The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-05
Clay County Boy Makes Awful
Ride in Storm.
Nearly Two Days Required to 60
Seven and a Half Miles.
CLIMBS OUT WINDOW
Door Held Shut by Drift of Wind
Blown Snow.
Death of Neighbours Babe Sends
Him on Journey.

Clay Center, Jan. 5.=Mr. and Mrs.
H A Jack of this city are in receipt
of letter from their son, Lester, who
is roughing it on a claim in Morton
county. He tells of an experience of
the recent storms in that section as
! follows:
Il got up on Wednesday morning to
find the snow still falling and drifting
frightfully I tried to open my door;
failed, and tried again; but all strength
was to no avail, so / had to open the
window and dig my way through the
drifts, then wade with difficulty
around to my door and dig the snow
away. I got my breakfast and washed
my dishes and had just laid down,
thinking I was about sick with Sc
we're headache, when my experience
began
Il had lain there probably five min
utes when / heard rap at my door
1t proved to be my neighbor Hicks,
come to tell me of the death of his
newborn babe, and to ask me if
thought it would be possible for me
to get news to his parents. who lived
seven and one-half miles to the east
He was gone with my first assent
and in ten minutes I had started out
on the hardest journey I have ever I'M
dertaken.
q was riding a broncho and he
showed the true endurance of his kind
but when l came to the first house,
three miles distant, he was completely
ing through snow varying in depth
from two feet to four. / could touch
the snow with my feet almost any
where.
Here I changed horses. I rode this
morse to the next house, mile and
half, where changed horses again. I
was now on the last leg of my jour
ney, having only three miles more.
had been lost a time or two, but the
sun began to break through the clouds
by this time and / was able to keep
my bearings easily. [ had a big rangy
horse for this part of my trip and he
took me through a little faster.
reached my destination by $3.50, hav-
ing been about six hours and a half
on the way.
Having delivered my message and
eaten lunch. we started back toward
home, Mr.. Hicks, ST. and his wife
driving a light rig drawn by two
range mules I rode ahead breaking
the way as best I could. 1t was clear
now, but the wind kept the snow blow
ing so fiercely that it was hard to see.
We got to the first house by dark and
left, with the stars for our guide. We
had only gone a short distance when
clouds overcast the sky and we were
lost again, but it soon cleared again
and we went as far as Mr. Lewis,
where stopped to change horses. and
Mr.. Hicks, eng that was about Hall
in told me I had better stop as there
was danger of never getting through
anu there was no use OI US al tCthS
lost. He was determined to finish the
trip if it was possible and said 1 could
be of no help to him in case we lost |
our trail. So. being nearly frozen. I
stopped for the night.
1.-The next morning I again started,
hardl- daring to look ahead for fear
Of seeing his rig buried in the snow.
BY 1 o'clock I had reached home to
find that after a long wandering route
in which by chance he had come upon
q house, where, by the clear sky, he
had finally come through in safety.
proceeded to my own house, a half
mile to the south, and in the afternoon
Of that day Thursday we laid away
n a rude store box, beneath a two
loot blanket of snow, the little child
when it was over I went back
home feeling that I had been through
IN experience of years, rather than
.wo Short days. Save from being
little sore and stiff, I am apparently
10 worse off for my hardships.
shook with the cold until I thought
would fall to pieces, but I must be
immune to colds, as I haven't the least
Dit of cold and suffered no frozen
inbS''