Dec 1. [FIGURE] we arose this morning in the midst of one of the most
terrible driving snow storm I ever witnessed it looked vary
gloomey there were several teams from going to the
coal beds but they started back for home I left my broaken
waggon & put both span of my animals onto my loaded waggon
& started in the face of the storm for the summit of the mountain
which was 4 miles I walked all the way to the top by the side
of my team with the snow blowing in my face. I sent my
team back & drew up a brother team who was stuck
fast in the snow. we then started down the canyon got
about half a mile & met a train heavily loaded stuck
fast on a dug way & we could not pass them & the snow falling
fast I stood in the snow half knee deep for about one hour untill
I became chilled through I saw more mules knocked down & heard
more profane swareing than I have seen & heard in many years
a small company of cavalry came along leading their horses &
passed their train I took one span of Mules & led them
passed the train & waided through snow & mud half knee deep
6 miles to Brother Hardys station. I left James with the other team
to come down when the train passed I was wet through when
I arived at Hardy's. Sister Hardy helped me off my coat got
me a cup of hot composition, got some dinner soon James
came along & we started down the canyon passed several
teams broke down others turned over & found the roads bad
got out of the canyon at dark & arived at my
at about 8 oclok & spent the knight. distance from 45 M[iles].
