night
/ is coming on man thinks of ''Home
Sweet Home" No one who hasn't
had the experience, realizes what an
/ effort it takes for man, tired and
chilled, to rouse himself and keep on
when it seems so much easier TO lie
down and rest and sleep. Ten miles
/ from home | found shelter and put, up
for the night. Next morning | found
/ the thermometer 2G0 below zero and the
| drifts worse than the day before. The
storm was over, however, and l forced
my way ten miles farther against a
strong wind, but found exercise in
shoveling through drifts. l found my
family and stock all alive but much
surprised to find ne ''enjoying the same
great blessing"
made up my mind that range cattle
must succumb to such storms, but
ranchemen tell me that so long as the
snowfall is accompanied by high wind
to blow the hill sides bare there is no
danger except to calves and old cows.
One DAYS rest and was compelled
to make trip to North Platte against
another 27o below zero wind; making
| two hundred miles in foot of snow
and during ono of the hardest storms
known to the country. However this
! is but a specimen of the sweets of
| frontier life. Our trips to the Dismal
for wood are rich and varied. Three
of my neighbors are gone now for wood,
| camping out in this snow the weather
liable to change to another blizzard at
any moment. The country must be
! settled and some one must grow up"
with it, On the uplands the settlers
have depended upon hauling water
| from the Loup until the snow, Since
then they have melted snow for family
/ and team. Some of the late comerS
raised no crops and went into the
winter without dollar. How they are
getting through perhaps no one else
can surmise. Still have heard not
word of discomfort or Encouragement.
| All are satisfied that one more year will
put them in more comfortable circum-
stances, They have perfect faith in
the country and are t'bound to win"
| Those a little full handed have taken
timber claims and prescriptions, now
proving up on the latter and home
stealing, thus getting $50 acres of ex-
celent land at a cost of S22S-a bargain
sure enough, Notwithstanding the biz
yards and hardships of the first year.
The Loup performed curious freak
this fall. During August it went COM
pletely dry large part of the way from
Logan to its source. The latter part of
September not drop of moisture hav-
ing fallen in the meantime--it began to
run and assumed its usual proportions.
| What could have caused such a freak |
am unable to understand. Another
strange phenomenon is seen on the way
to the Dismal 1t is seventy miles to
1.-THE forks where we 90 for cedar,
fifty miles up grade and thirty from
there down grade to the Dismal. This
is an unbroken stretch of sand Within
one half mile of the summit are a half
dozen springs of good water-not rum