Omaha daily bee., 1888-01-15
TWENTY THREE BELOW ZERO.
Omaha's Coolest Day Of the Winter
Season.
COAL FAMINE IMMINENT
The Startling Report Sent In tn the
County Commissioners Dorsey
Houck's Narrow Escape From
Death-Other Accidents.
Notes of the Storm.

Yesterday was without doubt the coldest
day of the winter season in Omaha, and the
demoralizlng effects of the weather were
evinced among the people and in every
branch of trade. The usual Saturday throngs
on the streets were missing, and the dry
goods emporiums, matinees and other places
attraction were deserted. AT o'clock in
the afternoon the thermometer registered 10
degrees below zero, Is below at 6, 20 below at
30, ana 90 below between IL o'clock and
midnight.
DORSEY HoUCK's PERIL.
Major Dorsey Houcb, the muscular deputy
sheriff. had an exciting experience yesterday
afternoon. Enveloped in a big storm over
coat and bundled up in the warm robes of
his cutter, he was driving his horse along the
road in the vicinity of Thirty-third and
Dodge streets, which has been left in dang
erous and impossible condition by the graders
who have been at work there of late. The
danger signals, if there be any, are buried
out of sight by the immense snow drifts, and
the first lntimation the MAJ or had yesterday
that he was riding on the edge Of a precipice
was when his horse and cutter
were dumped off about twenty feet
into u big drift of the fieecy. The
usually kind and gentle steed at once
expressed his displeasure at such treatment
by beating a tattoo on the cutter with his
hind feet, and the major relieved himself of
an oraton that was more expressive thon po-
lite. He got out of the wreck with extreme
promptncss, and while his horse continued to
enjoy himself by making kindlng wood of
the sleigh, warned one more belated traveller
just in time to avert another accident of the
kind. The horse was next Gained down, and
with his dilapidated outfit and his ears and
eyes full of snow, Dorsey came to town to
tell his friends of his narrow escape from
death and destruction.
HAD HIS FINGERS FROZEN.
While walking down street yesterday after
noon Henry Blath, of $40 North Twenty
fourth street had his fingers badly frozen
He was taken to DR.. Lees office where he
was put through the rather painful operation
of thawing out. Fortunately he will lose
none of his fingers.
HIS FINGERS DROPPED OFF.
Yesterday morning one of the drivers of An
heuscr-Busch Brewing company, John Fried
mann, missed the dummy for the Bluffs
and started with load of beer for that
place across the ice on the river. The team
was stalled in the snow drifts on the Iowa
side and in endeavoring to dig them out Fried
mann had his hands, face and nose frozen.
Another met him and turned him back to
Omaha. Two of his fingers dropped off, and
he will lose several more. Manager Walters
sent him to st. Joseph's hospital
HIS HORSE is FOUND.
H. b. Trey, who lost his horse while cross
ing to the Bluffs in the excursion of Thurs
day last with Charles White, received tele-
gram yesterday morning announcing that the
animal had been found in the willows two
miles below the city.
MONEY FOR TIE POOR
Yesterday afternoon delegation of young
gentlemen walked into the room in the county
building set apart for supplies for the
poor and informed County Agent Ma
honey that in the office where they
were employed $3.50 mad been raised in 50
cent subscriptions among the clerks to be
devoted to the poor. The young men were
particular not to have their identity made
known, and they expressed much anxiety as
to the condition of the woman and her babe
who had been found in tent by Mr.. Ma
honey, particulars of which were printed in
the BEE They were told about her and they
started for the tent, promising to give the
sufferers the largest share of their subscrip-
tions, and divide the balance among other
worthy poor people, the names of whom were
furnished them.
ANNOYED by HER HUSBAND.
Poor people who are brought in contact
with County Agent Mahoncy seem to mag
Nifty his authority, and not day passes that
he is not appealed to to take hand in some
curious passing events. Yesterday afternoon
an old Italian woman living at the corner of
Thirty fifth and LeavenWorth streets, who
has been receiving assistance for
herself and her three children from
the poor department. rushed up
to him and demanded that he
should come hsr up to the
turned to her after an absence of nearly t"o
years. His name is Thomas Bartholdi, and
the woman in broken English described him
as fat, lazy and cruel. She feared he would
kill her and her children, and as last resort
Mr. Mahoney appealed to the police to pr0toGG..
the family from the ravages ot ..,,I- brutal hus-
band and unnatr..as, father.
DEALING OUT RATIONs.
There was another Illustration Of the mis-
cry, suffering and want prevailing in the city
at the poor supply department in the county
building yesterday. Men, women and chill
dren came in large numbers and there was
the usual dealing out of coal, flour, tea, coffee
and beans.
A COAL FAMINE APPROACHING.
There was lull followed by momcntary
excitement in the proceedings of the
county commissioners yesterday after
noon, when commissioner Mount arose
and informed his associates that Mr.. Me
gath, of the firm of G.. B. Havens & Co.,
who have the contract for furnishing the poor
of the county with coal, had something to
say. Mr.. Megeath told the commissioners
that his company were without the kind OF
coal furnished by them to the county poor,
| and asked what he was to do under the cir
cumstances. He added that his firm had
| plenty of the kind on the road, but could not
| tell when it would reach Omaha. He also
| volunteered the startling information that if
| this weather continued for ten days longer
Iuc SltS Wouiu uo tohlpltltly VI solt codi,
which would necessarily work great hard
| ships among the rich as well as the poor In
| answer to questions Mr.. Megeath Informed
| the commissioners of the quality of coal he
| could substitute for that regularly contracted
| for, and after the adjournment of the board
| they started for the Havens & Co. yards tc
make "A personal inspection of the kind OF
| coal to be substituted.
AMONG THE RAILROADS.
The eastern trains were all late last night
| and in consequence the Union Pacific and B
| Il M. passenger trains all left Omaha from
| one to two hours behind time, the ''tyer' OF
| the Union Pacific being three hours behino
| the schedule. Two engines were required tt
l. handle the train and one of those selected haC
ITS pumps frozen in coming from the Bluff:
| and another had to be substituted. The spe
| cal car of Superntendents Dickinson anc
| Blickensderfer was attached to the flyer
| These two officials are going as far west as
| Laramie City on tour of inspection. Amons
! the passengers were "a party of eXcursionist
| from Boston who are enroute to San Degt
via San Francisco.
| a