Year: 1864




that will render the first day of the new
year 1864 ever memorable to those who
were present.


One woman had given her eldes! child
a girl of two and half years, into the
hands of strong man to carry. He had
deposited the child safely in the train.
The mother attempted to follow, with a
babe of four months folded to her breast.
She found she could not endure it, and
returned whence she came. And so moth
er and child were separated. The latter
suffered less than the mother probably,
for wrapped in heavy shawl she soon
fell asleep and woke to be carefully fed
and nursed during the succeeding night
by Mrs. G., Of Chicago.


New Years Day went out into dusk
when the door of the second car was
thrown open and muf1ed figure white
with frost and snow, entered and thrilled
all present with the announcement"
am here with a team and provisions from
the city. There are two more teams com.
ing somewhere on the prarie, but it is
getting dark and they cannot find the
train in the face of this storm. want
men to build fire in the rear of the cars
as beacon and signal for those teams. y
A half score Of men volunteered, while
exdamalions of surprise, admiration and
gratitude echoed from the heart of every
person who had thoughtfully realized the
danger we were in. The fire was lighted
and about eight o'clock another team ol
two came by its guidance to the comfort
and relief of the passengers. The sand
wiches, cold chicken, turkey, duck, SC.
were quickly distributed among the hun
cry ones, who ate and wondered, and 81
lently thanked the men who thus braved
the storm to give them aid and cheer


Toward Saturday morning the bowling
of the wind ceased the snow ceased fill
tcring in through the crevices, and the
bright moon told us that the storm had
spent its anger. There was joy among
the passengers general waking up fol-
lowed. Saturday morning came, with 8
further distribution of food, and vigi
liant lookout for some signs of help. About
eight o'clock an engine was seen approach
ing us from the east with a snow. plough
Before ten o'clock it had reached US and
hauled US back to the junction, where VIZ
found two or three other trains waiting tt
90 in. About twelve o'clock IL was an
nounced that sleighs from the city hac
arrived. chartered by the railroad compa.
ny, to convey such passengers as did not
choose to wait for the road to be broker
to Ulich's Hotel. These were soon crowd
ded, and after tedious, cold ride, were
safely set down at Ulich's where the
chilled and frozen received every attention
from the hospitsble proprietors, who refus
ed to receive money for the comforts pro
vided. Such is the hasty record of thu
way the old year closed and the new yeal
began W it'll those Of us who were on rail
roads in this great storm.


The children Jared the worst. In be
ing carried across many of them were Sc
verely bitten. One child about thre'
years I'D had his arm covered with fros
blotches from the wrist to the elbow, tn,
shawl having blown off and left his arm
exposed. By vigorous application o
snow the arm was put in a passable coldi
tion.


A railroad conductor. badly frozen, fel
no pain till he arrived at the hotel; thel
when the warmth Of the heated room
reached his feet, he found for the frs
time that they were frozen. One Of then
is not injured very badly, but it is proba
BILE that he will never recover the use o
the other.


Into cuts, without hinderance when tn
fences we're wanting, and with little hin
drance when they were present, the driv
ing snow drifted and fell, banking an,
packing under the influence Of the wind
until it completely barred all progress
Trains laden with passengers were held a
with vice. They could neither advanc
or withdraw, fences on either side wer
hidden from sight, and in some instapce