The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-05-02
TWO NIGHTS IN
FIERCE BLIZZARD
Family of Four in Sedan
Kept Prisoners and
Starving in Snow.
RESCUED BY FARMERS
Little Girl Seriously Injured
by Prolonged Experience
With Hunger and Cold.

How Patrick CouEhun. a former
member OF The world circulation
STAFF his wife Gertrude and their
two children narrowly escaped death
from both freezing and starvation is
told in letter to Il. l.. Scott circu
lation manager Of The World. and
in a clipping from II Denver news
paper.
The CouEhlin famiIy was on route
from Chickasha, Okla. TO Denver
iu their Ford sedan. Mr. Coughlin
formerly owned o. Ford touring car,
and he attributes their narrow es-
cape to the fact that they were rid
ing IN closed car. which partially
protected them from bitter weather.
Following is the story As related
to the Denver newspaper.
"rhe most fearful story of sur
ferinE and hcroism during the recent
storm yet reported In Denver was
told today by Patrick Coughlin, who
with his wife. Gertrude Coughlin,
and their two children. Patrick, Jr,
years old aud Frances. yearJI
old. faced death for AZ hours in a.
light sedan at no.ut on the colo
RADIO Springs road. about one mile
north OF Hustled.
with drifts six fee, high AM
about the car and with "a foot of
snow ON the floor Of the touueau,
Mr. Coughln. unable to bear the
cries of his starving children any
longer finally set form Monday
morning ana found the farmhouse
Of T. bwycr. station agent al llus-
ted. 10 which, after a heroic battle
with the drifts the suoWbound tray
.lers were taken. They arrived in|
Denver yesterday afternoon on the|
Santa Fc, and today. i'm their home,
3O26 WNandotte street. are slowly
recuperatinE from their experience.
Blood clottcd i'm their arteries,
caused by remaining iu cramped po-|
sitions from Saturday afternoon to-
Monday morning with nothing to cat.
but snowhalls. has made their con-
dltion serious.
MIR Coughlin and his family left
Chickasha. Wednesday, April IA. in
their light Ford sedan. and arrived
safely in Rocky Ford last Friday.
where they spent the night. leaN-
ing Rocky Ford at o'clock Satur-
day morning they arrived in colo
rado Springs at 1880 the same day.
A light lunch. consisting of sand
wiches, coffee and doughnuts. was
taken. after which. although a
strong wind was blowing and 1t was
growing colder, they started for
Denver.
THE storm broke out when they
had proceeded about five miles. Be
lieving. however, that it would soon
pass, they kept to the road Al
Hustled, lj miles from Colorado
Springs, the blizzard swept down
with terrific force obliterating the
upon a man and three women whose
car was stalled in "A muddy rut. AS
sisting these, Mr. Coughlin's sedan
became stalled. The unidentified
automobile moved on the length Of
two telephone poles and could so
no farther.
Failing in every effort TO move
their machine, the Coughlins at
length gave up hope. BY evening
the tenders had been covered, and
with darkness closing in they went
to sleep, huddled together for
warmth in the back seat In the
morning they found the drifts had
reached the height of the steering
wheel SO violent was the storm
that il was impossible to discern the
other automobile. The velocity OF
the wind was GO miles an hour.
THE children, cold and numb,
cried for food Becoming desperate
the stricken travellers began eating
snowballs, which only Increased
their thirst. Another night came
and went. and on Monday morning
all were weak. their minds wander
ing.
I'm the middle OF the forenoon,
when the blizzard at last abated, Mr..
Coughlin discovered the farmhouse
. OF Mr. Dwyer half mile away.
Fighting through the great drifts,
digging out tunnels with his bare
hands, he reached the doorway,
shouted and tainted. Mrs. Dwyer
dragged him into the kitchen and
gave him stimulants
"a few minutes later Mr., Cough
lin, Mrs. Dwy-- and Karl Dwyer her
l4-year- old son. started back 10 the
automobile with milk for the fam
ished children and food for Mrs.
Coughlin.
The father carried Frances to
safety, Karl Dwyer led Mrs. Cough
lin, who tainted three times before
reaching the rauChhouse and Mrs.
Dwyer assisted little Patsy. They
remained AT the far.-~ until yesterday
morning. when they took the train
for Denver.
"The occupants OF the other car
were rescued by party sent out bN
the Santa Fe railroad and taken to
the Grow ranch nearby. according
10 Mr.. Coughlin. Later, according
to a report, they were taken TO
Salida
To-day the condition OF Frances
CouRhlin is most serious Blood
circulation through the child's legs
is still obslructod, according 10
physicians In attendance. All mem
hors of the family will recover