Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-01-23
1owA's coLpEsr NIGHT.

1OWA'S COOLEST NIGHT.
"Reminiscences of Mrs. n. E Stacy in
Algona Republican,
As sit by the frs tonight my
thoughts arc turned backward to this
night forty-Seven years ago. We were
prOprietors ON the, "6t Nichols Hotel"
ia building my husband had bought OF
the builder, Hezskiah Henderson.
father of Mrs. Ambrose Gail. some four
years before Let me 60 back a little
further. This building stood where the
city hall stands today A noble struc-
ture-ane story, built OF hewn logs.
facing the south. A deor. but no win
dow in the front. 1t had given shelter
to many poor Wayfarer who but for
its four walls. might have found q
dreary bed 1t was here that a man by
the name of Lawton preached one Sab
bath afternoon and organized the NJ.
f. "class" that afterward became the
NJ. e. church OF Algona. Those who
Joined that afternoon were William
Moore and wife. Robert Moore and
wife. Mira Thomas Whitehead. Mrs.
Thomas Stacy and I think MaIicia
in the Silent City.
was Elil1H6 IN our SPdSioO6 pdIe
Tor on that memorable day referred
to, when the door opened and Lewis
H. Smith entered. He had Just ar
rived from the camp At Estherville,
| said they had diebandeh and the
rest would be along IN . few hours
except Mrs. 1ngham-who. with the
| three children, would remain at West
Fork, now Emmetsburs, for q while.
Up to this time the day had been hne.
but about o'clock p. m. Il commenced
showing. ! Immediately repaired to the
kitchen to consult my larder and see
what I could find for crowd OF men
to eat; for, you know, we did not have
a market to 30 to-not even small
grocery store. but we always had
something. SO the inner man was kept
from starving. BY 4 o'clock the storm
had increased to that extent that only
2 storm On the prairies can assume.
The wind howled and the air grew
denser and denser, until II seemed az II
a heavy blanket was drawn between
us and the sun. Mr.. Stacy and Mr.
Smith came in occasionally. quite wor-
ried, but not much was said. Soon
night was upon us. and still no sign
of the wanderers. We put our lights in
the west window. vainly hoping they
might help the wayfarer ,trudging the
snow.
! About o'clock in the evening we
heard the creak Of their wagons and
Immediately went to the Kitchen. What
was my CONSERVATION when some one
came and said that Mrs. Ingham and
the children were there. sure enough,
they were being brought In. and,
thankful to say, they were not frozen
merely numbed and dazed. While
was unwrapping them the door was
thrown open and two men appeared
carrying a third. A cry from Mrs. Ing
ham. civilian. what is the NATTER
told US who 1t was. They laid him
down, entirely insenslble to all round
About five miles out no had taken q
lantern. and going ahead Of the teams
by the guidance OF the wind. had
brought them all safe to shelter. Had
he risked his own life to do It? Fol-
hours we feared so, but about noon Of
the next day he revived, All that Ions
night we watched the sufferer. bound
up the frozen fingers OF some at the
men and tried to cheer all. What Z
task! The wind bowling a. II never
howled before and the snow falling
thicker ana faster than We had eve1
seen Il, d drassed the ntght ana W
prayed TOR the morning. oo1e Of thu
men spsnt the night In our spaoiou,
diniA9 hall cutting up the ram that en-
tcleAed eur garden, Ia order 20 3ssp al
warm. Even then We were not was.e
enough to hurt vs. any Aftar whil(
the nozn1ne d4wned On Q ladAseap<
lowered with snow, and I'LL tAaf day Il
tcontinued to snow ana the wind Il
howl. Dec. 81. 80. ives considered .,
leoid q night as Al9ona ever exper-