The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-03-20
THEAWFULBLIZzARD
AN uNMERclFUL MORSE GOD THAT
RULES THE PLAINS.
No Person Can Understand What Terrible
Things They Arc Until 'c Has Seen
one-with All Mans Care, They Are
stii Ills Unconuucrcd Enemies.


stui Ills Unconuucred Enemies.
Tho blizzard, ua tlu tiuiu mans yel-
nacuar designates the prairie snow
storm. Us utterly inc0uWohonsibl9 90
one who has not experienced &c Gen
Grated In tho great storm breeding re.
gions Of barren British America and
swcpt on arctic blasts along tho vast
level reaches that stretch eastward from
the Rocky mountains, with no forest 60
break it's force, it becomes a demon "
the air second only to the cyclone or
tornado i'm destructiveness. The moisture
Is ground as between millstones, hurl-
ed with bulletliko energy over hundreds
of miles of level plain, and finally,
transformed into yeasty sleet by tho sof-
tening effects of lower latitudes, falls in
bleal, showers on the ranges of Texas
and No Mans Land.
Lack OF cheap building material and
tho brevity of the winter season on tho
prairics contribute to make the settlers
cabin poor refuge. When tho blizzard
comes, every resource of fuel is hus
banded, and it Is faced with grim de-
tcfnllnntlOn 10 SEQ IL through.
But not all are prepared even so we'll
as the settler Occasionally belated
emigrant, ell route either to chosen
claim on the frontier or toward tho
pleasantly remembered east, where he
hopes to find old friends and helpers, is
caught by the blast He may have
tiny stove inside the canvas topped prai.
rie schooner, but its heat can do little
against the power of tho storm Shell
tered by the low bluff of some ravine or
water course he may weather the drag
ging hours Of suffering, but tho chances
are that team and driver will be found
aghastly monument to the storm kings
strength.
The farmer who has hurried 10 or 10
miles to the nearest village to secure
supplies for tho impending visitation
is often overtaken before reaching his
waiting family and perishes on the road,
for no matter how we'll he knows the
path when the blizzard RACES his way
is as that of tho mariner without COM
pass.
At the prairie schoolhouses where
the settlers children are gathered from
territory covering many miles in ov-
cry direction, the blizzard brings terror
to tho pupils rs well as to their parents
Rescue is impossible until the lull
comes, and awful possibilities lurll in
the bosom Of tho storm. A Dakota
schoolmistress failed to dismiss her
scholars in time for them to reach
home and found herself and them pris-
oners from blizzard's approach. A
night and day at least We're before
her, during which her little charges
must be protected. Deliberately sho
apportioned the food remaining in the
dinner pals, divided tho larger boys
into squads to keep the fire burning
steadily, and when darkness came put
the younger pupils to sleep on tho bench
es. Then through the bitter night she
sang, deolaimed, told stories, invented
games and kept the frightened children
amused and cheered rs best she could.
The following day passed much the
same, but still no abatement of the
storm nor any rescue The second night
was dreary indeed. The children cried
themselves to sleep, hungry and cold.
With her own hands the teacher broke
up desks and blackboard to feed the vo.
racious stove. With morning came q
shout at tho door as the settlers shovel
ed away the snow, and then the plucky
girl to whom tho children owed their
lives showed her womanliness - and
tainted.
The loss among stock on the plains by
each blizzard is appalling. There is less
exposure Of herds and flocks now than
in earlier times yet every season causes
the destruction Of thousands Of head Of
cattle and sheep on tho ranges and in
the unshelterd corrals. Several years
ago, during the height of tho Texas cat
tie trade, blizzard in western Kansas
early in December destroyed moro than
half of 800, 900 cattle that were being
herded ON the open prairie, At one rail-
way station, after the storm, 30, 900
hides were shipped, at another 90, 00O
Ono ranchman found but 225 head alive
out Of $500 that had been grazing be-
fore the catastrophe. Several hundred
ponies and score of herders also per-
ished.
The blizzard is permanent feature
OF the prairie winter. Nothing but do
cided climatic revolution can secure to
the great transmississippi religion i'm
munity from its death bearing presence
Better preparations are yearly being
made to Withstand its fury and to pro-
tect more generously the dumb animals
who suffer equally with their masters
The signal service is rendering aid in