Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-01-13
AN OLD TIMER.
An Afternoon and Night of
Furious Blizz ard Ex-
perience.
Everything Buried in Saow---RsiI-
roads Completely Coyered--
Farms and Cities Sub
merged.
Experiences of People Here
abouts Who were Caught
Out in the Furious, Blind
Ing Storm.

abonts Who were Caught
Out in the Furious, Blind
Ing Storm.
The fierce blizzard which SO suddenly
eucompassed us with the opening of
yesterday afternoon has run its curse
and nature to-day attempts 9 frigld
smile oveE the debris hurled upon us by
the breath of the blast. The landscape,
whitened by the touch OF the finger of
she storm king, bears rugged pillows OF
the leecy sea which swept in upon rs,
and buildings arc hecked with huge
hsndfuils flung upon their perpendicular
walls when the fnries took possession of
earth and air and space and Joined in a
snow ball carnival.
The blizzerd beRsn Ii the good old
way-a southeast wind, q shower of rain
turning to mist, an about face of wind,
a raging northwest blast, air full of
houry frozen psrticles-and then the
business Of the blizzard was fairly in
Rugurated. This all happened inside Of
an hour and by half past one O'Clock a
fifty mile gale wal tearing over the
prairies and the atmosphere was charged
with snow so fms that ii was felt
rather than seen. Through the after
noon and through most OF the night the
storm continued and humanity could
only take to shelter and await the
end.
AS early as two o'clock yesterday after
noon those people in Yankton who we're
away from their homes began to scrspe
holes through the ice on the windows,
take q look outside and bolt FOR home.
The schools were dismissed at about
the same time and there was o hurting
hltber and thither of anxious papas and
big brothers after the children, As
night settled down everybody was at
home in the city and places OF business
were not lighted up. All night long the
wind howled and moaned and many
were the breads and fears for what the
morning might bring forth. Sometime
before sunrise the wind subsidized almost
as suddenly as it arose and a peep into
the streets revealed snow banks almost
fence high while away off in the. south
ssst=s bsns .: DARK clouds waved ar
adieu to the city re which they had
hung all night long. Az soon as possi-
BILE the house thermometer was consult.
ed and the mercury found to be at
swenty.six degrees below zero. The
storm was voted q complete success and
the results are somewhat astonishing.
The reporter this morning found two
men who had spent the night on the
open prairie and others who accounted
for their continued presence on earth as
miracles.
Yesterday morning after breakfast,
Tom Flynn, who is in the employ of
Peter Stefsa, left this city with o sleigh
load of passengers for q farm about
seven miles west. He succeeded in
reaching his destination ami had accom-
piished $50 miles on the return when
the storm in ell its fury burst upon
him and in ten minutes he was lost on
the prairie. For hours he drove his
almost exhausted horses over the track.
less waste and many times he knew tina,
they were still with him only by th,
tagging OF the setns. He finally un-
hitched them and after another hour o.
wandering found @ small corn crib. TIL,
door of this structure was torn down anG
man and horses entered. There Ithey
spent the night without food or water
and when the trio reached Yankton thif
morning they were almsst tagged out.
Another man, Alfred Stewart BY
name, who works for James Grove, iaf,
Yankton yesterday morning for a drivt
ten mlles north after hay. The storm
overlook him about seven miles out
and he was DON 30 completely be-
wlldered that travelling was impossible
and he spent the night on the oper
prairie. This morning at II O'Clock mar
and team reached Yankton right side up
with care.
John Cravens and another man lef
the insane hospital at one O'Clock yester
day with a team and sleigh, coming t.
town and When about half way
in were overtaken by tn,
storm. They lost tho road ant
were compelled to finally leave the team
and sleigh and make the rest of %journe.
q foot. They wandered around two hour
and . half without discovering a ~solitar.
land mark, and were only prevente,
from going farther by q collision with
telephone pole near the Milwaukee de
pot. They finally reached shelter almus
exhausted.
a farmer living near GAINESVILLE lei
this city for his homo yesterday after
noon and had proceeded only as for q
the insane asylum when he was CON
PEELED to return. He turned around ALI
was soon stuck fast with his horses in
snow drift. He extricated his horses an
proceeded farther, bringing mp befor
long in the cemetery. He left that III
wholesome location and was next mike
mp in q bafbed wire fence. An hour {
work got him out Of that, and he VIZ
next found, nearly frozsn.near the Jenci
: farm. east of thia cjfv. vhera ha ~