Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1916-02-25
WILL YOUNG MUCH ALIVE.
Former Tazewell Man Who Was
Near The Brink, Writes of
His Recovery.
Portland, Oregon, Feb. Is, 1911

Editor the News:
Dear Sir-It has been quite while,
in fact, "Coon's Age" since have
written you, and in fact, about the
time my Tazewell friends visited me
last summer. while on their way to
the exposition, did not then have the
remotest idea that ever would write
to you, or any one else again, and
that it was a question of very short
time, when 1 would join the silent ma
jority and that the Clinch Valley News
and the Republican, would be saying
the usual nice things about the late
lamented who passed away ut his
home on such and such date, etc.
But l did not pass away, tho l was
SO near gone that / could not turn
in bed without help, and SO thin and
emaciated that could not make
respectable shadow, and when did
begin to recuperate, had to use crutch-
es and learn to walk again. By an
accident, 1 stumbled, "like drowning
man catching at straw" on DR.. Geo.
H. Mayrs Wonderful Stomach Rem
edy," 156 Whiting Street, Chicago,
and four doses raised me up from
pretty near the same condition that
our Savior raised Lazarus, and here
l am, i'll distressingly healthy con-
dition, but am not and never will be
able again to do manual labor. Like
an old worn out horse, am eating my
head off, and the country would be
as well off without me. 1t is always a
pleasure to get the home papers, but
they often bring me very, very sad
news. So many of my old friends
and acquaintance have Crossed ov-
err the river" since about the time 1
was SO i'll last spring. 1t was with
sorrow in my heart that 1 read of
their going and whilst they did not
say to me, "Good bye" yet 1 hope
that in some brighter cline they will
bid me "Good morning" But such
is life. "And into each life some rain
must fall; some days be dark and
dreary."
Well, we have been having some
winter, even in this mild Oregon eli
mate; it is one of the kind you some
times read about, but seldom see.
Very much like the one of 1894-5 in
Virginia, when it commenced snow
ing the 26th of December, '94 and
showed every "a hours up to the 31st
of March, 1895. Will Dickinson froze
to death on Big Walkers Mountain
on the 7th of February. think he
was on his way home from Wythe-
vile. 1t commenced to snow here in
Portland on the night of Dec. 31st,
and kept it up all through January
about 80 inches falling, and only five
days in the month the mercury rose
above freezing point, and it went as
low as IL degrees above zero in the
city and End above on the Portland
Heights, sleigh riding and coasting
was all the go. The Columbia river
froze over, stopping all navigation for
weeks, while at the Dalles, 100 miles
or so above here, loaded wagons cross
ed on the ice. The big interstate
bridge in course of construction at
Vancouver, Wash, was badly dam
aged by the ice jams. Countless
numbers of birds, such as robins, blue
birds, etc., China pheasants, quail,
and cartridges persisted from cold
and hunger, although concerted efforts
by the game wardens, clubs and farm
ers of the county was made to feed
them. The stock in Eastern Oregon
where the snow was very deep, and
the mercury ranging from IL to %
degrees below zero, suffered severely,
as food was scarce and very high,
alfalfa bringing $500 per ton in the
stack. In the "Blue Cascade, Coast
Range, and Siskian" mountains the
snow was anywhere from feet in the
valleys to Is feet and 20 feet deep in
the mountains. The Northern Pacific,
Great Northern, North Bank, o. W.,
| iN' W ~ Wcio all bllOWSu up--CfdlflS
of all kinds stopped and schedules an
nulled for many days. The deer and
elk in the mountains could not get
through the deep snow, and between
starvation and the cougars, wolves,
bob cats and lynx, persisted in great
numbers. So much for January. Feb.
LIST it rained; on the End ground hog
day" it commenced sleeting early in
the morning and sleeted on till Thurs
day, with an ice crust on the snow
that bore mans weight. The street
cars were put out of commission, the
telephone, and electric wires were
loaded with ice, hardly phone could
be found to use, and one whole night
of darkness except for gas and lamps
and candles. TIL city was beautiful
sight to see in one respect and pitt