St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-01-29

! lence. and the wind, which soon be-
came a hurricane, was intolcrably se-
we're. With the locomotives covered
and the track ahead of and behind
them buried to Il depth of 40 feet in
snow aud ice, it became evident that a
long siege was at hand. There was
little food oii the train. and. great con-
sternation prevailed for a time, more
especially among the women aud chill
dren, Of whom there were many. The
next msruing the conductor sent two
train men to Cascade Locks, | I miles.
for food. The trip in the binding
snow and cutting wind was one of
great difficulty. The men had much
trouble in inducing any one to return
wild. them, but they at length found
men willing to undertake the errand,
and succeeded in reaching the train
the next day at 2 O'clock with several
hundred pounds of provisions on to-
boggans. In the express car We're
found a lOt of .iack-rabbits, two quar-
ters of beef and several cases of oysters
in cans. These were cooked and serv-
ed along with the other rations, each
passenger receiving a regular allow
ance twice u day. After this the rail
road company organized expeditions
at Cascade Locks every two or three
days to carry food to the beleaguered
fnI- T.
only as could he packed easily and
were carried on poles, a man at each
end. The sufferings of these messen
gers in making the trip were frequent
~ terrible. Several of them We're ever
come by fatigue and cold and had to
DC carried by their companions.
The able bodied men were soon or
dered to leave the train and go to Cas-
cade Locks, it being impossible to
transport food for so large n party.
This journey was made with the great
est hazard and suffering, the snow be-
ing from ) to 30 feet deep, and many
of the party having their faces, hands
and feet frozen. In the cars the pas
sengers made themselves as comfort
able as possible. There was no sick
ness, though there were scores of chill |
dren aboard, and the opportunities for
exercise were necessarily limited. |
When the coal gave out the brakemen
went out and chopped wood, which
was found near 10y in abundance. Hun |
dreds of men worked on the track with |
picks and shOvels. 1t was found that
the only way to make permanent pro-
gress without destroying tho track,
was to pick the ice out in chunks and
carry them away. At first there was
plenty of whisky and tobacco on the |
train. but when all the travelling mems |
samples had been consumed, the PeO-
pie who used these luXuries had to do
without, for the men who packed pro-
vision to the train refused to be loaded
with anything but necessaries. Most
of the men who walked to Cascade |
ties of 10 or ~, also on foot. The dis |
lance is 80 miles, and much of the |
route is very dangerous. Nearly all of
them arrived in bad condition. A few
are laid up in farm houses on the way. |
One party took the railroad track, and |
by clinging to the telegraph wires
most of the way, the snow being so
deep that they could easily reach them,
they made the trip without much
trouble The blockade has cost the
railroad company about 5000 day !
for shoveIcrs and plows. and has caused
an entire suspension of business by the
Northern Pacific.