People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-04-11
MIXED WITH SAND!
SEASONS WORST SNOW STORM
BLOCKS WESTERN LINES.
High Winds for two Days Drives and Hurls
Snow and Sand With Terrific Velocity
The Railroad Tracks Buried and Cute
Filled.

Kansas City, No, April S.-The rail-
roads have been battling with a new
enemy in western Kansas and eastern
Colorado since last Friday night. II
was combination of sand and snow
storm which swept over these regions
completely demoralizing train sched-
ules and causing serious inconveni-
ence and discomfort to travellers. The
flakes OF snow and particles Of sand
mingled and were driven across the
prairies at terrific speed by the gale
which blew necessarily for two days.
There was no loss of human life because
the storm was not accompanied by the
usual degree of cold, but many cattle
and horses in western Kansas are re-
ported to have been suffocated by the
whirlingk clouds of sand. The sand
and snow filled up the railroad cuts
and buried the tracks. The snow melt
ed and the sand settled down in a
hard unyielding mass. Rotary snow
plows and all the modern mechanical
appliances for battling with snow drifts
were useless against this new enemy
and the railroad companies were COM
PEELED TO engage men with picks and
shovels to remove the sand from the
tracks.
The work was begun while the gale
was still in progress and te suffering
or the workmen is said to have been in
tense. The particles Of sand driven by
sixty mile an hour wind cut through
the clothes of the men and perforated
their skin like knives. A few hours
work was all that man could stand
without eeking shelter from the blind
ing, suffocating storm Of sand.
ON BOARD THE TRAINS.
On board the belated trains the con-
duction of the travel was not much bet
ter. Every door and window was kept
closed to Shut out the sand, yet it sifted
in persistenly until the floors of the
cars were covered and everything was
gritty to the touch. The air in the
ears became hot and sitting and the
passengers In several instances were
compelled to go without food.
The first train since Friday to reach
this city from Denver, except the Bur-
ington trains, was the Missouri Pa
cific train, which arrived yesterday.
The Burlington's tracks were outside
the storm belt and its train schedule
was not affected. The Santa FEES Colo
RADIO train arrived last night after a
protracted battle with sand and snow
drifts. The Union Pacific did not
bring in a single train from Denver I'M
til 5 o'clock this evening when their
| overland reached the union depot. The
train was held in Denver until a cutnear
Cedar Point, Kan, which was filled
with drift Of sand for a distance of
ESQ feet, was cleared out. No Rock Is
land trains from the west had reached
here up to o'clock this evening since
Saturday. Two belated trains arrived
at the union depot at and o'clock
respectively.
Reports as to loss of live stock has
not reached here yet owing to inter-
ruptiOn of telegraph service. No direct
wires were secured to Denver until this
afternoon and telegraph companies be-
! ing compelled to send their business for
Denver and points beyond by way the
northern route. There is every prob
ability, however, that when reports be-
gin to come in they will show that cat
tie on the range have suffered great
hardships and it it not impossible that
considerable loss was sustained by
stockmen.
The reports from northern Colorado
and Wyoming are to the effect that the
| uinn QnH c1n6
there that the men at work clearing the
track were obliged to wear coverings
for their faces, the sand cutting even
through the cloth like knife and lac
Grating the Shovelers in a horrible fash
ion.
The loss Of range stock in some por-
tons Of eastern Colorado, it is said,
will amount to 20 per cent of the total.
Many cattle drifted into Hugo, Colo,
and persisted, which had been driven
before the wind from the north for over
100 miles.
RAIN IN NEBRASKA.
Omaha, Neb.. April S.-Though al
trains in Nebraska are comparatively
on time tonight, the companies have
had hard time operating their olling
stock in the extreme western part OF
the state the past three days. This
was due principally to snow and sand
The latter covered the track in some
instances several inches and were cal
ed so as to require great effort to cleal
the roadbeds. Many freights were
temporarily abandoned, but allpassen.
ger traffic went through, through great
ly delayed. The rains continued TO-DAY
and no further trouble is ANTICIPATED
as the water will wash the sand from
the tracks and prevent futher drift.
of sand accommodating on the tracks
This is the worst experience of the en-
tire winter in railroad circles.
Winden, Neb., April S.-After one o.
the most windy and dusty spells o.
weather, a change has come and il be
gan showing about the middle of tn,
nigh. and fell TO the depth of one inch
after which it began to rain at abou
a. m. yesterday and continued TO rail-
at good rate all day. The ground /,
now in 4 splendid condition, and thos,
who wore a froWn Friday were smilin,
out loud yesterday.
Wauneta, Neb., April S.-The heav,
fall Of snow reported from here Friday
was succeeded by a steady rainfall
which will effectually break te Ions
drouth and put the ground in excellen
condition for big crop this season
Farmers are jubilant over the excellen
prospect. Every effort will be made (,
plant a large acreage of corn from
which an .bundant harvest may be ex
pected.
A eyeler near Dresden was charged
the regular toll fee for a two-wheelet
vehicle for crossing a bridge at Kros
sen over the Nude. He paid unde
protest On his return journey he dis
mounted and carried tie wheel across
on his shoulder. He lSfused to pa,
the toll and was sued for il. The cour
declared that toll could only be col
iected for vehicles that actually cam,
IN contact with the bridge. and a yer
DICT was declared in favor of the cycler
Then an appeal was taken and tn.
verdict Of the lower court reversed
But the case was taken to the court O
last resort, which sustained the yer