The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-01-21
A DEATH DEALING BLIZZARD.
200 Lives Lost-Many Reported as
Missing.
Details of the Terrible Storm I'm the
observation-disclosures and Children Frog
en- TO Death Pathetic Incidents.

air was clear as crystal, and every object
about the horizon was distinctly visible. The
wind was from the south, warm and balmy,
and before the sun was high in the sky de-
cided thaw had set in. Farmers took advan-
tage of the beautiful weather to go to town, TO
draw wood, hay, &c. About noon cloud
was seen along the northwestern horizon,
lying close to the ground, but stretching from
the west to the north IN dark semicircle.
Little attention was paid to it, but in an hour
the cloud had swept over the country, the
sun was obscured, the snow was falling fast,
and gale was sweeping from the Northwest
with terrible fury-the blizzard had begun.
The mercury fell rapidly and by O'Clock 1t
was Is degrees below zero, and the next
morning it registered 80 degrees below. All
the while the wind increased in fury. the snow
fell thicker, and the large amount of snow
that was already on the ground was blown
into powder and hurled along by the wind.
On the prairie an object forty feet distant
could not be seen. A mans voice could not
be heard six feet distant. The air was full of
snow as fine as flour, and the roaring of the
wind and the darkness caused by SO much
snow in the air made the scene the most dis
NAL, drear and forsaken that man ever looked
upon. Every railroad in Dakota, Minnesota.
and many Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin
railroads were blocked. Telegraph wires
everywhere were down, and it was not until
Saturday that the full extent and awful results
of the storm became apparent. The tele-
graph hourly brings the most pitiful stories OF
suffering, terrible struggles for life and heroic
deeds by the brave men and women Of the
storm stricken sections that have never been
equaled.
Mary Connell, little school teacher, near
Cavour, started home with two of her pupils,
n bow and girl. The boy left them and per-
ished. Miss Council put her dress folds about
the little girl and made her walk all night.
sheltering her charge with her body. They
were found the next morning alive, but ter
ribly frozen. Another teacher, Miss Jacob
son, near Steloff, started home with little
girl, and both persisted. When found Miss
jacobson was crouched in little hollow in
the ground with her arms about the little girl,
and her dress skirt was wrapped about her.
Her own bonnet was off her head and her
hand elutchcd her dress at her throat, but
there was smile on her face. Two children,
boy and a girl, of Joseph Hutchison, near
Garrick, were lost going home from school
Twenty-Five men at once started on the search
for them and the mother could not be kept
from going along. The poor woman was
with the party who found them. They were
lying close together, and the boy had his Sis
ter's hands between his own.
Thursday forenoon. Just before the blizzard
struck this point, party of seven farmers,
about % miles northeast of here, started for
their homes, having been here with wheat.
The report comes that the bodies of four Of
them have been found dead. Searching par
ties are out looking for the others. Mrs.
Knutson, of Rushmore, was found frozen to
death within forty feet of her door. Her hus-
band was absent, and becoming uneasy, she
started in search of him, losing her life in
the act.
These are but few of the many terrible
stories which have come in. \ number of
the dead had the appearance OF having died
from suffocation. Some had torn their clothing
away from their threats and others had thrown
away their head covering and were clutching
at their throats as though struggling for breath
During a genuine blizzard the air is filled
with fine ice dust, driven with terrific force,
which chokes the unfortunate victim in a
short time if he attempts to stand against 1t.
Specials to the Pioneer Press received last
night report the following deaths by freezing
in addition to the list of 63 published yester
day morning: Near Mitchell, Dakota, young
man named Munger, Mrs. Phillips aud son,
of Alpena, Jerauld county, OAK; an unknown
man near Aberdeen, Oak. Widemere, near
Wahpeton, Oak. a school teacher and two of
her pupils; near Fulda, Minn., the l8year- old
son of John Walsh; near Tracy, Mimi, Tom
Anderson, farmer, is missing; near Albert
Lea, Mimi, Ole A. Egge, brother of Prof.
Egge, of Mortified College.
Saturday night and yesterday were exceed
ingly cold all over the Northwest At Brain
erd the thermometer registered So degrees be-
low zero at 5 clock yesterday morning; at
Bird Island, Mimi, SO below. At Faribault.
Mimi, Saturday night it was Al below, at
n,,I 81 4 h.,
Mimi, 30 below yesterday morning.
The opening of all the blockaded roads
throughout the Northwest was begun in ear
nest yesterday, and good progress was made
despite the cold.
Scattering reports of loss of life in the
great storm last week continue 10 arrive hour
~. In addition TO the list of 40 dead pub
| llshed this evening, the following reports have
been received tonight: Tyndall, Oak, says
six persons are known to have persisted near
there. Appleton, MIMI, reports that Ole
| Wig was frozen stiff in his sleigh as his team
turned up at his house in Cerro Gordo. Mrs.
Joseph kef North Of Yanton, Oak, started
short distance to get a child home from the
school house, and got bewildered and froze
near her home. The dead body of man was
found at Utica, seven miles north Of Yankton
A man named Bruce deserted his team and
wandered some 20 miles. When found and
brought to 4ankton he was badly frozen. j..
! Robinson, Of Gankton, and A. j. Winters of
| Lacrosse, sewing machine men, who left
1ankton Thursday morning by team, were
| found dead between the village of Tyndall
and Springfield.
A Pierre (Dak.l special says "The first
! train fer one week will reach Pierre tonight
1t is last Tuesday train The road east of
Huron is still bIockaded and 10 through trains
are expected for week. Cattle on the ranges
must have suffered terribly
AT Miller, Oak, today, the body of Alex.
| Thompson, who left Huron on Thursday morn,
ing, was found. The body of Mr. Holtz, a
farmer who lived northwest of Miller. had
been found. He started for his sick wife end
was overtaken by the storm. A lady who
went to attend his wife was also badly frozen.
Mr. Horton, who lives north of Miller, has
not been seen since the storm.
AT Huron, Oak, the wind has been south
all day and is increasing tonight, causing ap-
prehensions ofanother blockade. The North
ern Pacific mas raised the blockade west of
Mandan, and now has its entire main line
clear.
| MINNEAPOLIS, Ian. iG.-The Journal spec
ial says: shear Aberdeen, Dakota, Bessie
Stansfield, a pretty 19year-od teacher, left
| school during the storm to go to a farmer s
house thirty yards distant. Her dead body
was found nearly mile from the school house
Four children froze to death in school house
at Melette. The teacher left them to get as
sistance, and her body has not yet been found
Miss Steubierner, another teacher, twelve
miles northeast of Aberdeen was out all
night in the blizzard. When found she was
barely alive and died shortly aiterward VIM.
Morrill,, 50-year old farm laborer. six miles
west, went out of the house Thursday even
ing to go few rods to the barn. Hebecame
confused and was found dead two miles away.
II. S. Chaplin, of Minneapolis, collector for
thrashing machine firm, left Worthwhile, near
Aberdeen, Thursday morning with u livery
man to visit farmers near by. They have not
been heard from, and are probably dead. o.
I. Owens and wife, of Wentworth, Dakota,
were lost on the prairie Friday night They
were ont eighteen and a-half hours, and when
found Mrs. Owens was dead, and he, though
badly frozen, will SURVIVE A Mandan
tDakota) special says: "a mail driver was
frozen between New Salem and Stanton.
The three days blockade on the Northern
Pacific was raised this morning. The Jour
nails revised list of blizzard fatalities shows
81 dead in Dakota, IL in Minnesota, 6 in
Iowa, IL in Nebraska and in Montana-to.
| tai 1876, besides So reported missing.
i