The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1892-06-16
TRAMPING DOWN THE SNOW.

was in the northwest, which was
point in our favor, as it would be in our
backs.
"A bout nine o'clock we were ready
to start and nearly all the men and
boys of the town as well as many of
the women were at the Central house
to see us off. There were six teams
and ten men in the party as we pulled
out, much against the wishes of many
of the citizens, who knew we would
be struck by blizzard before we could
reach what was called the Ridge post
office.
"Of course there was no sign of a
road. When we started out, the mail
carrier, Mr.. Wells, took the lead, but
as the snow was from two to four feet
deep it was slow progress, and his
team was soon turned out so that
another had to take the lead.
"When we got about four miles
south of Pipestone the predictions of
the citizens were verified, as, sure
enough, the blizzard struck us. And
by the way. did you ever see or were
you ever out in a western blizzard? If
not no words of mine can describe it
to you. 1t is simply awful. In an in
slant the air was filed with a whirling,
binding mass of fine particles of ice
| and snow, that seemed to come from
every direction at once. In less time
| than it takes to tell this, the air was SO
thick that it was impossible to see the
team ahead of you. A halt was made
and the sleighs got as close together as
possible, when a council of war was
held. To return to Pipestone was be.
yond question, as it was simply impos-
sible to travel facing the blizzard, SO
we decided to push on.
First one team would take the
| lead and break way through the
snow, until the horses would be com
pletely exhausted, and would leave
great spots of blood on the hard crust,
which cut into their shoulders; then
another team would take the lead until
| it, too, was exhausted, and several
times the horses were completely
mired and some of the men had to get
out and tramp the snow down before
they could make any further progress.
BY thus alternating with teams, and
after desperate struggle, we managed
to reach small shanty about twelve
miles from Luverne at four o'clock in
the afternoon. Here we found a farmer
with his wife and eight children living
in twelve-by-six room. We sue
ceeded in getting some dinner and {
chance to feed the poor, tired horses
and would have remained there al
night, but it was out of the question
as they simply had no place to keep us
AFTER about an hours rest we agaiI
prepared to move on. The storm by
this time had ceased some what in it:
fury, but was still doing some goot
work. Then began another battle
with the elements and for almost ter
hours we plunged on through th'
snow. We lost our way at least half ;
dozen times, and could only depend
upon the mail carrier and liverymen t.
guide us by their general knowledge o
the country and by following th'
course of the wind. Several times W.
were on the point of giving up in de
spair as some poor, exhausted team
would sink down in the snow, utterly
unable TO take another step But a
visions of home and the blessings o
life would come before us, AMI th'
thought of freezing to death away ou
there on the open prairie was terrible
we would again urge the horses on.
Finally about midnight, Wells, wh'
was perfectly familiar. with the coun
try when it was not covered with thre'
or four feet of ice aris SD now, and VIII
was at the time In the lead, shouts'