The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-01-02
A DISASTROUS BLIZZARD.
A Terrific SnOwstOrm Sweeps
Over British America.
Narrowing Recital ofDeath, Suffer
ing and Destruction.

The unprecedentedly heavy snow storm of
the past week in Canada has resulted in an
interruption of train and telegraphic service,
much suffering and great loss of life.
From Bauchenville, Montreal, comes re-
port that twelve persons perished in the biz
zard. Just before it broke six farmers
named Viau, Lalamme, Michaud, Maud,
Piche and Nudel, the two former accom-
panied by their wives and the other four each
nv q son, started for Montreal to dispose or
their Christmas products.
They had scarcely got on the ice when the
storm began and the ice commenced to break
up. No one could sec the party from shore,
but those living on the banks assert that at
various times during the night they heard
cries of distress. 1t was impossible to reach
the party or extend any help When MORN
inc broke nothing could be seen of the party,
and all Of them perished
Hugh and Michael Walsh, two brothers,
have arrived at Carlton. Canada, III a fear
ful condition. They tell a terrible story of
suffering. They attempted to cross the ice
at Carlton to Point Fortune. The hurricane
overtool, them in the middle of the river and
the ice troke up Their team was swept
away from them and they only es-
caped by jumping on large ice
foe. They spent night in terrible agony,
0rltIl0R upon Iue IlNSI oi lASii ian sup
port. At daylight the foe grounded on
small island, and their perilous position being
seen by residents on the shore boats were put
out and they were rescued.
At McDorald's Point, New Brunswick,
Ernest Wright and Ernest Mcdonald at
tempted to cross on the ice. They were
caught in the drifts and found frozen to
death in the morning. At Iroquois, Ontario,
when the gale had just begun, three men,
'Dickie, johnson and Oaks, came over from
the American side in an open boat.
When they attempted to return
home a gust of wind capsized the
boat and the three men were left strug-
Cling in the icy water. johnson was an eX-
bert swimmer and made heroic efforts to save
.Dickie, sacrificing his own life in the at
tempt. Assistance was sent out from the
shore, but it was too late, all three having
sunk johnson had reputation as lie
saver and last summer saved three young
men.
The destruction of fodder stock and out
buildings caused by the storm mas create al
most famine in that section OF the country,
and doleful accounts have been pouring in
upon Cardinal Taschereau. at Quebec,
pleading for assistance. Matters have
reached such a crisis that the Cardinal
thought it advisable to request a meeting
of the Provincial Cabinet, which was &C
cordingly held in the Cardinals palace. Pre-
mler MERCER anu Ills IhlulStSIS "SiS III AZ
tendance The Government recognizes the
necessity Of taking immediate action for the
relief of the farmers, and has promised to do
all in its power.
Quebec is almost entirely cut off from out
side communication. The streets in Quebec
are nearly all very narrow, and the drifts
have piled up in many cases as high as the
second story window, rendering ordinary
travel impossible 1t is the severest
weather ever known in the province
at this time of the year. The cold is
intense, the thermometer being twelve de-
prees below zero. People are afraid to leave
their houses in Quebec for fear of losing
their way and being frozen to death. The
linemen of the telegraph company are great
sufferers, and many cases are reported where
they have been badly frozen in attempting
to repair broken wires.
The storm has caused freshets in the rivers
of many border States. The Merrimac River
in New Hampshire swept away everything IN
its path.
ming the Merrimac River at Hooksett, n.
n, used by the Suncook branch of the
Concord Railroad, and which was
undergoing repairs, was overthrown
by its Supports being carried away
by the rough water and was precipitated
over the falls. carrying with it nine OF the
eleven men who were working upon it.
Ihree men were QTONllell' Iue feIHolulliS ola
escaped death, but were more or less
seriously injured. -,
The two men who escaped going down did
so by clinging to portions of the bridge, on
which they floated to places of comparative
safety, when they were taken in boats.
The storm did great damage along the
Newfoundland coast The ship Golden Gate,
from st. Johns, Newfoundland, went ashore
at st. Pierre. Miquelon. and became total
wreck. The schooner n. Wright was wrecked
in the straits of Canso. The men on both
vessels have suffered from cold and hunger,
and many Of them are badly frozen,