The Osceola times., 1886-02-13
without anything to eat. And even
Sleep, balmy sleep, :.

Tired natures sweet restOrer,'
has been denied some of our neigh
bors for thirty-six, and even forty.
eight hours without intermission.
We allude to the government officers
and employees in charge Of the gov
ernment feet quartered at this place.
Too much praise cannot be bestow-
ed on Capt. - Molly and his eff
cicnt officers and men for their cease
less efforts in saving the government
property at this place from being a
total loss or reduced to q wreck on
the night Of our recent unprecedent.
ed snow storm. The feet consists
ofbsrges, pile.drivers, quarter-boats,
hydraulic graders, machine shops.
tugs aud steam boats, that, If placed
in q line would reach for miles up
and down the river, and represents
several hundred thousand dollars Of
U. S. property. As they had not
been used for several months, the
ti,obers above the water line had
seasoned and the seams parted, leav.
ing large cracks through which the
waters poured as the crafts settled
down beneath the weight of from two
to four feet of snow. 1t was mid.
night darkness, while the snow was
falling thickest, and the wind blow
ing billiards direct from Dakota,
when the night-watchman sounded
the alarm whistle, and word came
from different part of the feet to the
commanding officer, ave are sink
ing, send us help" With only 30
men, officers included, the work Of
shoveling, corking, pumping, buoy.
ing and righting careening boats be.
gan with "gloves off," In passing
from craft to craft, searching for
those most in danger, the men and
officers often fell through the open.
ings between the boats, and were
only saved by the ice below. All
that bitter night long, the next day,
and the next night, this little band
breasted the snow, endured the cold
and continued their Efforts to save
the feet, not stopping for sleep, and
often drinking their coffee standing
at their post. Messengers were sent
out for help, and men, mounted Oh
horses succeeded in reaching the
fleet in time to relieve the exhausted
frost-bitten crew, and save every
thing except one small dispatch boat,
worth, perhaps, $500. Many barg.
es sank to their decks, but have been
raised and are again riding the waves
in safety. No lives were lost among
Capt. Noltv's men, though several
have severely FROST bitten feet and
hands. II Uncle Sam. would place
all his business, even his keys, in the
hands OF such men us command his
fleet at this place, he would have
less trouble in his head and more
money in his pocket; aud We would
all be saved the inccssant annoyance
Of tn. tax collector. The spot where
the dispatch boat went down has
been marked, and Capt. Gill says If
she has not gone through to China
he will raise her.
We hope never tn be sunk, but
should we be so unfortunate, and
some friend will shadow the spot
where we went doan and send for
Capt. Gill, he says, we will be solid
fr one resurrection, if we should
never be favored with another. We
are much obliged, Captain, but beg
leave to have that attended to in &C.
cor1ance with an older promise.
John B3,kle, with a view of re.
plsnishlngl his exhausted wood.pile,
fell q large tree to-day, filling his
entry and front door with brush and
limbs, while his wife and family we're
IN the house. When Mrs. B. and
the children got through using the
back door and measuring snow across
the hack yard, she demanded of
John how il happened? to which he
replied, pale and trembling, "The
blamed tree fell across the grain. Z"
Hardly had the frightened family
recovered, when, crash went another
tree across John Tinsleys' house,
which was in sight. When we got
there and asked how tho tee fell,
John said, cit fell across the kerf,"
but his wife declared ait fell across
the house, burstcd the roof, tore
down the chimney and frightened
her out Of her wits" From what we
could see, We we're disposed to be.
lieve her statement, for the tree had
actually fallen across the house, one
limb plunging through the roof and
stopping on the hearth and in the
FIRE, before which Mrs. Tinsley and
her little daughter were sitting. 1t
was indeed . narrow escape. =
The cold wave has lain labor on
the shelf, caused great suffering
among neglected stock aud fowls,
frozen all winter vegetables, and
caused our cook to reduce our meals
to two a day, which she serves up in
a Refrigeration, that she styles din.
ing room, where it is 30 cold one
can not stay long enough to supply
half his wants. We have no .ther-
mometer but feel certain tha. several