Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1888-01-18

.oing from his fathers house to the barn
| md was found dead IN the snow.
r very pathetic story is told Of the sHf.
'eri1g, bravery and death Of Robert Cham.
Ners, who lives six miles southwest o,
/! huron. Mr.. Chambers, with two sons
me 8 and the other IL, went to Rush,
| place one mile distant, to water the cattle
| "hambers was ON foot and each Of thu
! boys had horse. The father seeing indi.
cations Of storm sent the older boy home
| rs he was troubled with rheumatism. This
| boy reached home safely. Chambers and
Johnny, the 9-year- old boy, undertook t.
| drive the cattle. They were soon bewildered
and lost. Johnny says that when his father
saw they were lost he made place in the
snow for him and wrapped him mp the
best he could. They had no overcoats
or extra clothing. Johnny says he was
so covered mp that he was warm. The
father went out and called and the st.
Bernard dog bafked, but no answer came.
Their the fatber and dog got into the SNOW
beside him. While he was warm and, knew
his father WAS getting cold, he urged hiS
father to Try and find the trees, and then
they could make the h0Hse. The father
said: No, cannot 70 and leave You
here. The ~ urged but ~ {xlk tS6ald
do no more than call for aid. within certain
| reach Of the boys bed in the snow. The
dog kept with the boy. Through the night
! they had conversations about perishing, but
the father kept assuring the boy that
they would get through all right il he
would enly lie still. The boy knew that
his father was freezing, but was quite COM
Portable himself, and finally fell asleep.
When he awoke it was near morning and
his father was still alive. Discovering that
Johnny was awake, his father said: Now
Johnny, you pray. will pray and then I
know God will take you through all right. y
They prayed and soon after the father was
dead. The boy, entirely covered mp except
little breathing place through the snow,
laid still. The dog stood sentry and af-
forded the clue by which the body was
found next morning. q
Joseph kocawrek. who lived about eight
miles north of Tyndall,; the wife of Frank
Ballbor. and an 8-year- old son of Michael
Hoff, were frozen to death. Several
more parties are missing. II is feared that
more lives are lost and great numbers Of
stock
farmer and team near Sioux Falls were
frozen; two men near Marion Junction:
one man near White Lake; four school
children near Lenox Miss Lizzie
Ashton. aged about 25, residing with a
brother, five miles northwest Of Alte-
sian, was lost in the storm and per-
ished. She had gone to neighbors,
half mile distant, and was returning
when the storm struck her. Blinded by
the snow she passed within short dis
tance of the house and her dead body was
fo~nd twenty rods from the building.
The storm was very severe on stock near
Mitchell. At Ashton. Chas. Osman was
frozen to death. Worthwhile reports that
Miss Bessie Stansfeld, a school teacher, a
few miles south. persisted while attempt
ing to go to her boarding place, and was
found short time after near the school,
house. At Athol German named
Buethen was ont all night, and
will lose one hand. Mr.. Swoyxl
and another man left Worthwhile to drive in
the country and have not been heard Of
yet. and are probably lost. Westgale and
Love, of Nina, reported lost, are safe. At
Miranda one man was found dead and
another missing. Bowdle reports that Mr..
Pine, stage driver, is lost, and no trace Of
the team or mail bags has vet been found.
At Roscoe Mr.. Terhune is lost. and has
probably perished. Al Raymond two sons
of Win. Driver we're found dead few feet
from the barn. Chns: Heath is missing,
=
o. T.. Stearns, teaching school six miles
north of DeSmet, with his three children,
were caught in the blizzard and were out in
the storm twenty -four hours. A boy had his
feet frozen to the ankles. He walked u
mile in this condition, his feet giving out,
and then crawled half a mile to Porter
Lewellen's. He will lose both feet A
girl was SO badly chilled that she was un-
conscious five hours after being found
Stearns was not badly frozen.
The storm was the worst ever known in
the vicinity Of DeSmet. The mercury was
30 below zero. Cattlemen anticipate
heavy losses on the ranges.
Lewis Meriman. aged 60, and his son,
living fifteen miles northeast of Hitchcock,
perished in the storm.
Nebraska.
]. Y. Hines, living in the northern part
OF Schuyler. started to bring his children
home from school. On his return he be-
came exhausted just before reaching the
house and had to be helped in. He soon
after died from the effects of his exposure.
The storm at Neigh was the worst ever
known. and the weather changed from
pleasant, with the wind from the south, to
northwest blizzard, and the temperature
Large numbers Of cattle have been frozen
to death. The only person known to be
seriously frozen is f. w. Taylor, of Clear
water, who was picked up barely able
to speak, and will probably not recover.
w. J. Austin, of David City, had his
hand terribly frozen. and three children
belonging TO John Denlinger, Of Garrison,
who had attempted to go home from school,
lost their way ard were out all night.
When found they were partially buried in
the snow. One Of them was frozen to
death. and the others. though suffering in
tense agony, will likely recover. Judge
Geo. W. Post and another man, who were
ont hunting, were caught in the storm and
are yet missing. In several school districts
scholars and teachers were compelled to
shelter themselves in the school house dur
ing the night.
Two persons are reported lost and two
children badly frozen at Atkinson.
The Thermometer was lS degrees below
zero at Lincoln, and the storm very severe.
Among the fatalities reported are: Mrs.
r. Smith was frozen to death at WoOdlawn.
John Sparks, member of the legislature,
was found frozen dead nine miles west OF
Beatrice. Emil Grassman, Of Peru, q
farm labor. was found dead within twenty
y
is reported missing near Nebraska City.
The death of an old man named Matthews
is reported from Dustin. He was lost in
going from the house to the stable to feed
his stock.
Other Points.
A blizzard struck the vicinity Of Gold
thwait, Texas, the Ath, when it became
almost dark. The wind suddenly shifted
into the north and III two hours the mer-
cury dropped from 80 degrees to 10 de-
grees. The day opened summer like. At
8 o'clock at night the Thermometer regis
tered l6 degrees. II showed hard.
The storm had no appreciable effect on
live stock on the western ranges, so far as
reported North Platte, Sidney, Cheyenne
and Laramie say that the losses, IL any, are
light. Stock is reported from all points ~
being in prime condition. No trouble IS
anticipated now as the weather is moderat-
ing steadily.
In Chicago the snow was dry and hard,