The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1910-02-04
SUFFERINGS OF
HOMESTEADERS
STORIES OF HARDSHIP IN THE
PRESENT COLD WINTER.
LOST ON PRAIRIE IN THE SNOW


Trail In Trip County and Slept in
Cold Hay Bed-6arnett Tells How
He Froze His Feet
Gregory Advocate: Since the wealth
err has turned warmer many home.
Stcaders are coming to town for coal
and provisions. Many doubtless could
tell interesting adventures in Tripp
county during the past six weeks of
stormy weather. Rev. George Kersten
tells of trip to Witten that he and
the Rev. Mr.. Cook made nearly two
weeks ago to hold services in that
town which we think will give an idea
OF what 1t means to travel in new
country in midwinter.
The two men started out after din
ner in light spring wagon from Mr..
kersten's claim, sixteen miles from
Witten, expecting to reach there be.
fore dark. Night overlook them still a
considerable distance from their des.
tination. When about five miles from
town they lost the traIl anu found
themselves stuck in deep snowdrift.
out of which they were unable either
to get horses or wagon While Mr..
kersten stayed with the horses Mr..
Cook started off across the prairie
toward a light about a mile away. re.
turning with lantern and shovel with
which the horses and wagon were dug
out Every attempt to drive through
the snow proved unsuccessful until a
path was dug through the ravine, in
many places the snow being higher
than the men. The horses were un.
hitched and at II o'clock men and
team arrived at the house, where the
use of hay barn had been offered
them for the night, the wagon being
left behind
A Cold Bed in the Hay.
A bed was made on the hay, into
which they crawled, but were awak.
ened at about o'clock 10 find that
the thermometer had dropped a good
many degrees and they were suffering
from the cold. With one of the blank.
cts they formed a canopy, lighted the
lantern and tried to keep warm, but
found this impossible, for the wind
was blowing in on their feet through
the cracks in the wall. At I o'clock
they broke camp and arrived in Wit.
ten at 10 o'clock-pretty cold and hun.
cry, for they had not had a bite to eat
since noon of the previous day. They
were very Hospitality entertained by
VIII Brown, homesteader, who salts
fled the inner man with steak. which
is somewhat of a luxury with claim
holders. bacon being the regular meat
order on their bills of fare.
The first reports in regard to J. A.
Barnetts experiences were somewhat
misleading, the facts related by him
being as follows:
Two weeks ago last Tuesday, the
day on which the home of Mr. and Mrs.
wainwright burned to the ground and
their little boy was burned to death,
he and his son left Lamro with two
loads of freight, which they were TAX
ing to Pahapesto from Dallas. 1t had
been storming all morning, but in the
afternoon the wind had abated. At
shutdown they were four miles from
Witten, the horses, being exhausted,
were unhitChed, leaving the loads on
the prairie, and starting for the town
on foot. Mr.. Barnett felt his feet freez-
ing, and when he could walk no far
hl mr. tnI ,f 4
rode the rest of the distance. 1t took
them four hours to make the last four
miles, the snow was drifting so badly
and it was dark. During this time the
thermometer dropped twenty-five de.
grees. At 9 o'clock they arrived at
Witten, where they went at once to DR..
Swett's office.
One Foot Solid Lump Of Ice.
One of Mr.. Barnetts feet was solid
lump of ice, frozen as hard as a rock.
They were at first put into ice water,
and as it thawed out crusts of ice
formed on the foot. The physician
worked with him all night keeping
them in snow packs. On account of
the deep snow Mr.. Barnett had worn
only boots, the snow coming in the
tops of them and melting made it
worse, His son Tom wore shoes and
overshoes, and his feet were not in
such bad shape, although he may lose
mart of one toe.
While Mr.. Barnett is getting along
very nicely, one of his feet is in pretty
bad shape and the flesh will slough off
about the ankle