The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-02-11
A GREAT SNOW STORM.
II BIOekades Railroad Travel in All Di-
reetiOns-AlmOst Unprecedented
In Its Severity.
Rain, Snow, Sleet and Intense Cold
in Widely Extended
Area.
TBE HEAVIEST STORM.

=
Kinds of Weather-An Excessively Cold
wave Moving Eastward.
CHICAGO, Feb. 9.-At noon the storm was
continuing with unabated force, and in
his city business of all kinds was nearly
suspended. The snow lies to q great depth
in the streets. The street cars drawn by
horses are moving only with gIeatdiffculty,
and in the freight yards, in the railway
stations, freight handlers and train en-
ployes are engaged in an attempt to clear
the tracks, passenger trains only attempting
to leave. At the signal station the news
was rather conflicting and confused.
This much was authoritative, however:
The snow storm has come from
the South. 1t arose in the Gulf Of Mexico
yesterday, and has been travelling q little
east of north since, the wind blowing with
a velocity Of twenty miles an hour. 1t
has gone far TO the northwest, the weather
being especially fierce in all the lower lake
region from here to Buffalo. II has taken
its fight to the st. Lawrence region IN a
1 orthessterly direction. This morning the
storm had not reached the northern end OF
Lake Michigan, neither will it reach as far
northwest as Duluth, but taking in Wis
eonsin. While showing here and all along
the lake region, the storm has produced
rain in the Ohio Valley. This being
so large a storm, said the signal officer, as TO
include all kinds of weather in its wake.
While showing fiercely in Buffalo, for IN
stance, il Is raining in Pittsburg but couple
hundred miles south. The rain extends as
far south as Northern Mississippi. Actual
measurement of the snowfall has not been
possible by reason of the excessive drifting,
but at least six inches fell between
the beginning of the storm last
night and o'3lock this morning
Although the temperature early this morn
ing was five degrees higher by the thermom-
eter than yesterday morning it is rapidly
growing colder in the northwest region;
especially in Manitoba and Dakota and
northern Minnesota the frigid wave is
spreading. At Fort Gary last night the
mercury had reached forty-one degrees be-
low zero. and st St. Vincent thirty eight be-
low. This excessively cold wave is moving
eastward and msy be upon Us tonight. In
this city at noon the mercury stood two de-
grees above.
AS thorough a blockade on the roads has
not been experienced here for years No
trains, passenger or freight, have gone out
to-day or tonight on the following roads:
Grand Trunk, Ksnkakee Line, Chicago and
Eastern Illinois, BrltimoYe and Ohio, Louis
vile, New Albany and Chicago Panhandle,
Michigan Central Chicago and Alton, Wa
bash and Iowa Division OF the Illinois Cen
tral. The roads have been hiring every Idle
msn who could be found during
the day 10 go out on the lines to shovel
snow. The Burlington, Alton and st. Baul
Roads sent out l, 600 men. Even under ia
vorable circumstance, the managers of the
roads cay, the can not expect to get
back to schedule time before two or
three days. and If the snow continues
Hi - Il
to the roads in business. and the cost of
clearing their tracks will be something
enormous. On some OF the roads which
have refused TO send ont passenger trains
special efforts are being made 10 bring in
stock trims, several engines being used. St.
Paul brought in stock train of forty. five
cars this aftern' on. The telegraph wires
working heavily in every direction.
At 1870 tonight the storm here has
ceased, and the stars are shining, although
the snow is still drifting badly. The mer-
curry indicates four degrees above zero. at
tonight The trains on the Norther
division of the Cincinnati. Wa
bash and Michigan road are
abandoned. The north bound passenger
train stuck in the drift at Granger, and an
engine sent to ts relief Jared likewise. An
other train is in the snow seven miles from
Benton Harbcr.
Advices from points in Northern illinois,
Eastern Iowa, Southern Wisconsin, an d
Western and Northern Michigan. at IL
O'Clock tonight. are to the effect that the
temperature is falling rapidly.
The west bound passenger train from Gin
ciDnati to Chicago. on the l., st. l.. and P.
Road, was showed in at st. Anne, Ill. All
trains on the Indiana, Illinois and Iowa
Road are abandoned. The highway about
KsRkakee is impossible by reason of the
snow.