Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-01-28
Madison, Jan. 26.

unprecedented in its extent and sever
ity. This fact will be Of more than
passing interest locally. 1t will
probably mean a considerable curLail-
ment of the contemplated ice harvest
in Madison, as cities to the south can
now be supplied nearer home. The
harvest is not on as yet, but will be
begun this morning and will soon be
in full blast. The knickerbocker
company had % men working Monday
afternoon chiefly preparing for the re-
ception of the ice. This is now some
what over foot thick and steadily in
creasing. Not in eight years has the
cold weather Of Monday been sur
passed here. The minimum tempera
ture at the Washburn observatory was
early Monday morning --23 degrees.
Sunday the minimum was 20 degrees.
Thermometers about the city regis
tered much lower, as usual, the average
at South Madison being 80 degrees.
On Jan. 81, 1888, the mercury sank to
20 degrees at the observatory and on
Jan. 8, 1887, it touched the same point.
The snowfall Saturday night was
scarcely enough to make good sleigh
ing, yet sufficient to make that method
of travelling superior to wheeling. A
phenomenon is seen about the lakes
that seems to be unaccountable and
hitherto unknown. There is a stretch
Of open water in Lake Monona nearly
mile long and several rods wide and
in the western end Of Lake Mendoza is
another large open stretch. Still an
other is off Picnic point-all openings
are steaming like volcanoes in erup
ton.
In General.
The area of low temperature includes
nearly the entire country and very
widespread suffering has resulted. A
few deaths are reported. A trapper
known as Henry York, but whose name
is said to be Henry Lite, was found
eight miles north of Prairie du Chen
frozen to death.
Reports from other Wisconsin cities
are as follows: MarshfielG 80, Plain
field -25, West Superior SO, Boscobel
ST, La Crosse -2S, Green Bay 20
with water pipes frozen all over the
place, Lancaster 80. The cold spell
is one of the most severe and most eX-
tensive in effect that has been expert
enced for years. The thermometer
fell to Is degrees below zero Sunday
in Milwaukee and was the same at
o'clock Monday morning. This is as
cold, if not colder than any weather
that Milwaukee has had since 1885,
when the thermometer registered %
degrees below. In 1895 it was II de-
grees below, in 1895 Is below aud in
1894 IA degrees below zero.
The remarkable characteristic Of
this spell is that it covers the entire
United States. 1t is reported that the
thermometer is at the freezing point in
many of the southern states and that
the orange crop is accordingly serious
ly threatened.
Several deaths occurred in Chicago.
In Cleveland it was Is degrees below
zero-the worst in 20 years. In Pitts
burg is was 10, in Denver the same,
in Cincinnati -12, in northern Texas
10 with heavy snow, in Duluth 80,
in Fargo and west Of there 80, in
Chicago 20 and in Minneapolis 80.
California escaped, but in England a
blizzard is raging Some late reports
follow:
St. Paul Jan 26.-In the suburbs
he mercury is reported all the way
from 80 to 40 below but the official
Z u a, nto OF 40 off
&c below at the lowest. Edmonton
with SO below was the coolest place
officially in the northwest. But Du-
luth recorded %, Bismarck, Miles City,
Helena and Huron gave "a below as
their temperature and Havre with 4
below was the warmest point officially
in the northwest. Business was consid-
erably interfered with in some places.
At Bayfield,. Wis, work was suspended
on the construction of the Bayfield,
transfer railway. There was no storm
in this vicinity but a dispatch from
Bismarck says a severe storm ragged
there Sunday. The wind blew "a miles
an hour with 80 below zero. 1t abated
somewhat yesterday but the wind was
still blowing 80 miles an hour and the
temperature was % below. The wind
piled the snow in great drifts effectual- |
ly blockading all trains. 1t will prob
ably be three days before the Northern
Pacific Is again clear. They succeed |
ed in opening the road yesterday after i
a three days blockade caused by the |
storm of last week only to be again |
shut Off The Northern Pacific coas1 |
trains which left St. Paul Thursday !
and Friday last are in snow drifts al .
New Salem and trains due in St. Paul
Saturday night and last night have |
been held at Jamestown. Ali west
bound trains are held at Fargo. There !
will undoubtedly be much suffering !
the farmers and others. Loss
Of cattle on the ranges will be very
heavy.
Bozeman, Mont, Jan. .-Boseman
fearful blizzard Saturday
and Sunday. The thermometer fell 4S |
degrees in ten houls and in the first
"a hours fell so degrees, something
never known before Monday was
clean with % below.
Huron. S. D.. Jan. 26.-The most
complete snow blockade in the history
Of this portion Of Il e northwest since
1881 now prevails.
Nashville, Tenn, Jan. 26.-Dis-
patches from several points in Tennes-
see state that the cold snap will have
no effect on the fr1Iit crSpD as the san is |