Arizona republican., 1896-03-28
BAD BLlIZARDS.
Some of the Terrors of the Vest
 ern Prairie Snowstorms.
The Settlers Cabin Poor Refuge from the Icy Blasts-Appa1iing Losses Among the Herds and Flocks of
 the Plains.


 gions of barren British America, and swept 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 tornado or cyclone in destructiveness. The moisture is ground as between millstones, hurled with bullet-like en- ergy over hundreds of miles of level plain, and finally transformed into yeasty sleet by the softening effests of lower attitudes, falls in bleak showers on the ranges of Texas and No-Man's- Land.
 Lack of cheap building material and the brevity 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, says the Detroit Free Press.
 But not all are prepared even so well as the settler. Occasionally a belated emigrant, en route either to 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 prairie schooner, but its heat can do little against the power of the storm. Sheltered by the low bluff of some ra- vine or water course he may weather the dragging hours of suffering, but the chances are that team and driver will be found a ghastly 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 vis- itation is often Overtallen before reach ing his waiting family and perishes on the road. for no matter how well he knows the path, when the blizzard rages his way is as that of the mariner without 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 well as to their parents. Rescue is impossible until the Hull comes, and awful possibilities turk in the bosom of the storm. A Dakota school1nistress last winter failed to dis mss her-SchoiarS in time for them to reach home, and found herself and them prisoners from a blizzard's ap- proach A night and 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 pails, 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 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 black board to feed the voracious stove. With the morning came shout at the door as the settlers shoveled away the snow, and then the plucky girl to whom the 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 o1 head of cattle and sheep on the ranges and in the unsheltered corrals. Sev- eral years ago, during the height of the Texas cattle trade, a blizzard in west ern Kansas early in December de stroyed more than half of 300, ,000 cattle that were being herded on the oper prairie At one railway station after the storm, 35,00O hides were shipped at another, 10000. One ranchmar found but 225 head alive out of 7,50t that had been grazing before the catas trophe. Several hundred ponies and { score of herders also perished.
 The blizzard is permanent feature of the prairie winter. Nothing but { decided climatic revolution can secure to the great trans-Mississippi regio1 immunity from it's death-bearing pres ence. Better preparations are yearly being made to withstand it's fury, ant to protect more generously the duml 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 pericnce, take with each season bette precautions, and provide more intelli gently for their time of need, which i sure to come.
 But with all mans care and defense the blizzard remains unconquered. I