Smyrna times., 1886-01-13
A Night in the Snow Drifts,

The daily papers of the past week
have been full of incidents in relation
to the great storm that started in the
Rocky Mountains the first of last week
and reached here on Friday night last.
The following. written by the Rev. j.
V. Smith, who was accompanying his
daughter to Centreville on Saturday .
night, will give some idea of what it is
to be blockaded on the road in snow
drift in a bowling storm and nearly |
zero temperature:
l thoughtit might be of some interest |
to give your many readers some idea |
of the worst storm that railroading has |
ever met in this part of the country
in this they all agree, all things CON
sidered. We left Smyrna Saturday
evening en- route for CentreYile, via
Queen Anne's Railroad. The violence
of the storm increased as night came
on and at Clayton all trains were late.
On reaching Townsend we were de-
layed until 10 o'clock, when we started
down. | thought Of returning home,
but the chances seemed about as good
one way as another. When about
three-quarters of mile below Massey's
we ran into a snow bank about four or
five feet deep on the one side, which
increased in depth all night. As soon
as it was apparent we could go no fur
ther the conductor, Mr.. Covell and
+. Numbers, the telegraph operator, OF
Massey's, who was on board left the
train and braved the bowling storm
back to Massey's to telegraph and in
about an hour were bnck with another
engine. 1t reached US all right, but
| both engines were unable to move us
| back or forth, and in the attempt to
run back to Massey's became fastened
and so remained all night Meantime
| Mr.. Mills was informed of our situa-
ton and responded with instructions
| to Conductor Covell to do all he could
to make the passengers comfortable
| till he arrived. There We're nineteen
| passengers in all, about One-half being
women and children. The stoves in
the passenger cars seemed entirely in
sufficient at this point to prevent suf-
fering from cold. We occupied the
highest ground in Kent county
Though very level), and nothing to
break the force of the blizzard; it
rocked the cars as a cradle while it
swept across the broad acres of Col.
Johnson. Oar conductor who seemed
willing if need be to sacrifice himself
for our comfort and safety, before leav-
ing the train a second time in quest oil
help, transferred us to the mail room
where we made q space that eight
would fill hold sixteen at one time
but the men would get warm and ther
change. Before midnight Mr.. Fiddle
man, large business man of Centre
= Vile, with large Maryland heart a:
most of them have, came in with The
air of boss hotel waiter, for he wa
iOstling over with fun, bearing in hi
arm basket of fine oranges and ban
anas, which he had bought in Balti
more. After distributing freely ant
entirely, announced this as our supper
and with a more saddened expression
said, "GOd only knows where you viii
! get your breakfast" He was thus in
y double sense the life of the crew, for s
= great was his effort to secure intelli
gence that might cheer us that he mis-
, took the side from which the train me
! jumped, and landed in the snow shOul
der deep, from which place he erie
murder as Justify, as he had erie
! oranges and bananas. The conductor
r as soon as day dawned had made hi
i way to a farm house and about eigE
n o'clock Sunday morning came with
o two-hOrse wagon and plenty of robe
I and blankets, and at two loads we wei
! conveyed to the hotel at Massey
i Conductor COvell, Mr.. Numbers an
= the gallant brakesman, walking wit
& the wagon and keeping its cargo, 8
h well as they could, from the beatin
% storm. Soon after our arrival at ii
= hotel Superintendent Mills came wit
" two more engines and a large wOrkin
force, and proceeded at once to Gle,
the road, and after II hard days wOrl
a reached CentreVille with three loc
Iy motives, at six o'clock Sunday nigh
ID The passenger train left Massey's
Id nine o'clock and reached its destin
of tion at III o'clock, having no speci
rs trouble ON its way down. We clos
in necessarily leaving out much tn
E. might be of interest, by saying tn
n from Superintendent Mills down,
Il. would be impossible for more TO hay
in been done for our speedy relief, al
he when we were about leaving the hot
~ we asked for our bills and were j
We formed that Mr.. Mills had attended
1t, that, and ordered the entire expen
charged to him. f. II. Greenwood
at present the proprietor, but is pl
pairing TO leave to take charge of &
no mail route from ChestertOwn to Cla
be ton, as we were informed, but, with t
~ disadvantage of being torn up. it W
simply wonderful how completely
m and his good wife supplied the enti
,f' demand so suddenly and unlock
for made upon them.