Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-25
ONE CHRISTMAS DAY
Mr.. Underwood Recalls a Holiday With.
out Pleasure.
The supply Train Did Not Reach m.
Construction Camp Marrow
Escape From Death,

NN!aiy recall one Christmas in NV
life said ]. NJ. Underwood. the veteran
railroad builder OF San Francisco, TO a Sta
reporter at the National last night. The
Northern Pacific railroad had been con-
structed to a little town called Rurleipb-
named aiter the father of the present presi-
dent Of the road-near where Bismarck.
y. d.. now stands.
The company that hal the contract for
construction sublet considerable of tho
work to a company of which was n menu
Der The original contractors wanted our
company 10 take out heavy cut i'm what lis
known as the bad lands on the Little Mis-
souri, river. 1 think 1t was I'm 1873 or ls7a
Ihey offered an advance of five cents
yarG on the contract. and We took them IN
You know Sitting Bull had made the
'nreat that Tor every tie laid on the North
erh racine he would kill white man.
We'll. to make long story short the gov
eihment sent Two companies of Infantry
along with our men. In those days the
government had TO keep troor,s for the pro-
northwest
We reached the Little Missouri the fore
part OF December. About a week before
Christ mas our men-there were several
hundred of tfem-ran out OF proyisions
The troops divided theirs. bit in a couple
oil days they were ont. too. Almost stimuli
taneously there came on an awful blizzard.
billiards., such as are seldom experienced
In the east.
supplies could not reach us because of
the snow and the storm. and IL looked as IL
We were doomed to a torturing death 10y
starvation. Seven OF our men went stark
crazy flom eating the marrow of the mules
We killed When the mules gave out We
ate our horses. One night a number of us
were sitting In the little log cabin that We
made a sor; of headquarters. when. appar-
entity without any warning or premonition.
three men went crazy.
The Wind VAS bowling and the snow was
drifted In some places eight and ten feet
deep. I called for dozen volunteers TO go
out with me and thy to intercept the sup
ply train. Not one responded. Shouldering
my Winchester, 1 pushed out alone.
Il left camp at night The next after
loon | wes held up 10y three Indians. For
tunately L succeeded in taking a position
in hollow made by the blowing down OF
a big tree. The Indians were armed but
their guns were incapable of carrying a
ball any great distance. ! knew this, and
it was not necessary to dodge when they
fired at me. They We're possessed OF all the
shire witness for which their race is noted,
ond they knew at glance what a Win
chcs ter would do. They didn't care come
rear enough to be sure Of shooting me, for
they knew that my gun would reach them,
and with deadly effect. They held mo tnrre
for two hours. and then went away.
II ploddcd on. and finally reached a small
creek. across which had been constructs
a rude foot bridge. This caused me 10
lcok around for more signs OF civilization.
| was rewarded in finding. about q quarter
of mile away, cabin which had pros13-
bly, been used by hunters. 1t was de-
serted
Weary and hungry l entered The
door had been blown of and was on the
floor / picked it up ard succeeded in brac-
ing 1t SO that ii stayed closed. L then
gathered up some sticks and built a little
fire on the floor near the fireplace found
some old bacon rhinds, from which all the
worms. 1 tell you Gods truth when l say
that 1 was so hungry that l lay by tht
fire and chewed those kinds nearly al
night.
THAT was Christmas eve. and how i
wished that j might be with my family
The following day-Christmas-I met the
supply train and went back to our camp
with them The train was guarded by
three companies of cavalry. When nearing
camp had a brush with the Indians.
but the infantry came out and, with the
cavalry. put them to flight.
once in camp the full force of soldiery
was put on guard around the supplies The
workmen We're in an awful condition. An
, other day and they would have eaten
drawing lots for the killing of one of their
I rrmber each day until the supplies should
come.
They grappled with the soldiers and
were repealed only at the point of bayonet
or a saDer. Why. they acted like wild
beasts. For twenty-four hours the doctors
dealt out to them as much as was con-
injure themselves if left to crafty their
Cwn desires. That was the worst Christ
mas / ever passed, and heaven deliver me
fIom any more similar experiences