The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1888-01-20
TaAr TERRIBLE sro1aRz.

THAT ,TERRIESE-E S'FGE1 [sAe
ONE OF THE WORST sTORass
EVER KNOWN SWEEPS
THE WEST.
s,.zne Fatal Results, Dire Miahaps,
.gnrrew Escapes and Strange ESx-
per.cn.es.
Words cannot picture MOI the pen de-
scribe the terrible storm that visited this
section and spread over large area of
tue northwest for the "a hours succeed
ing Thursday morning of last week
The morning of the storm dawned mild
and pleasant-delightfully SO after the
few proceeding days of disagreeablc
weathcr--with the mercury 80 degrees
below zero. But the serenity of the
morning was of short duration. The
wind shifted around to tie northwest
and the mercury tell 10 degrees in as
many minutes. The wind increased to a
gale and by 1890 the storm was upon us
without sign of warning-save dis
patch from Chamberlain, 20 miles west.
that the mercury had suddenly fallen 0
degrees. Ii was impossible to tcll--as it
is as difficult to tell now-whether much
snow fell or not. but what the heavens
lacked III the watery crystals the vast,
open pralries readily supplied and the
storm king lacked nothing to make his
presence felt. One who has never seen
such a storm in a prairie county can
have but the tnintest conception of its
severity. The air was lenscly filled
with the finest particles Of snow. driven
with relentless fnry, at Times it seemed
fsom all part; OF the compass at once.
and again with the speed of a hurricane
direct from the northwest. 4 portion of
the time separate cyclone seemed to be
operating upon every square rod OF
ground, each trying to outdo the other.
At noon the mercury stood II degrees
above, but so great was the volume of
flying snow that neither man nor beast
could face it. So fur as outdoor loco
motion was concerned progress could
much easier be made in the darkest
night. TWAS impossible to see ten feet
in amy direction unless in the shelter OF
II building. AT no time during the day
could the buildings on Main street be
seen by a pedestrian in the center of the
street. Business men in going to and
fro from their homes grouped their way
with the greatest difficulty by fain,
,.slilaps,ss- mt the roadway or sidewalk.
and even then, in some cases, became
hewi,dtrcd and lost for time With
the effects of the storm so severely felt
within the ceater OF town, where the
force of the wlnd was broken more Oh
less by rows of buildings, think what il
must have been on the epen prairies
During the greater part of the day tht
snow was wet and the piercing vino
frozc it as it fell The mercury gradual
ly dropped until at 6 p. ID. it was 10 de
grecs below with tl.e storm still raging
In the early morning it was past ant
gone, and iowa and the ates further
east were getting Il taste of what Daltoti
can do when she humps herself, whil
the inhabitants hereabouts were lookin!
up the effects of the storm kings visi
and the old st observation-disclosures w
should say-were girding up their loin
| to he interviewed
No serious effects o the storm wer
experienced in Kimball save in the cas-
| of Wn. Morris and few minor mis-
haps. Perhaps no better idea of tn
storm can be conveyed to the rcade
than an account of the strange expel
ience of the above named gentleman
/ Mr.. Morris started from the artesie
well for his home just as the storm be
gan--about 1920 u. IN. He lives on
mile cast of town and perhaps quartz
of mile from the railroad track on th
north. He had team of mules and tw
barrels of water on stone-boat. Whe
he neared the railroad crossing Oh til
e
that he empticd the water from the ba
rels and mounting the stonc-boat has
ened the team toward home with a
speed. Crossing the track he lost IL
road, and the team becoming unma
agcable, he unhitched them and sougl
10 lead them. In leading them arou,
vainly trying to find his way he got c
to the railroad and shortly after one
the mules got into a culvcrt. The ar
. NAL stubbornly refused TO rise and
was compelled to abandon her. Maxi,
another attempt to find the right direo
ion Mr. Morris again became complete
bcwildered and releasing he rcma;nil
mule sought to save himself. Aft
much floundering around in the sno
and repeated falls he accidentally d
covered tll;lt he was again on the ra
road track by a glimpse of the telcyra]
wire. Following the track by all {
casional sight Of the wire he finally r
up against the coal house of the Kinh
NLiilS. ~ WIS SOfiic llLilG even lNcU
fore he knew Ills whereabouts. Cont
uing on his way he next ran against
dead engine" standing OH the sidestra
by the mill, which nearly frightened b
out cf his wits. thinking that the cngi
had ran into asm and his Inst hour Ii
comc. From there he easily made
way to safe quarters, reaching his fat
er's place of business about 1 o'clot
II will thas he seen that he wander
around completely lost for about tl,i
hours within rifle shot of the Kinh
poslofiice and u large part of the III
t within few hundred yard of his o.
house. Aside from being well lexhaust
!, /, by his arduous tramp Mr.. Morris s.
/ fered no bad effects, Both mules W,
! found The next morning near where til
: were left, uninjured from the nigh
!. exposure.
4 decidedly worse experience was II