The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1893-02-03

THE DL[ZEAIei,.

| The PIONEER may be accused Of helping to
; lose Tor North Dakota the high sounding name
! as the banana belt Of the Northwest" bnt,
nevertheless it feels called upon to state right
here and in plain terms that blizzard OF hugh
aud mighty proportions swooped down npon us
last Tuesday. The air had become quite
| balMy, for this winter, just before the storm
broke upon us-not over 20 degrees below zero.
with the balmy breeze blowing from the south.
| east, when AL at once and without warning
Old Bartas wheeled to the northwest aud spit
ting uroa his hands set to work in dead earn
est. Preparations had been made at intervals
thonshout the winter for this grand blowout,
by about three inches OF ''tile beautilur'
falling every other day, when it failed to come
every day, so all the. preparation which was
necessary upon tho part Of Old Boreas was to
draw in good breath OF the untracabo which
''bloweth Where it listcth" ard to cult the
same like Wind. broken horse upon lis field
OF labor. This he did with zsst and zsal
worthy Of 4 better Cause. LII five minutes
after operations had begun, which was about
IL o'clock. a. m., buildings situated within
81 feet OF startled denizens could not be seen,
and those who were so unfortunate as TO be
compelled to be out upon tho street lad
.fticu't work in gaining refuge. The storm
continued to increase in violence, and at ab
out O'Clock p. H., it was almost an utter
impossibility fo1 one to find their way even
across tho street.
Messrs. G. j. Paul and +. N. Gilmore started
across Th:rl street at an angle for the PIONEER
Office, and when they again were enabled to
get their beaiing and had recovered in
degree their breath AMI eyesisLt, found them-
selves in front Of the Arcade building, in an
exactly opposite direction from The haven for
which they started. They at length succeeded
in gainin! Tho desired refuge. After regain
ing their breath they departed. and after many
Inishaps succeeded in reaching their respective
Offices.
The shcrbrooke stage was caught in the
storm before reaching Hore, but finally
succeeded in gaining port with the horses
utterly jailed aud the driver almost fr zen.
They did not return to Sherbrocke until tho
next day.
Jim Meadtr departed upon tho morning OF
the storm for Minnie Lake, a distance of about
Is miles, with the mail, AMI was caught by the
blizzard. Tho people Of Town were very Ill.,
easy regarding his safety, and when night
came OIL and the next morning passed away
without his putting in an appearance, excite
mont was high, and he was given up as lost
ana pcrished. His brothers started out III
search 0! him upon The evening Of tho day
after the storm, but having with greatdlilicuity
and danger got as far as Watson b se's place,
about miles, had to- give up the attempt at
going further, their hurses becoming exh: h:ust-
ed. They were over four hours in making the
eight miles. Jim turned up all safe and sound,
with the exception Of a slightly frozen foot,
Oh Thursday. He says that if tne storm had
| been ten minutes slower in reaching him that
he would in all probability have beea
"goner." as he had just passed the last house
he would encounter in many miles, and was
just about to enter lnto very large field OF
Lreaking. When tho storm struck him lie did
not try 10 % further, but wheeled his horses
aud went back TO the house he had just passed,
where he put up for the night. He went on
to Miunie Lake the next day and part way
back and again stopped over night with a
resident along the read, reaching home on
Thursday. His. indeed, was lucky escape.
The storm has blocked the mail facilities
entirely since last Tuesday, and ths only CON-
municati0n we have hat siIca that time is hy
telegraph. Tho mail carrier started for Clif-
ford this (Satur1ay) morning, but whether he
will be enabled to make the trip is question.
The roads arc IN terrible condition from drifts
and it will be some time before traffic can be
resumed as formerly.
| We have heard Ct no serious casualties from
| the storm, with the exception Of the two men
seriously frozen near Page, but we suppose
that later the reports Will reach US of great
loss Of human life, as well as an enormous
loss OF stock.