Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-29
THE NORTHERN TIER.
LETTER FROM
"GLOBE" ENVOY.
Graphic Description Of the Late Blizzard
Tho Railroad DISQUALIFICATION and
Fishers Landing, and Some of Thor
: Notables.

winter seems destined to rival, if not eclipse.
its memorable predecessor of 1923 in sever.
ity and duration, if not in the annals of dis
tressing casualties of that eventful period.
80 readily recalled even at this late day, BY
every Minnesotian. In tho matter of bust
ness interruption, or rather prostration, it is
Likely to prove peer to the period above
referred to, in all the term implies. Since
the memorable Wednesday, the 10th inst,
when the great blizzard broke out, and
which is hereabouts put down in the calen-
dar as Blizzard day" railroad schedule time,
except in rare instances, has been
q thing of the past-something to be hoped
for rather than expected. And under the
peculiar circumstances of the surroundings,
it is matter of congratulation, as we'll "a
an earnest of the indomitable perseverance,
and energy of the railroad officials and en-
ployes that they have been able to accom-
pllsh as much as has been done and preserve
as much of the outward semblance of pune
tuality as has attended the movements of
trains since the advent of the snow block
ade. Railroading just now is anything but
pleasure excursion, and is attended with
discomforts and innumerable privations
little dreamed Of by those who have had lit
tie or no experience therein. Since the
blizzard the mercury has almost continuous
~ remained below zero, and to all intents
and purposes has made up it's mind to
''stick" there for the present, at least. %.
For two days preceding the 10th, snow fell
in copious quantities, and under the prevail
ing low temperature, still remains as liable
to drift as on the day succeeding its fall. An
average wind moves and stirs about the soft
f1eecy mass as readily as the Sirocco Of Sa-
hara drives along before it the drifting
sands of the desert. Trains NAV pass. ana
with tho aid of the snow-plow and powerful
engines, clear the way, but in tho brief period
of an hour the gorge is filled as if by magic
and all trace obliterated. Especially upon
the open prairies is this moving panorama
to be seen in all it's gorgeeusnes, or more
properly speaking, in ali its obstructiveness.
Here snowy pillars of colossal grandeur arise
as it by magic, and stalk away with gieanti,
stride, as if impelled by some resistless force
What in St. Paul would be but
a gentle zephyr, in this latitude and at this
particular juncture, becomes moving hur
ricane and fills the air with minutest par
tlcles from the snow embosomed earth. Hat
the indignant but self-dethroned Lear bu
stood upon our northern prairies, he would
have found little occasion to invoke tn,
power of the relentless storm king:
''Blow winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage
blow! =.
Your cataracts and hurricanes spoutv'
Tho "peltings of the pitiless Storm would
soon have chilled the currents of life blooi
and put the mind distraught at peace for
ever.
Fortunately the late great blizzard opened
up its walls of wrath in the night and to thi
fact is doubtless due the long chapter of dis
| tressing casualties which characterized til,
storm of January, 1873. Although the Their
mometer ranged little if any below zero, in
evitable destruction would have awaited
the hardy adventurer who dared brave tn,
fury of the elements in a journey of half
dozen or less miles. Human nature couli
not have stood the strain nor could any de-
gree of familiarity or knowledge of tn,
country guided Alright the traveller in such
binding snow storm. Fortunately for tn,
great and fertile Red River Valley, thes
severe storms are of infrequent occurrence
and on the more thorough and complete set
tlement of the country, will become rare
and in all probability wholly disappear.
| WIND BREAKS.
In the open prairies wind breaks are abso
lutte necessities, and it should be the frs
concern of settlers to set about providin,
these. Hon. L.. B. Hodges, who deserve
the gratitude of generations yet unborn
OF millions yet to be-has long ago full,
demonstrated the feasibility of producing
practicable wind breaks within th
settler upon the treeless region
who ignores and refuses to prof
thereby, stands in his own light and refuse
to consult both his own interest and his owl
safety. 81 Hs.. F.. -:
BLOCKADED. g. ga. -. ,.
Under the circumstances, it will readily b.