from any direction from Wednesday p.m., with the exception of the train brought up from Stebbinsville as
narrated below, which was 24 hours behind time. The furious storm of Thursday brought all the trains to a
stand still. Three trains were snowed in on the D., L.& L.M. road, one at Grand Trunk Junction, one at
Palmer station, and the mail west with two engines a mile north of Stebbinsville. The mail would undoubtedly
have reached here nearly on time, had it not been delayed at Lansing three hours by a J., L. & S. train off the
track, between upper and lower towns. This train made regular time between Detroit and Lansing, and
between Lansing and Portland. At Stebbinsville it struck a drift as high as the cab window, going through all
right, but striking a second before recovering its slackened speed, it was brought to a stand still in the drift, so
that it could neither back out nor go ahead. Asst. Supt. Hinkle made every endeavor to reach the train during
the night, but was unable to do so, there being a drift about a half a mile long on this side, from four to five
feet above the track, and packed so solidly as to bear weight of a man on the surface. In the morning five
engines were made ready, and started from here to the rescue. The locomotives went singly to Lyons, where
they were coupled together, and with wide-opened valves made a united rush for the snow drift, that caused
a new sensation for the novices in the cab of the forward engine, where, beside the engineer and fireman,
were Supt. Hinkle, Agent Foley, Tel. Op. Wyman, and the publishers of the Standard and Sentinel. The way
the snow flew when the drifts were struck was wonderful to see, the cab was filled in a moment with flying
particles and the escaping steam, causing so dense a mist as to make the occupants invisible to each other.
On , on, they went with scarcely diminished speed, until it was feared the drift might be cut through and the
snow-bound train struck with such force as to cause a terrible accident, and Supt. Hinkle directs that the
whistle give the signal for "down brakes," the cord is pulled, when the fearful discovery is made that the
whistle is frozen, fortunately a second and more forcible pull loosens it, the signal is given, the train is
stopped, the snow settles and the mist lifts, and we are lifted from darkness to daylight once more. There,
only a short distance ahead, stands the mail train. Having had enough of the sensation of boring through a
snow bank, we dismount and make our way on foot to the train, when we find that Harry Hayes and
Wm.Merriman, the two engineers, have kept steam up ready for a "pull" at a moment's warning. The supply
of water was provided by shovelling snow into the tanks. The entire train had only three sticks of wood when
relief arrived. Conductor Harry Anderson had charge of the train, and spared no pains to make the stay as
agreeable as possible for the passengers and we judge he had succeeded well, for when the bus came from
Lyons, not a passenger would leave him. His efforts were ably seconded by O.E. Botsford, the baggageman,
Jas. W. Colter, brakeman, and Frank Tyler, Exp. agt., of this city. The boys were all in good spirits when we
found them, having breakfasted at a farm house a mile away, they seemed to relish very well, however, a
bountiful collation brought forward by Mr. Wyman. If it should ever happen to us to be snow bound, we can
only hope it may be with as genial a set of young men as Harry Anderson and his associates.
By the active exertions of the railroad officials, all the roads were cleared, and trains running on Saturday.
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This report was taken from the Ionia Sentinel, dated Friday, February 19, 1875. At this date, North Lansing
was referred to as upper town and the depot at Michigan ave. as lower town. This storm took place on the
11th of February. The Clinton Independent of St. Johns, from the same date, wrote:
"For three days the wind kept up a perfect whiz from the west and the snow was carried from one quarter
and deposited in another in solid mountainous piles, until the north and south roads were rendered almost
impassable for man or beast. ---- Mr. Love, who drives stage on the northern line, between St.Johns and
Pompeii, was six hours in making the trip of 18 miles. He upset six times, froze one foot and both hands."
The Ionia reporter makes no mention of a snow plow on the front of those five engines that went to the
rescue of the mail train.
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