The Portland daily press., 1886-06-03
A, MONTANA STORM.
How a Man Lay Five Days HeIpIes In
the Snow on a Mountain.
(From the Rochester Union and A

(From the Rochester Union and Advertser.)
There is stopping at the National Hotel in
this city man with as bright an intellect
and as true heart as ever the Emerald Isle
produced, about whom there is nothing false
save what appears to be his feet, and it is the
story of how he lost his pedal extremities
which has excited the astonishment of all
who have heard it. The remarkable circum-
stances which Timothy Carroll relates in
telling why he wears artificial legs seems
almost incredible, but truth is often stranger
than fiction, andth case appears to illustrate
that proverb, A reporter called to see Mr..
Carol, and found him comfortably resting
on the veranda.
In deccribing how he lost the lower portion
of both legs Mr.. Carroll said: 1T was on
the morning of December 5th that parted
with Maj. Nc Dowell at Idoho City, and
started westwardly for Banner. He was
Superintendent of the Elmira Silver Mining
Company, and was going to Emira, My, to
pass the winter, while had charge Of the
companys property at what is called the
Banner District and intended to remain in
travelled on horseback in company with
several friends. The others then returned
with the horses and proceeded on snow
shoes, the snow being about eleven feet deep
Il
60, but made rapid time on the snow-shoes,
which were over ten feet in length, covering
about fifteen miles in this manner. when to-
ward evening was taken with cramps and
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 .particu-
larly cold until they suddenly refused to obey
nv will and | hpcamn helDlpSS. unhdlp to
stand on my feet. l lay down on the snow
and to keep warm rolled to and fro. The
snow sank and | was buried in cavity with
walls of snow several feet high, but with
room in which to roll around. Ny only hope
was to keep alive until some enc would pass
| along the path. For five days and nights
| lay there, it is needless to say, my suffcrlngs
| were terrible. My provisions were about ex-
| day became exceedingly hungry, but that
| was the only day when desired food. Most
| of the time ! was thirsty and occasionally L
| allowed little snow to melt in my mouth,
but this seemed only to increase my thirst
| and knew it would not take much snow to
/ kill me. 1t seems to me that did not sleep
| once during those fearful days and nights,
| but kept moving my body as much as posi-
| BILE to keep from freezing to death. l also
/ kept beating myself with my hands so vlo-
| 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, evidently wait
| ing for my death. They kept on the upper
cave in which was. They were afraid of
| me and 1 was able to keep them at distance
| by shouting and gestures. was almost dead
when l discovered them. The warm breath
from one of the brutes leaning down toward
| me awakened me from stupor in which
was falling. I really believe that they saved
nay life, however, for the horror excited in me
at the prospect of having my body deyoured
by the brutes kept me from again falling Into
the stupor which means death. During these
days kept my watch going and kept memo
| anda of what was occurring in a small book,
in order that if died my identity and fate
might be known. There seemed little hope
for me, yet determined to make vigorous
fight for life and to let tnose VINO iouna On ny
remains know that nau not given UP Wltn-
If was on the fifth day that mail carrier
travelling between Idaho City and Banner
once week came along the path and my sen
sations at the prospect of relief / can't de,
scribe to you. 1t seemed an infinite comfort
to hear a human voice other than my own
and to be assured of assistance. The mai
carrier did what he could for me and hasten
ed to procure help, the lions then leaving me
to follow him. The next day he returned
with about dozen men who carried me Il
Idaho City, where both my legs were ampu
tated about nine inches below the knee.
with kind treatment recovered, and il
few months was able to again be around
having procured artificial limbs Befor,
the amputation | was five feet ten and hal
inches high, andin consequence Of the artifi
cial limbs being too short am now only fiy'
feet ten inches in height This will soon b.
remedied, as new limbs which are being mad,
here will bring me up to my former height
and expect to be able to walk with great
er ease when l have my natural height"