Delta chief., 1883-05-02
The Last Big StO-Tn.


do. Yet such is the fact at the present time.
\ storm troublesome as any that occurred
during the past winter is now causing delay
to railway traffic and much suffering in the
mountain districts. A story of five feet of
&. snow ausl the mercury registering below zero,
on nearly the first Of May, would be received
by Eastern people with great deal of latti-
tude. They would put il down as one of those
Wild western stories that are told as such,
and are not supposed to be credited.
The first appearance Of the storm was on
saturday morning. 1t was general in the
mountains, and was keenly felt at many
points in the prairie country. 1t was first
heralded by rapidly sinking barometer, that
instrument registering a lower degree than
has been known this year. While the mer-
curry in the big barometer at the Signal Ser
.vicc office in Denver fell almost out of sight,
the storm here was little felt in comparison
with other portions OF the State. Al times
the wind almost equalle,l hurricane in rio-
lcnce, but little damage was done At var
ious points in the State the wind blew with
such terrific force that great damage was
done and life ;sanarLlized. The worst phases
of the storm appeared in the South Park, in
the vicinity of Breckenridge, Gunnison, on
the Union Pacific Railway, both east and
ives, Of Cheyenne, md at vPdous points along
the line of the kansp~ Pacific railroad.
Trains were had. delayed on Saturday, but
all succeeded in pulling through to Denver,
except one on the South Park road, which
was blown of the track near Como. fcsler"
,lay. however. although the wort Of the
storm was considered over, the running of
trains was more in;crferci with than ever.
Trains ON all tls- roads were more or less de
layrd, and many roads sent out no trains at
all The kRnsas Pacific is sn0w.bound ai
Deer TrHii, forty miles from Denver, and
force of men with snow.plows was sent TO the
assistance OF the train. No trains were sent
ont over the Breckenridge branch of the
south Park, the snow, until late hour OF the
day. having complete possession OF the road.
Engines, snow pl9ws and large force ,of
men were sent out from Como yesterday to
cut way through TO Breckenridge Late
last night telegram received by Super
int.ndent Egbcrt of that road that the work
had been successfully accomplished. Tho
snow In some Of the cuts was six feet and
over deep, and tho mercury stood below zero.
one of the playful freaks Of the wind ON
Saturday was the blowing Of passenger
train OF the track near Como. The passen-
gtrs on the Inflated train arrived in Denver
last evening. having remained over a day in
Come. They relate many exciting exper.
fences OF the unusual event. Strange to say
although the train was turned completely
Il L t1l.I un1 hpt
few even slightly injured. One six.year-old
boy, named shockeit, had his nose split open
hy shattered window glass, This was the
worst injury sustained by any one.
Fnm the Denver Republican. April nth.
The storm which turned itself loose ON
Saturday last, and has continued ever since,
has been one of the most severe and most dis
nstrous ever experienced in Colorado. Its
effects have not been pcrccp,ihle in Denver 50
much rs in other localities, and therefore the
people here will not realize its immonsity so
much as those who live in the mountains and
upon the plains TO the north and east.
Yesterday Sergeant Neal, the United States
signal officer at this station, prepared himself
for hard days work, but there was no ne
ccssity for 1t. The wires between Cheyenne
aud Omaha were down, so that all reports
were Obliged to find their way here by
roundabout route, via Kansas City. lnqui'
ri,s nt the telegraph office also revealed the
fact that the storm was not confined To the
eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains. The
wires west Of Ogden were sent to the ground
by a heavy wind storm and great difficulty
was experienced in securing communication
with Dcming, New Mexico, indicating that
the southern section Of the Rocky Mountain
region had not beon free from disturbance
of the elements.
Sergeant Neal gives some very interesting
points with regard to this storm. ], Ind its
origin somewhere in the Northwest and trav
.lcd southeast until II reached centcrirg
point in Colorado. Here il played sad havoc
with the railroads, telegraph lines and all
other property that could be affected by bad
weather and high winds. Leaving Colorado
the Storm headed in northcnstcrly direction,
and has since been making bce-linc for the
great lakes. Where 1t will end no one can
tell The impetus II now has will carry It n
long ,lis,ancc---fnr beyond the boundaries of
this continent. SO fnr II has Travelled over
Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota,
besides touching upon the territory of some
of the adjoining States. 1t will make work
for the weather observers of the Government