The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-04-14


base of the mountain, and in these the
mail-carriers can find shelter and food
when overtaKen by storm. On several
occasions they have been obliged TO
pass one or two nights underthese rude
coverings until relief was sent. At the
upper depot the carriers in descending
change their ice-creepers for snow
shoes, and in ascending leave their
snow shoes and substitute ice-creepers.
1t is usual for one of the men to 90
down to Fabyan's every fortnight, so
LnaI eacn one IeaveS the sUaulon only
once in six weeks. The rest of the time
they are cOoped up in the little house,
for the ground is so rough and the
wind is so high and the cold so severe
that they soon lose all desire for more
exercise than they are obliged to take.
1t NAV be asked how the signal men
pass the long winter months. In the
first place, they take five observations
day. three of which are telegraphed
to Washington. At the end of
the month and year the work has to
be again sent TO chief office at Wash
ington. This last duty takes
some time and great care. For amuse-
ment, the men play cards for sulphur
matches instead of money. and various
games, such as checkers, etc. Private
Cahill often enlivens the house with the
violin, or frightens the cats by sound
ing the bugle calls. The greatest dis
sipation is to pop corn.
The first two DAYS we were on the
mountain were foggy, but the beauty of
the frostwOrk fully compensated us for
the loss of the view. This frO>twork Is
formed by the fog being frozen, and
every object exposed to the weather be-
comes covered with delicate white
feathers from an inch to a foot long.
After long-continued fog and cold these
feathers sometimes grow 10 enormous
size. The telegraph wires look like
long lines of fringe. only the feathers
point toward the wind. The plain little
signal station has the appearance of a
most beautiful frosted cake. Indeed.
everything is covered with frostwork. so
that the mountain, even when there is
no snow, is of dazzling whiteneSs.
One may sit at home and laugh at
the cold of Mount Washington, or one
may 90 mp and down in a thaw and
still be Skeptical. but let such a person
walk along the railroad, with the wind
blowing seventy miles an hour and the
thermometer twenty degrees below
zero, and / think every doubt will be
diSpelled. The temperature does not
go lower there than in many other
places. but the wind blows with
greater velocity than at any known
place in the world. and, with a strong
wind. the cold Is unbearable. A veloc-
ity of one hundred and eighty miles an
hour has been attained by the wind on
Mount Washington, while at Pixies
Peak, eight thousand feet higher, the
greatest velocity Is one hundred miles,
and in Boston fortv-tive miles is heavy
gale. Of course the air has less power
as the density decreases. and it has been
estimated that four miles at sea level is
equal TO five at height of six thousand
feet. But even with this reduction the
velocity at Mount Washington is en-
traOrdinary. The cold is so intense
that if one covers every part of his
body. leaving only the ewes exposed,
these are soon coated with frost which |
closes the lids and often makes it almost |
impossible TO see. The moisture n the !
breath soon freezes under the coverings |
of the face, and a frost bite is the con- |
sequence.
Such was our experience when we |
attempted TO descend during the cold |
snap of January :. Not only was the |
cold intense, but every few moments |
we were forced TO stop and hold on to |
the track TO keep from being blown |
away. We turned back, resolving not |
TO leave the mountain until the temper
AZURE rose.
The signal men have had various
narrow escapes while carrying the
mails TO and from the base On one
occasion Private Cahill started down
the railroad on a sled of his own con-
structiOn. none of the regular Sledges
having been left at the summit. He
went a. far "a the place called Jacobs
Ladder. and there the brakes were
found insufficient to retard a velocity
OF almost ne 4 minute, and the sled
jumped the track. Cdhili was shot of
on TO the rocks below. where he rolled
over and over. breaking his LEG in two
places and cutting his head severely.
Here he lay. almost dead from cold and
loss of blood. until the Sergeant. not
being appraised by telegraph. of his
arrival below. sent the cook down to
see what had happened. Sergeant
Beals had ordered the cook TO cut
the wire and signal to him if Cahill
was seriously hurt. The cook did so,
and then spliced the wire The Ser
geant knowing that a dangerous acct
lent had taken place. telegraphed to
he base and TO Fabyan's for assistance.
The trackmen Immediately went up the
abroad with two sledges. and, with
,reat difficulty. carried the wounded
nan to the base. where a wagon was
and he was taken to Fabyan's. ,
The unfortunate observer had lost his ,
ap in his fall, and to keep his head ,
warm the mailbag. had been put over :
t. This, of course. covered the ]