The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-16
TWO ALUMINIUM LEGS
THE ARTIFICIAL WALKERS OF
JAMES It. FARRIER, A RESI-
DENT OF ILLINOIS.
MADE HIS LEGS HIMSELF.
DOES MUCH THAT A MAN WITH
LEGS OF FLESH WOULD FIND
DIFFICULTY.
Says He Prefers His New Underpfn-
ming to Those Which Were
Cut OF.

most remarkable pedestrian that ever
the Chicago Times-Herald. He is will
ing to walk against any man who
wears artificial legs for any distance
from one mile to five for the champ
ionship of the world. And he is con-
fident of his ability to win. His dex-
terity in using his artificial limbs is
wonderful. He never thinks of using
q cane, a crutch or a staff for assist
ance, as do so many who move about
on old-fashioned wooden legs. In fact
any stranger seeing him pass through
the street would never suspect that he
was not walking on the legs that ma
ture gave him. He is a tall man, his
gait is natural, and he walks with
swinging stride.
Farmer Farrier is now a resident of
Chicago, but until recently he lived on
what he calls "a little farm of 1900
acres in the Red River Valley in
Northwestern Minnesota. 1t was near
the town Of Crookston, in Polk coun-
ty, about 700 miles north of this city
There he was engaged in farming, and
he raised wheat, oats and barley on
an extensive scale, until misfortune
overlook him. One winters day he
got caught in a blizzard: this tells the
whole story to anyone who has ever
encountered genuine blizzard,
whether in Kansas the Dakotas or
Minnesota. But those who have never
had the experience know very little
about the nature of real blizzard
Early in February, 1898, when the
mercury was ranging low, and there
was an ominous look in the sky, bust
ness took Farrier away from home on
a trip to Minneapolis and St Paul
He transacted his business in those
cities, and, after an absence of seven
teen days, started back with as little
delay as possible. He knew that his
wife and children would be waiting in
great anxiety until his safe return. He
had several miles to walk across the
bleak prairies after he left the rail
way station nearest to his farm, but
he thought nothing of this at the
time, for he was muscular and fear
less, and could walk at a gait that
would keep an ordinary pedestrian
trotting beside him.
Il had come within sight of my
house" he says, in telling his awful
experience, before l began to feel
that there was anything dangerous in
the air. Then I knew a terrible
storm was coming, and [ pushed for
ward with renewed energy. The color
of the sky was like lead; no wind had
been blowing for some time, but now I
began to feel particles of sand and ice
cutting my face. Then I noticed for
the first time a pale brownish-yellow
haze, or cloud, extending many hun
dred feet above the earth. The air
seemed charged with electricity. though
1t was bitterly cold. Deep snow lay
over the whole country, and it began
to swirl inblinding eddies. Still I
didn't think l was in any great dan
ger. 1 felt sure [ would be able to
reach home before the storm became
violent. But 1t was not to be-.
Il was about seventy rods from nv
house when the blizzard struck me
with all its fury. It seemed to come
out Of the Northern sky like a flash. I
have not been fearful about MANY
things in my life, but you may we'll be-
Ieve that the first grip which that
Minnesota blizzard laid upon me struck
terror to my heart. 1 took one longing.
farewell look at my house the moment
before every object in the heavens or
on the earth was shut out from nv
sight, and then made a herculean dash
to reach it before the fury of the storm
should overcome me. l could not see
foot before my face, and was quickly
carried out of my course I missed the
house, as 1 afterward learned, by about
seven rods. Night came on, darkness
rAt1
against the raging madness of that
blizzard. At times it would lift me
from my feet as though I was a leaf or
a tWig, and then drop me to the
ground. 1t was a night Of despair
Again and again 1 would struggle to
confusion against the blast. At length,
exhausted, 1 fell upon a drift, face
downwards, and folded my arms under
my head for a pillow, so that 1 could
breathe. Then and there 1 gave up the
struggle. l had a smothering sensa-
ton, but did not suffer any pain from
the cold, although l knew 1 was slowly
freezing to death. By last thoughts be-
fore I lost consciousness were of my
wife and children awaiting my return
at home, which 1 felt must be very
near by.
1.-The next morning at daybreak they
came out upon the search, and after
much weary trailing found me two
miles from home in the snowdrift
where 1 had fallen. 1 was carried
home as stiff as a petrif1ed man. Both
my feet were found to be frozen
through and through, as solid as
chunks of ice. The temperature was AZ
degrees below zero. Three days later
they brought the doctors and had both
my legs amputated short distance be-
low the knees. That is how l lost my
legs
Farrier is as cheerful and uncom-
planning as any Mark Tap1ey could
possibly be under the circumstances. He
seems as blithe as Autolycus in his
philosophy of life. When standing
upon the props which nature gave him,
he was powerful fellow. six feet three
and three-quarters inches in height.
In adjusting himself to artificial legs
he reduced his height to six feet one,
thus at one fell stroke, as he says,
affecting saving Of nearly four inches
in the length of his pantaloons. You
have all doubtless heard that no man
has yet been discovered who, by taking
thought, was able to add one cubit
unto his stature. Farrier has done
the next best thing-he has taken a
part of a cubit from his stature. He
laughingly says, also. that he is not
now troubled with corns, chilblains
and stiff joints in his neither limbs
when he gets up of a morning. When
he talks in this manner, it is only the
unaffected poetry Of his own nature
bubbling up. FaTrier has not the
air Of one accustomed to suffering.
1t will probably be hard for him to
keep out of the clutches of the dime
museum men after obtaining the noto-
riety which this publication will give
him. Although he has reduced his
height in the manner described, he
is still away above, the average in
tallness and, as a high kicker. has
few equals. 1t is no trick for him to