The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1888-03-02
A DAKOTA BLIZZARD.
An Exciting Experience Graphic
ally Described.
How the storm Came Up-A Desperate
Struggle For Life in a Deserted Dug
out-sad Fate of "a Courageous
Driver.

A man who has never seen a Dakota
blizzard can have no conception of its
terrors.
A Telegram reporter was caught in
the first great storm that swept over
the plains from the northwest this
season. He will not soon forget the
experiences of the night that followed.
He says:
1--WE were about making a twO-days'
trip to the mountains. The weather
was mild and almost like a spring day
Snow was gone except on the mount
aims and in the road where it had been
packed by teams and freight wagons
and melted by the sun into ice. This
frozen snow rising above the barren
plains was nearly two feet deep, and it
stretched away like white macadam-
lied turnpike as far as the eye could
reach. My horses were brought to the
door, and rs / stood on the piazza a
moment bidding the family goodbye
congratulated them on the fine open
weather we were having.
That's all right, stranger" said n
ncighbor, who was leaning against the
fence; "but 1 advise you to take plenty
of blankets and enough of grub for a
couple of days"
"But it's only twenty miles to the
first ranch, said, where Wen stop
for the night. Tomorrow we shall
reach the mountains. "
That's all right, repeated the old
timer; "but don't you forget what I'm
telling you"
To please him ordered the driver to
20 round TO the barn and get some buff
falo robes aud couple of blankets,
which he did. ! remember the weather
perfectly. 1t was like a soft April after
noon; the sun shone brightly and chill
dren played bareheaded in the streets,
but there was an unusual stiffness in
the air, il seemed to me. The deep,
PARKWAY blueness of the sky made me
think of spring.
1t was one Of those soft, smiling
days peculiar to the high altitude OF
the plains near the Rocky Mountains.
One of those strange Pacific winds was
blowing. They come without a mo,
ment's warning, and have been known
TO melt eighteen inches of snow in q
few hours, and even bring birds from
somewhere, no one knows whittier.
But ten hours later the mercury may
be twenty degrees below zero. and
hundreds Of cattle lying dead from the
sudden change.
! remember as / entered the wagon
that Notwithstanding the hustle of the
town there was an ominous stiffness
a hush peculiarly in keeping with the
soft. mellow afternoon.
This is Gods country" said the
old-timer. as we babe him good-day
and drove away. The voices Of boys
who were playing ball just outside OF
the town came wonderfully distinct
across the fields. When we reached
the open prairie there were no signs OF
winter in the sky. The mountains
shone insthe sunlight, and their white
peaks scared into the cloudless blue.
The landscape was like a picture.
We had driven perhaps two miles
and half, when cattle-herder on his
way to town passed us on slow trot,
but moment later he shouted for us
70 look AZ the mountains and said
something else that we didn't hear
and them digging his heels into his
pony he rode away toward the town.
saw nothing about the mountains
unusual, but, turning a second time
and casting my eyes far to the north.
west, where the peaks arc low, / saw
a AGrry of clouds rising from behind
the mountains. Even while gazed al
them they arose with ominous rapidity
and in minute or two had become
darker and were beginning to boil anC
swell most threateningly. For minut,
was fascinated. We had a couple o
dogs in the wagon behind the seat
and they began to whine. The horse
put back their cars, and the outlool
for a trip to the mountains becam
serious. The driver was for turning
hack at once. I told him that we ha'
a plain open country before us wit
good roads and fresh horses, and W
could easily reach the ranch in a coupl
Of hours. But while we were discuss
ing the matter the clouds increased il