Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-03-09
The Great S.3osU Storm


The greatest snow storm ever known
IN Wisconsin set in last Wednesday
evening about s o'clock and continued
with unabated fury for nearly As hours,
burying this section in perfect avalanches
of snow and blockading completely every
road and thoroughfare. A portion of
the time the wind blew from the north
east with great violence piling up snow
drifts from eight to fifteen feet high.
The fall was about three feet on the
level which added to the snow that was
already on the ground made an average
depth OF from four to six feet covering
this entire country. The railroads were
never 50 efectually blocked with the
snow than by this storm and the several
lines were completely closed to all bust
ness. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St.
Paul Railway was thoroughly snow-bound
between Portage and Milwaukee and
the Chicago & Northwestern from James
vile to Green Bay. The Chicago, Mil
waukee & st. Paul Railway had over
1000 men shoveling snow along their
line from Milwaukee to Portage. By
Sunday night the road was cleared be-
tween this city and Milwaukee and at
IL o'clock yesterday forenoon the shovel
ers had opened the track to Portage.
The Chicago & Northwestern on this
division have not made as good progress
as the st. Paul company. Their road is
clear from Fond du Lac south only as far
as Chester and from GAINESVILLE north the
track is clear to Koshkonong. The Madison
Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee &
st. Paul is still closed and there is but
little prospect of the road being opened
before the last of the week. Monday
morning the first mail received from any
direction in this city since Wednesday
afternoon came through from Chicago
and Milwaukee and a great sense of re-
lief was felt in the community
at its arrival. Two other
trains followed the one bringing this
mail and all three of them remained at
the Junction until yesterday forenoon,
the track west not being cleared sufficient
iy to allow them to move any further on
their journey. The regular express train
was well filled with passengers and among
those aboard were Thomas w. Keene, the
celebrated tragedian, and his theatric-
al company, en- route to fill an
engagement in Minnesota. An
other train contained several companies
belonging to the 18th q. S. colored In
tantry who were on their way to Fort
Randall, Dakota. The third train, COM
posed of some twelve coaches, was filled
with Canadian emigrant party bound
for different parts Of the far west. They
came principally from the vicinity of
London and Toronto and were a well-to-
DO and highly respectable looking class
of people, such as would be a fine ac-
cession to any community. Notwith-
standing their unpleasant experience on
their journey the party were in good spirits
and by no means appeared discouraged.
Take it altogether the detention of these
trains for nearly twenty -four hours made
lively times at the Junction, and while
they remained our city could boast of an
Increase in population of about 400. With
the opening of the railroads and the
breaking of the roads in the country we
are getting back to something like the
old condition of things. Business, which
for several days after the storm was at a
complete stand-still, begins to revive, al
though nothing but dull trade can be ex.
pected while such an immense body of
snow lies on the ground to the great
detriment of travel.