The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1888-01-27
From last sceeh's edition.
THAT TERRIBLE STORM.

THAT TERRIBLE STORM.
ONE OF THE WORST STORMS
EVER kNeWN SWEETS
THE WEST
some Fatal Results. Dire MiAhaps
NARROW Escapes and Strange Ex.
periences.
Words cannot picture nor the pen de.
scribe the terrible storm that visited this
section and spread over a large area OF
the northwest for the 24shours. succeed
ing Thursday morning of last week.
The morning of the storm dawncd mid
and pleasant-delightfully so after the
few preceding days of disagreeablc
wcather-with the mercury 30 degrees
above zero. But the serenity of the
morning was of short duration. The
wind shifted around to the northwest
and the mercury tell 10 degrees in as
many minutes. The wind increased to /,
gale and by 1890 the storm was upon us
without a sign of w~arning--save q dis
patch from Chamberlain, 90 miles west,
that the mercmry had suddenly fallen 9
degrees. 1t WAS impossible to tell-as it
is as dithcnlt to tell now-whethcr much
snow fell or not, bnt what the heavens
lacked IN the watcry crystals the vast,
open praIrics readily supplied and the
storm king lacked nothing to make his
presence felt. One who has never seen
such II storm in II prairie country can
have but the ~taintest conception of its
severity. The air was dcnscly filled
with the ii nest particles Of snow. driven
with relentless fury. at times it seemed
from all parts of the compass al once.
and again with the speed of 4 hurricane
direct from The northwest. A portion of
the time n separate cyclone seemed to be
operating upon evci.r square rod of
ground. each trying 10 outdo The other,
At noon the mercury stood II degrees
flying snow that neither man nor beast
could face it. SO far as outdoor loco
motion was concerned progress could
much easier be made in the darkest
night. 1t was impossible to see ten feet
in any direction unless in the shelter of
. building. AT no time during the day.
could the buildings ON Main street be
seen by II 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 faint
glimpses at the roadway or sidewalk,
and, even then. in some cases. became
bewildcrcd and lost for n time. With
the effects of the storm so severely felt
within the center OF Il town, where the
force of the wind was broken more or
less by rows of buildings. think what it
must have been on the open prairies.
during he greater part of tie day the
snow was wet and the piercing wind
froze it as it fell. The mercury gradual
ly dropped until at 6 p. IN. it was 10 de-
grecs below with Tie storm still raging.
ln the carly morning it was past and
gone. and Iowa and the $ ates further
east We're getting a taste of what Dakota
can do when she humps herself, while
the inhabitants hcreabouts were looking
up the effects of the storm kings visit
and the old st Observation-Disclosures we
should sny-were girding up their loins
to be interviewed.
No serious effects o. the storm were
experienced in Kimball save in the case
of VIM. Morris and a few minor mis-.
haps. Perhaps no better idea OF the
storm a be conveyed to the reader
than an account OF the strange eXppr-
fence of the above named gentleman.
MIR. Morris started from the ariesian
well for his home just ms the storm be
gnn--abont 1920 u. III He lives one
mile east of town and perhaps n quarter
of IL mile from the railroad track on the
north. He had Il team of mules and two
barrels of water or IL stone.hoat. When
he nearcd the railroad crossing on the
edge of town the storm was so severe
that he cmptied the water from the bar,
rets and mounting the stone boat hast
ened the cam toward home with MI
speed. Crossing the track he lost the
road. and the team becoming unman.
ageable. he unhitched them and sOughi
10 lead them. In leading them around
Nainly trying To find his way he got on
to the railroad and shortly after one ot
the mules got into Il culvcrt. The ami.
nal s%tubhornly refused to rlsc ana he
was compelled to abandon her. Making
another attempt to find the right direct
ion MIR. Morris again became completely
bewildered and releasing the remaining
mnle sought to save himself. After
much laundering around in the SNOW
and repeated falls he accidentally dis
covered that he was again on the rail
road track by n glimpse of the telegraph
Wire. Following the track by an DC
%casional sight Of the wire he finally RAJ
up against the coal house of the Kimbal
Mills, 1t was some time even then he
fore he knew his whereabouts. Contin
ting on his way he mex ran against
dead engine" standing on the side.lracl
' by the mill. which nearly frightened hin
Out of his wits, thinking that the cngin,
had ran into nan and his last hour ha,
come. From there lie easily made hi
: way to safe quarters. reaching his faith
eT,s place of business about | O'Clock
: 1t will thus be seen that he wandere,
; around completely lost for about tire
hours within rifle shot of the Kimbal
y p%ostofice aud a large part of the i'm
within a few hundred yard of his owr
liausc. Aside from being well exhaustc,
By his arduous tramp Mr.. Morris sif
fcrcd no bad effects. Both mules wer
found the next morning near where the
were fl, uninjured from the night
exposure
A decidedly worse experience was ,ia
u OF the Waterbury stage driver, He LEI