Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-02-03
Some Discomforts Attached to Getting
About on the Railroad
in Fergus.
HAM, COFFEE AND CRACKER DIET
There Will be a Short Car When Ger
tain Loads of Freight Arrive
Snow to Burn.

ommend II to their health broken
patients as a restorative. But there
are occasions when, like all other
forms of earthly pleasures, travelling
loses its charms and possesses many
of the essential elements of downright
hardship.
Rev. Henry Quickenden, James II.
Charters and others arrived In the
city Sunday night by private convey
ances and brought with them anoth-
er story to be added to the numerous
unusual experiences of those who
ride on the Montana railroad.
The train which the party boarded
left Lombard Thursday evening at
about 6 o'clock. They found it neces-
sary { o buck some small drifts on the
way up to H~arlowton. but arrived
there about i o'clock a. m. which,
everything considered, was very good
time. The train consisted of a coach
and five freight cars. Some switching
detained them at Harlowton until 5
o'clock in the morning, when the
start for Lewistown was made. That
was five days ago, but the unfor-
tunate train has never yet reached
its destination.
They ran out from Harlowton about
nine miles before the wei trouble
some snow drift was struck. Several
smaller drifts had been successfully
bucked and the crew were beginning
to think that they would succeed in
getting through, but when near the
Roberta switch they were compelled
to halt. Backing up a little, they
uncoupled the engine from the re-
mainder of the train and prepared
to plough through. They succeeded
in a measure and were about two.
thirds through the drift before they
had to stop. Then they started to
back out and take another u at the
mountain of snow, which was block.
ing their way, but to their consterna-
ton, the wind had filed the cut be-
hind them. They could thus go Meth.
er forward nor backward.
| VII Tic ttdih Wttt lWtull Gil
ployes of the road and they all got
out with their shovels and started in
at their old job of digging out their
train. II was hard and almost USE
less work. AS fast as they shoveled
the wind blew the flying snow back
into the cuts. II was a battle be.
tween puny men and the mighty ele-
ments and 1t is not hard to guess
who won. After shoveling all day,
the men gave it up and returned
to the coach. wet, tired and hungry.
All day Friday the passengers, nine
or ten in number, lived on some pro-
visions which Superintendent Hoar
had brought along for Just such an
emergency. But when the engine left
It took all of the fuel with 1t and to-
wards evening the car began to get
uncomfortably cold. The superintend-
ent, in putting up his hamper of food.
did not count on the number of pee.
pie he would have to feed. so that
gave out the first day. In this strait
the superintendent went back to one
OF the freight cars and broke in. He
found some ham, coffee and crackers.
The ham and coffee were cooked on
the little fire remaining and the pas
sengers made five meals from this
rather limited but sustaining diet.
Some of the men also made a tout
of discovery into n car and located
some liquor. Being cold, wet, tired
and hungry the men proceeded to
help themselves to their discovery,
| and pnt,ph m tho onnnuanna - thnir
superintendent, some of them soon
became utterly oblivious to the ter.
rors of western railroading. Some
OF the passengers said that II the
men were ever justified in getting
drunk it was that day. That night
the men and passengers were all
crowded into the combination coach
and the sleep which some of them got
was very little. The car was exceed.
ingly cold and the blankets which the
railroad men had were not sufficient
to go around. On Saturday James
Charters t%elephoned to Garneill for
rigs. Superintendent Hoar thought
that the passengers had better stay
by the ship, but some of them thought
differently. About 2:30 o'clock in the
afternoon the bob sled arrived from
Garneill and six of the passengers,
three OF whom were ladies', trans
ferred their luggage from the more
modern vehicle of transportation to
the old anti.bellum sled and all seem
ed very glad to make the change.
They arrived in Garneill at 6 o'clock,
remained there over night and came
into Lewistown the next day, arriving
here in the afternoon.
The present has been the worst OF
the difficulties the railroad
company has had with the snow this
winter. The last train seen in Lew.
istown pulled out of here Wednesday
morning. Ii stuck in the snow In the
same old place the other side of Gar
neill. A freight train which started
up about two weeks ago gave out al
Dorsey. The mails are now all in
Mr.. Wilson having gone out saturday
in a sled after all that was on thc
trains coming this way. The rest Of
the mail was sen around by Great
Falls and piled in the local office by
the sackfulls Sunday and Monday.
. In behalf of the railroad IL may
be said that they are doing every
thing in their power to relieve tn,
, situation. The report was circulated
, that they intended to give 1t up unit
, spring; but this they have had NJ
intention of doing. They now hav,
their snowplow, 2 big new ten whee
engine and otter equipments 70
, fighting the sAgE. General Manage
: Rantoul who came in last Tuesda,
4 is still in the city unable to get out