Every man sprang to obey。 Out into the wild night； the pitchy darkness；
the billowy snow； the driving storm； every soul leaped； with the
consciousness that a moment lost now might bring destruction to us all。
Shovels； hands； boardsanything； everything that could displace snow；
was brought into instant requisition。 It was a weird picture； that small
company of frantic men fighting the banking snows； half in the blackest
shadow and half in the angry light of the locomotive's reflector。
〃One short hour sufficed to prove the utter uselessness of our efforts。
The storm barricaded the track with a dozen drifts while we dug one away。
And worse than this； it was discovered that the last grand charge the
engine had made upon the enemy had broken the fore…and…aft shaft of the
driving…wheel！ With a free track before us we should still have been
helpless。 We entered the car wearied with labor； and very sorrowful。
We gathered about the stoves； and gravely canvassed our situation。 We
had no provisions whateverin this lay our chief distress。 We could not
freeze； for there was a good supply of wood in the tender。 This was our
only comfort。 The discussion ended at last in accepting the
disheartening decision of the conductor； viz。； that it would be death for
any man to attempt to travel fifty miles on foot through snow like that。
We could not send for help； and even if we could it would not come。 We
must submit； and await； as patiently as we might； succor or starvation！
I think the stoutest heart there felt a momentary chill when those words
were uttered。
〃Within the hour conversation subsided to a low murmur here and there
about the car； caught fitfully between the rising and falling of the
blast； the lamps grew dim； and the majority of the castaways settled
themselves among the flickering shadows to thinkto forget the present；
if they couldto sleep； if they might。
〃The eternal night…it surely seemed eternal to us…wore its lagging hours
away at last； and the cold gray dawn broke in the east。 As the light
grew stronger the passengers began to stir and give signs of life； one
after another； and each in turn pushed his slouched hat up from his
forehead； stretched his stiffened limbs； and glanced out of the windows
upon the cheerless prospect。 It was cheer less； indeed！…not a living
thing visible anywhere； not a human habitation； nothing but a vast white
desert； uplifted sheets of snow drifting hither and thither before the
winda world of eddying flakes shutting out the firmament above。
〃All day we moped about the cars； saying little； thinking much。 Another
lingering dreary nightand hunger。
〃Another dawninganother day of silence； sadness； wasting hunger；
hopeless watching for succor that could not come。 A night of restless
slumber； filled with dreams of feastingwakings distressed with the
gnawings of hunger。
〃The fourth day came and wentand the fifth！ Five days of dreadful
imprisonment！ A savage hunger looked out at every eye。 There was in it
a sign of awful importthe foreshadowing of a something that was vaguely
shaping itself in every hearta something which no tongue dared yet to
frame into words。
〃The sixth day passedthe seventh dawned upon as gaunt and haggard and
hopeless a company of men as ever stood in the shadow of death。 It must
out now！ That thing which had been growing up in every heart was ready
to leap from every lip at last！ Nature had been taxed to the utmostshe
must yield。 RICHARD H。 GASTON of Minnesota； tall； cadaverous； and pale；
rose up。 All knew what was coming。 All preparedevery emotion； every
semblance of excitementwas smotheredonly a calm； thoughtful
seriousness appeared in the eyes that were lately so wild。
〃'Gentlemen： It cannot be delayed longer！ The time is at hand！ We must
determine which of us shall die to furnish food for the rest！'
〃MR。 JOHN J。 WILLIAMS of Illinois rose and said： ' GentlemenI nominate
the Rev。 James Sawyer of Tennessee。'
〃MR。 Wm。 R。 ADAMS of Indiana said： 'I nominate Mr。 Daniel Slote of New
York。'
〃MR。 CHARLES J。 LANGDON： 'I nominate Mr。 Samuel A。 Bowen of St。 Louis。'
〃MR。 SLOTE： 'GentlemenI desire to decline in favor of Mr。 John A。 Van
Nostrand； Jun。； of New Jersey。'
〃MR。 GASTON： 'If there be no objection； the gentleman's desire will be
acceded to。'
〃MR。 VAN NOSTRAND objecting； the resignation of Mr。 Slote was rejected。
The resignations of Messrs。 Sawyer and Bowen were also offered； and
refused upon the same grounds。
〃MR。 A。 L。 BASCOM of Ohio： 'I move that the nominations now close； and
that the House proceed to an election by ballot。'
〃MR。 SAWYER： 'GentlemenI protest earnestly against these proceedings。
They are； in every way； irregular and unbecoming。 I must beg to move
that they be dropped at once； and that we elect a chairman of the meeting
and proper officers to assist him； and then we can go on with the
business before us understandingly。'
〃MR。 BELL of Iowa： 'GentlemenI object。 This is no time to stand upon
forms and ceremonious observances。 For more than seven days we have been
without food。 Every moment we lose in idle discussion increases our
distress。 I am satisfied with the nominations that have been madeevery
gentleman present is； I believeand I； for one； do not see why we should
not proceed at once to elect one or more of them。 I wish to offer a
resolution'
〃MR。 GASTON： 'It would be objected to； and have to lie over one day under
the rules； thus bringing about the very delay you wish to avoid。 The
gentleman from New Jersey'
〃MR。 VAN NOSTRAND： 'GentlemenI am a stranger among you； I have not
sought the distinction that has been conferred upon me； and I feel a
delicacy'
〃MR。 MORGAN Of Alabama （interrupting）： 'I move the previous question。'
〃The motion was carried； and further debate shut off； of course。 The
motion to elect officers was passed； and under it Mr。 Gaston was chosen
chairman； Mr。 Blake； secretary； Messrs。 Holcomb； Dyer； and Baldwin a
committee on nominations； and Mr。 R。 M。 Howland； purveyor； to assist the
committee in making selections。
〃A recess of half an hour was then taken； and some little caucusing
followed。 At the sound of the gavel the meeting reassembled； and the
committee reported in favor of Messrs。 George Ferguson of Kentucky；
Lucien Herrman of Louisiana； and W。 Messick of Colorado as candidates。
The report was accepted。
〃MR。 ROGERS of Missouri： 'Mr。 President The report being properly before
the House now； I move to amend it by substituting for the name of Mr。
Herrman that of Mr。 Lucius Harris of St。 Louis； who is well and
honorably known to us all。 I do not wish to be understood as casting the
least reflection upon the high character and standing of the gentleman
from Louisiana far from it。 I respect and esteem him as much as any
gentleman here present possibly can； but none of us can be blind to the
fact that he has lost more flesh during the week that we have lain here
than any among usnone of us can be blind to the fact that the committee
has been derelict in its duty； either through negligence or a graver
fault； in thus offering for our suffrages a gentleman who； however pure
his own motives may be； has really less nutriment in him'
〃THE CHAIR： 'The gentleman from Missouri will take his seat。 The Chair
cannot allow the integrity of the committee to be questioned save by the
regular course； under the rules。 What action will the House take upon
the gentleman's motion？'
〃MR。 HALLIDAY of Virginia： 'I move to further amend the report by
substituting Mr。 Harvey Davis of Oregon for Mr。 Messick。 It may be urged
by gentlemen that the hardships and privations of a frontier life have
rendered Mr。 Davis tough； but； gentlemen； is this a time to cavil at
toughness？ Is this a time to be fastidious concerning trifles？ Is this
a time to dispute about matters of paltry significance？ No； gentlemen；
bulk is what we desiresubstance； weight； bulkthese are the supreme
requisites nownot talent； not genius； not education。 I insist upon my
motion。'
〃MR。 MORGAN （excitedly）： 'Mr。 ChairmanI do most strenuously object to
this amendment。 The gentleman from Oregon is old； and furthermore is
bulky only in bonenot in flesh。 I ask the gentleman from Virginia if
it is soup we want instead of solid sustenance？ if he would delude us
with shadows？ if he would mock our suffering with an Oregonian specter？
I ask him if he can look upon the anxious faces around him； if he can
gaze into our sad eyes； if he can listen to the beating of our expectant
hearts； and still thrust this famine…stricken fraud upon us？ I ask him
if he can think of our desolate state； of our past sorrows； of our dark
future； and still unpityingly foist upon us this wreck； this ruin； this
tottering swindle； this gnarled and blighted and sapless vagabond from
Oregon's hospitable shores？ Never！' ＇Applause。＇
〃The amendment was put to vote； after a fiery debate； and lost。 Mr。
Harris was substituted on the first amendment。 The balloting then began。
Five ballots were held without a choice。 On the sixth； Mr。 Harris was
elected； all voting for him but himself。 It was then moved that his
election should