River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-07-15
FIVE DAYS IN THE SNOW.
Timothy CarroIl's Fearful Suffering on the
Moose Creek Mountain.

Moose Greek Mountain.
Timothy Carroll wears two artificial
legs, and recently told a reporter of the
/ Rochester Union how it came about
/ that he lost his feet.
ION the morning of Dec. 81 said he
Il parted with Major Mcdowell at
Idaho City. and started westward for
Banner. He was superintendent of the
Elmira Silver Mining Company, and
was going to Elmira, n. Y, to pass the
winter. while | had charge of the CON-
pany property at what is called the
Banner district, and intended 10 remain
in Banner all winter For about five
miles | travelled on horseback in com
pany with several friends. The Others
then returned with the horses and l
proceeded on snow shoes. the snow being
about eleven feet deep on the level |
had still a long distance to 90. but made
rapid time ON the snow shoes, which
were over ten feet in length, covering
about fifteen miles in this manner,
when toward evening | was taken with
tAditi 20 Auu WIS uldblt 10 WIKI Sltp.
| was then on Moose Creek Mountain
the spot where | was taken with the
cramps being about twenty miles west
of Idaho City and several miles east of
Banner. My feet had frozen without
my noticing that they were particularly
cold, until they suddenly refused to
obey my will, and | became helpless
unable 10 stand on nv feet | Law
down on the snow, and to keep warm
rolled TO and fro. The snow sank, ana
/ was buried in a cavity with walls of
snow several feet high, but with room
in which to roll around. MY only hope
Yves to keep alive until some one would
pass along the path.
"For five days and nights | Law there;
II is needless to say my sufferings were
terrible. My provisions were about
exhausted when lay down. and on the
third day | became exceedingly hungry
but that was the only day when | de-
sired food. Most of the time | was
thirsty, and occasionally | allowed a
little snow to melt in my mouth, but
this seemed only to increased nv thirst
and | knew it would not take much
snow to kill me. 1t seems to me that
| did not sleep once during those fear
full days and nights, but kept moving
my body as much as possible to keep
from freezing to death. | also kept
beating myself with my hands so vio-
lently that my body became black and
blue over almost the entire surface.
| think that if had gone to sleep, there
would have been no awakening. / had
companions part of the time, however,
but they were anything but pleasant
company. Three mountain lions. about
as large as full-grown Newfound-
land dogs, discovered me on the fourth
day and started watch over me, ev-
identity waiting for my death. They
kept on the upper crust of sROw and
did not jump down in the cave in which
was. They were afraid of me, and
was able 20 keep them at a distapce by
shouting and gestures. | was almost
dead when | discovered them. The
warm breath from one of the brutes
leaning down toward me awakened
me from stupOr in which | was falling.
| really believe that they saved my life
however, for the horror excited in me
at the prospect of having my body de-
voured nv the brutes kept me from
means death. During these days kept
my watch going and kept memoranda
of what was occurring in a small book,
in order that if died my identity and
my fate might be known. There seemed
little hope for me, yet determined to
make a vigorous fight for life and to
let those who found my remains know
that | had not given up without strug-
gle.
ut was on the fifth day that a mail
carrier travelling between Idaho City
and Banner once a week came along
the path, and my sensations at the
prospect Of relief | can't describe to
you. At seemed an infinite comfort 20
hear human voice other than my own,
and to be assured of assistance. The
mail carrier did what he could for me.
and fastened to procure help, the lions
then leaving me to follow him. The
next day he returned with about a
dozen men, who carried me to Idaho
City, where both my legs were ampu-
tated about nine inches below the
knee"