Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-03-07
THEAWFULBLIZZARD
AN UNMERclFUL MORSE GOD THAT
 RULES THE PLAINS.

One-YVith All Mans Care, They Are stin His Unoonquered Enemies.
 The blizzard, as the plain man s yer naeular dosignates tho prairie snow storm, is utterly incomprehensible to one who has not experienced it. Gen erated in the great storm breeding re- gions of barren British America and fexqapt on arctic blasts along the vast level reaches that stretch eastward from the Rocky mountains, with no forest to break it's force, it becomes a demon of the air, second only to the cyclone or tornado in destfuctiVeness. The moisture is ground as between millstones, hurl- cd with bulletlike energy over hundreds of miles of level plain and finally, transformed into yeasty sleet by the sof- tening effects of lower latitudes falls i'll bleak showers on the ranges of Texas and No Man s Land
 Lack of cheap building material and tho breyity of the winter season on the prairies contribute to make the settlers cabin poor refuge. When the blizzard comes, every resource of fuel is hus- banded, and it is faced with grim de- termination to see it through.
 But not all are prepared even so woll as the settler. Occasionally q belated lgmigrant, on route either to a chosen claim on the frontier or toward the pleasantly remembered east, where he hopes to find old friends and helpers, is caught by the blast. He may have a tiny stove inside the canvas topped prai- rio schooner, but it's heat can do little against the power of the storm. Shell tered by the low bluff of some ravine or water course he may weather tho drap- ging hours of suffering, but tho chances are that team and driver will be found ghastly monument to the storm king $ strength.
 The farmer who has hurried 10 or 15 miles to the nearest village to secure supplies for the impending visitation is often overtaken before reaching his waiting family and perishes on the road, for no matter how we'll he knows the iath when the blizzard rages his way is as that of the mariner without com pass
 At the prairie sohoolhouses, where the settlers children are gathered from a territory covering many miles in ev- cry direction, the blizzard brings terror to the pupils as well as to their parents Rescue is impossible until the lulI comes, and awful possibilities turk in the bosom of the storm A Dakota sehoolmistress failed to dismiss her scholars in time for them to reach home and found herself and them pris- oners from blizzard, s approach. 4 night and ! day at least were before her, during which her little charges must be protected Deliberately she appoTtiOned the food remaining in the dinner pails, divided tho larger boys into squads to keep the fire burning steadily, and when darkness came put the younger pupils to sleep on the bench es. Then through the bitter night she sang, acclaimed, told stories, invented games and kept the frightened children alA A3sed and cheered as 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 Yo- raeious stove With morning came q shout at the door as the settlers shovel cd away the snow, and then the plueky girl to whom the children owed their lives showed her womanliness - and tainted
 Tho loss among stock on the plains by each blizzard is appalling. There is less exposure of herds and fooks now than i'll earlier times, yet every season causes the destruction of thousands of head of cattle and shoep on tho ranges and in the unshelterd corrals. Several years ago. during the height of the Texas cat tie trade, blizzard in western Kansas early in December destroyed more than gtlf of 300, eco cattle that were being h5rded on the open prairie At one rail- way station, after the storm, 85, GOO hides were shipped, at another 20, GOO. One ranchman found but 225 head alive out of I, 800 that had been grazing be- fore the catastrophe. Several hundred ponies and a score of herders also per ishod.
 The blizzard is a permanent feature of the prairie winter. Nothing but de clQed climatic revolution can secure TO the great transmississippi religon im- munity from it's death bearing presence. Better preparations arc yearly being made to withstand it's fury and to pro- teet more generously the dumb animals who suffer equally with their masters. The signal service is rendering aid in warning communities reached by tele- gfaph of the storm s approach, while the settlers, taught by bitter experience, take with each season better precautions and provide more intolligontly for their time of need, which is sure to come.
 But, with all man s care and defense, the blizzard remains unoonqUered. It is cruel, relentless and unmerciful as some Morse god, from whose kingdom it comes. It is one of the vests posses sions which is wholly and incidentally detestabIe. In it's forefront is apprehen- s4-. ,I-.N