Returning from Randolph to Salt Lake City on Nov. 25, 1871, nearly cost Elder Woodruff his life. He went through a great deal to save the team of horses that had saved his life on that particular journey. His journal, with his own spelling, records:
"About 11 miles from wasatch [a railroad depot some 21 miles south of RandolphT the great Snow Storm struck me. I had to travel some 12 miles in a terrible blinding snow storm to Wasatch whare I arived in the night. . . ."I arose this Morning & found the snow about 2 feet deep & still falling thick and fast. It looked vary gloomy. . . I could [notT travel the road & I went & Enquired of Mr Haven what Chance there was of taking a [railroadT car. He said he had no baggage Car there. . . .
"I went over to my horses & gave them a little hay and prayed for the Lord to Deliver me. . . .
"I arose in the morning & found the snow 3 feet deep on the level and still snowing furiously & I could see no deliverance for myself & team unless the Lord opened the way. Evry thing was glomy I had to wallow to my arm pits to go to my horses or any whare els. . . . I went and rubed them down Caressed them but Could not feed them except as it were a morsel. I knelt down & prayed Ernestly to the Lord to Deliver me & my team. It might be thought a small matter to leave a team to Starve to Death & take the cars and save my own life but my team had saved mine [TheyT had wallowed through the snow 12 miles to save mine & I felt it my duty to do all in my power to save theirs.
"I had a testimony while praying that my Prayers would be answered."
Elder Woodruff obtained help from a crew of Chinese railroad workers and "it took us 5 hours to dig out the waggon & open a road to the Depo & get our horses and waggon there. We then built a Stageing some 10 feet high out of plank to get the Horses up. . . ."
While struggling to take the wagon apart and load it into the railroad car, Elder Woodruff saw the train leave without him. He asked to have another engine sent 65 miles from Ogden to get his car. Later, "When the Car started I bid my friends good by & knelt down by the side of My Horses & felt to return harty thanks to God my Heavenly Father for the Deliverance he had wrought out for me. . . ."
