Home * January 1, 1949 * Cattle * Interviews
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Driving was extremely difficult for the
responsibility for ten lives seemed to be in my hands. It was possible to
sense that the car was on the road but had there been a stalled car ahead
of me I would certainly have crashed with it. Several times during stops to
get my bearings I found myself either crosswise of that road or almost in
the ditch. The wind seemed so severe that even with set brakes the wind would
move the car on the icy and snowy roads. After what seemed almost an hour
we noticed a car just ahead of us after stopping we noticed that we were at
the Burns Junction filling station. The blowing snow so blinded us that at
times we could not even see the radiator hood ornament on our own car.
Our only thought at this station was to see if they had a place to keep us
out of the weather. The man whom we picked up volunteered to go over to the
station and see what arrangements could be made. Upon his return we learned
that already many were stranded here and that no one had been going through
for over an hour already. He also informed us that there were two cabins with
coal heaters in them that were available. So with his help walking out in
front of the car with a flash light I drove off the highway and in front of
the station where already two cars were parked out of the wind. Several more
were parked around the area. Since the Surretss and us were the only ones
with children the station manager offered us the two cabins. We remained in
the station until he had started coal fires in these two cabins then we went
to the cabins. I carried Wally and Pauline and asked Dorothy to take Dorinda's
hand and follow me since we had about 75 yards into the wind to go to get
our cabin. Both Pauline and Wally were gasping for their breath as we reached
this cabin for the wind was so severe that it just took ones breath away.
I ran back to the station to get our thermos bottle with drinking water and
bought one of the two boxes of graham crackers that were in the station for
the families supper. It wasn't much of a supper for we just couldn't keep
warm in this cabin even standing right over the red hot stove. Soon we had
the kiddies all three in one bed and covered them with all the coats and blankets
that were available leaving only two covers for Dorothy and myself.
The night was cold and seemed long since we regular got up all night to keep that stove burning. However, we were thankful that we were out of the storm, snow and extreme cold and couldn't help but feel that there might be some out on the highways that failed to get shelter from this storm. Then too we were thankful that we were able to secure shelter for the family that we picked up about five miles from this station. It appeared that we were the last car over that highway before the roads were blocked. Certainly we offered a prayer of thanks for this shelter and for the Divine guidance we had in reaching it with ten persons in our car.
Monday morning the storm seemed more severe than the night before and drifts were blocking the entrance to our cabin. Since we were out of coal and the fire was almost out I left for the station about 7:00 a.m. Much to my surprise the station seemed almost filled for several more cars came in about thirty..
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