Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-09-25
BAD Billiards.
Same of the Terrors Of the Wees-
ern Prairie Snowstornss
*. s..,i.r.. Cabin ) Poor is.fafs lro"
~.Icy DIssss-Appalling Lpssss sDsoSV
the Herds and FiockS 81
che Plaius.

the Herds and E1oen on
che Plaius.
The blizzard, as the plain mans yer;
nacular designates the prairie snow
storm, is utterly incomprehensioie W
one who has not experienced u. Zen
Grated in the great torm-breeding re-
~;ons of barren British America, and
exveut on arctic blasts along the vnss
level reaches that stretch eastward
from the Rocky mountains, with no
forest TO break its force, it becomes
demon of the air, second only TO the
tornado or cyclone in destructiveness.
The moisture is ground as between
millstones, hurled with bullet-like en-
crpv over hundreds Of miles OF level
plain. and finally transformed into
veastv sleet by the softening effects OF
lower ATTITUDES, falls in bleak showers
on the ranges Of Texas and No-Mans-
Land.
Lack of cheap building material and
the brevity of the winter season on the
nrairies contribute to make the settlers
cabin a poor refuge. When the blizzard
comes every resource Of fuel is hus-
handed. and it is faced with a grim de-
Termination to see it through, says the
Detroit Free Press.
But not all are prepared even so well
"a the settler Occasionally belated
emiprant. en- route either to q 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
tiny stove inside the canvas-topped
prairic schooner, but its heat can do
little against the power Of the storm.
Sheltered by the low bluff of some "a
vine or water course he may weather
the dragging hours OF suffering, but the
chances are that team and driver will
be found a CHASTITY monument to the
storm kings strength.
The farmer who has hurried ten or
fifteen miles to the nearest village to
secure supplies for the impending Wis
itation is often overtaken before reach
ing his waiting family and perishcs on
the road, for no matter how well he
knows the path, when the blizzard
RACES his way is as that Of the mariner
without a compass
At the prairie schoolhouses, where
the settlers children are gathered
from territory covering many miles
in every direction, the blizzard brings
terror to the pupils as we'll as to their
parents. Rescue is impossible until the
lull comes, and awful possibilities Turk
in the bosom Of the storm. A Dakota
schoolmistress last winter failed to dis
miss her scholars in time for them to
reach home, and found herself and
them prisoners from o billiards. ap-
proach. A night and q day at least
were before her, during which her lit
tie charges must be protected. Deliber-
ately she apportioned the food remain
ing in the dinner pals, divided
the larger boys into squads and
put the younger pupils to sleep
on the benches. Then through the
bitter night she sang, acclaimed, told
stories, invented games, and kept the
frightened children amused and cheered
Us best she could. The following day
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 black
board to feed the voracious stove.
With the morning came q shout at the
door as the settlers shoveled away the
snow, and then the pluclsy girl to whom
the children owed their lives showed
her womanlincss and tainted.
The loss among stock on the plains
by each blizzard is appalling. There is
less exposure of herds and foclks now
than in earlier times, yet every season
causes the destruction Of thousands OF
head Of cattle and sheep on the ranges
and in the unsheltered corrals- Sew.
cral years ago. during the height Of the
Texas cattle trade, blizzard in west
ern Kansas early in December de-
stroyed moro than half of 300, 900 cattle
that were being herdcd on the open
prairie. At one railway station after
the storm, 81, 900 hides were shipped
at another, 10000. One ranchman
found but 225 head alive out of 1850
that had been grazing before the catas.
trophe. Several hundred ponies and q
score of herders also persisted.
The blizzard is q permanent feature
Of the prairie winter. Nothing but q
decided climatic revolution can secure
to the great Mississippi region
immunity from its death-bearing pres
ence. Better preparations are yearly
being made to Withstand its fury, and
to protect more generously the dumb
animals who suffer equally with thei,
masters. The signal service is render
ing aid in warning communities reached
by telegraph of the storms approach
while the settlers, taught by bitter ex
periencc, take with each season better
precautions, and provide more intelli
gently for their time of need, which is
sure to come.
But with all mans care and defense
the blizzard remains unconquered. II
is cruel, relentless and unmerciful as
some Morse god, from whose kingdom
it comes. 1t is one of the VESTS DOS.
sessions which is wholly and irredeem.
ably detestable. In its forefront is ap.
prehension; at its height, terror; in its
wake, desolation and suffaring-some-
times death.