The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-13
THE VIM 9HE BLOW.
Missouia Nesting In the Arms of
Lusty Blizz ,rd.

Missouia Nesting In the Arms of n
Lusty Blizz ,rd.
MIssoULA, March 12.-Whether it was
produced by the eclipse of the moon Sum
day night or whether il was because the
board of trade was not more liberal in re-
spending to Manager Hermann's invita-
ton TO visit the oatmeal mill yesterday is
not known, but the fact is an indIsputable
one that the wind blew some in these
parts last night and this morning. 1t not
only blew but it howled and tore and
roared and whistled and rocked houses
and ratified windows and raised a storm
of dust and gravel. at didn't do a
thing" TO the unfortunates who were
obliged to be out of doors during the even
ing and those who were able TO remain i'm
doors were frighi o red All some of them
had serious thoughts of moving into their
collars for safety.
How it did blowl IL started up tho cam
yon somewhere in the neighborhood of
tho mouth of Bear and cavorted down the
canyon at the rate of 80 miles an hour I'M
til it passed the Bandmann ranch, with
out stopping to pay toll ut tho gatekeep-
er's lodge. Then it squared itself for a
final rush down the stretch and swept out
INTO tho valley at a registered velocity of
16j miles an hour. Ii played "Hall Co.
lumbIa" i'm the trusses of the big bridge
and whistled Sol Save the Queen"
around the FIRST National bank corner. Ii
upset bill boards and tore off one of the
storm doors of the Western Union Tce-
graph company's Office. In the ruins of
tho old Mascot thea er 1T fairly reveled as
il shrleked among tho charred timbers
and ratified the old sheets of iron roofing
that lie in the debris. 1t seemed as If the
e MI Il
and the rest OF them were holding high
carnival and many passerby stopped
moment and listened and then looked
around to see if anybody saw him.
The hack drivers had hard night of it
and Tommy Cannon had to strap himself
TO his box to avoid being blown off. Blow?
Well. some. 1t was such q blow as will
be a valuable addition to the records of
the oldest inhabitant and those poor. mis-
cradle wretches who had to ross the river
between 10 o'c.ock and midnight will not
forget 1t for years.
About midnight a little fine snow was
added as n reminder that the storm might
be worse. This frozen, freezing, blight
ing pulverized frIgidity sifted in every
where. 1t seemed as If il blew straight
through the glass of the windows. Any
way, IL found an entrance into the most
secure rooms and inquired of the occu-
pants if they enjoyed spring weather.
The bartenders who have been making
claret punches and mint juleps for a week,
switched and began the connection of hot
Scotches and Tom and Jerrys. They
couldn't make them fast enough. 1t was
as if a leaf of the December almanac had
been slipped into the vernal calendar.
The local independent weather bureau
predicted this storm as early as Saturday
night and n danger signal was hois ed
upon tho pole in front of the Higgins
bank, hut the signal was one that could
not be found in the regular code. and SO
n . one could interpret it. 1t meant, how
ever, so the holsters say, that this wind
was coming. When that signal is hoisted
again everybody will know what il means.
Manager Tom Mcleod desires the
STANDARD to state that the water COM
pany Is in no way responsible for this
storm.