Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-01-26
THE GREAT BLIZZARD.
RaiIroading In the Northwest Sus'
pended and the Storm the Worst
Ever Seen.
a Wind Blowing With Great Velocity
Made Worse BY a Low Tenn
perature.

Full reports from all points affected by
the blizzard which began on the 18th, show
it &c, be the worst storm ever witnessed in
the Northwest. Railroads are 6lockaded
in every direction, and many reports Of
people losing their lives come from vari.
Gus parts OF Minnesota and Dakota. st.
Paul papers Of the 14th show the effect on
railroads:
Railroading was practically at q stand.
still In the Northwe st yesterday. None oil
the railroad officers could recall q day
when there was so complete a blockade,
and certainly there has been none for years.
The day previous some rains we're run,
but yesterday practically none, in TACT
very little attempt was made
to run trains except between st.
Paul and Chicago, as the wind
ing hard, filling up the cuts nearly as fast
as cleaned out, and the temperature was
81 low hat neither men nor engines could
work to advantage. On the whole Mani
toba system no trains were run except
between st. Paul and Minneapolis and
between Baruesyille and Neche. the latter
being a piece OF track on the level prairie
that is scarcely ever troubled by the
snow, Trains out OF st. Paul were all
abandoned except on the short line.
The Northern Pacific was not much
better off in Minnesota and Dakota. The
train out OF st. Paul at 4 p. m. Thurs
day. Jan. IL. got only as far as Clear
Lake, where it met another stuck in the
snow In attempting to get on n side track,
thus Hooking the way. Beyond Clear Lake
were three other trains this side OF Brain.
erd, all bound for st. Paul. and blocked
by the one at Clear Lake. Assistant Gen.
erai Manager Ainsiie was at Fargo yester-
day morning, and went from there to
Wheaton by train. A telegram from Supt.
Green, OF the Missouri division, said the
wind at Mandau had not abated. hat the
drifts were as hard as ice and the tempera-
ture so low that he got men to work with
difficulty. The 4 O'Clock train out OF st.
Pau on Wednesday was hung up at Cas-
%selton, Oak. while the one leaving on the
10th Tuesday,, was getting along
only nine hours late. At Glendive were
four trains, all bound east. and two were
consolidated; one a sent back west in
lieu OF those delayed in Dakota. The st.
Paul &Duluth got no trains through during
the day, but the main line to Hinckley was
clear OF trains and the limited was sent out
last evening with hopes OF making the trip.
Atrain from the Northern division OF the
Omaha came in last evening a day late,
but no other attempt was made to run
trains there. Southern Minnesota ii 1T
SOtft Nv 49, w "hNo ~
have presented
A SORRY sight
for a railroad man. On the Milwaukee &
St. Paul. the Hastings & Dakota. South
ern Minnesota and Iowa & Minnesota divis-
ions were abandoned throughout the day,
not a wheel turning, with numerous trains
tied up here and there. The Western di-
visions Of tho Omaha and the Minneapolis
& st. Louis were in the same boat, or
rather saowdriit, and the Minnesota q
Northwestern found it impossible to get a
train through. On this road the blockade
is on this side OF Elma, : Iowa.
All trains from Chicago were hung up at
Dubuque, where passengers were quartered
In hotels at the railroad company's ex.
pense. THE train which left st. Paul
Thursday evening was stalled at Randolph
thirty miles out, while the one leaving
Chicago at the same time got as far as
West Concord. fifty miles from st. Paul.
Preparations were being made to begin
the work Of clearing the line early
this morning. All trains out for the
north, west and south we're, OF course,
abandoned. except those mentioned as
running. On the lines to Chicago every
effort was made to get the trains through.
There Is great rivalry among the different
companies and the business was iIapor
tant. Thu Omaha train due here in the
evening WIS staileu al Knapp, wis., All
day and was expected about midnight. The
Milwaukee & St.Paul got stuck somewhere,
and three trains, including the fast mail.
were still expected in a bunch during last
night. OF all the numerous trains that
daily run into the union depot, besides
suburban and interurban, and they are
numbered by the hundreds, but a solitary
one showed itself until after 10 o'clock
last evening. The Wisconsin Central train
from Chicago due in st. Paul at 9:15 yes.
terday morning pulled in four hours
late, having Ave engines, and this was
the only train Of the day at the un.
Ion depot except Shors Line
and suburban. OF the trains due to 60
out last evening only the Wisconsin Cen
tai and the Burlington vent out on time.
The Omaha left late. the others being
abandoned. Although travel was neces-
sarily light the rniondepot was crowded all
day with people who were anxious to get
out OF town. Railroad officials said that
as soon as the snow stopped blowing and
the severe cold moderated the tracks
would be quickly cleared, but nothing
could be hone to advantage as long as the
wind and cold con tinued.