San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-04-18
AN OLD TIME BLIZZARD.
REcoLLECTIONS OF A STORM OF
OVER FIFTY YEARS AGO.

The memory of but few of tn" DuneerS of
western Illinois and eastern Iowa .yul carry
them back with me to December ~. $50, the
date of the long time remember sudden
change, the most remarkable in mr,rorogical
annals that is recorded, and now oHly found
in few old files of the newspapers of that
dav and referred to in some of the histories
of that time.
For several days previous, up to the 18Th
it had been what we in Illinois and Iowa call
"snug winter weather" Snow had fallen to
the depth of three or four inches, the sleigh
ing was fairly good and the settlers were i'm
proving it by hauling tirewoOd, rails and
building material from the climber lots" to
their homes and to their newly improved
farms. On the 18th the weather moderated,
and in the early evening it ClOuded up and
during the night and early morning of the
both it raineI moderately, accompanied by
thunder and lightning.
The snow was melting from the influence
of the springlike weather and the rain, and
had become 'sluSh" snow, mud and water.
This continued to near II o'clock in the morn.
ing when off to the northwest was observed
a dark heavy cloud. As it rose toward the
zenith it spread west and north accompanied
by a low, believing noise, las the sound of
far off waters falling into deep abySSes.o As
the cloud spread it became inky black, the
thunder increased the lightning played
making "A grand pyrOtechuc display from
this artillery practice i'll the sky.
The commotion increased The air seemed
resonant with the tumult of the elements and
the believing sound as from the bowels Of
the earth increased 1t was everywhere
pcrvaded space. Could not tell whence it
came or whittier it went" \ duSky dark
n",l spread over the earth, the thunder and
lightning still continuing. Then the wind
broke loose and spready its icy presence over
the land-'the December thaw' was at an
end Winter claimed dominion, showed his
power by his GOODNESS, and claSped earth and
space in his embrace
The thunder and lightning ceased, as did
the believing sound, but the clear cut. pierre
ing wind came with freezing power from the
bleak stretches Of the northern prairies, and
in less time than | am writing this the water,
snow and soft earth were CONCEALED into ice,
50 that in minute it would bear the weight
of a man, and in ten or fifteen minutes a
horse could travel over it without breaking
through.
Great was the suffering among the people.
This change fromS balmy, sprlnglike atmOS-
phere to that of an arctic GOODNESS found
them unprepared. Many We're out on the
praries without OvercOatS. gloves or nit
tens, and were badly from before they
could reach their homes. Some We're frozen
t. DEATH. StOCk-nuraeS, cattle amt swine
We're frozen, anG the bird, and animals of
the prairics and forests were almost exter-
minated
1t was Il. severe on the settlers Of that day
as the dakota blIIard' of two years ago
Vas to the people of that territory. Before
closing this inadequate description of the
sudden change will describe the priva-
ton and suffering Of an eXPectant bride
groom, who was caught out in the war
ring elements, and as all is well that ends
WE'LL rs il proved in this, know your read
eIS will enjoy the relation.
Ny old friend Washington Crowder, one
of the early pioneers of SanSamon county,
had concluded the cDurtng Of Hiss Isabel
Lah. hlIu on the I3th, they agreeing to or
gaulZr a family He had asked consent Of
the parents OF tn" bride-cleCt, the wedding
L. take place on the 2l>r. tn,. intervening
uI} unlu- necessary t. - To Springfield and
get iue ne rs" that Wuu.t permit the minis
ter to tie the knot.
-. on the morning of the 2Oth. he took his
way across, the prairie from point on Sugar
creek, some ten miles south of Springfield.
He U,>tr1de a etalwart horse, as TIE roads
were deep with melting SNOW, ''sllIan,' and
IA, it wa, raining he carried a broad UNI
Olelia over MN ana wore a lohT tailed over
coat All bUttonri down before that almost
reached his feet. Thus comfortably equipped
he pursued hi, way taking it easy, As he did
not choose To. urge the horse through the
deep NIueh.
\, them ne illt over hall way he no.