The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-18
STORM WAS A FURIOUS ONE.
TODAY MAY BE EXPECTED IN
TENSE COLD BUT NO PRECIP-
ITATION.
SUBURBS AND RURAL REGIONS
Are Tightly Clasped in the Embrace
of the Storm Kfng-Trafiic I'm
peded Somewhat.

SAANO0 a OLoll6S VI COIlVlCIlOH IN regard
to transforming the Northwest into
portion of the banana belt, or else he
has been seen" by the coal trust, for
according to present conditions this
section of the country is about to ex-
perience a spell of winter. A heavy
snow storm has been prevalent
throughout the Dakotas, Minnesota and
Wisconsin since Saturday, and accord
ing to the weather bureau is to be fol-
lowed by the regulation cold wave of
considerable severity. Within the next
twenty-four hours, beginning at 6
o'clock last evening, the temperature
will probably fall from twenty to thir-
ty degrees lower, and the accompany
ing high northwesterly winds will play
havoc with the quantity of light dry
snow which has fallen throughout the
storm area. The effects of these condi-
tlons will not be so keenly appreciated
in the cities, but in the country traffic
will be interfered with, and some suf-
fering may result from the cold
Locally the storm was at it's worst
Saturday night. Coming on in the af-
ternoon as a light snow fall, it in
creased in violence until o'clock, when
it approached the nature of a regular
blizzard. The snow fell in greater
quantities every minute and was
Whirled in all directions by the fierce
winds, seemingly blowing from the four
points of the compass at one time Pc
destrians with heads down in an effort
to avoid the binding flakes bumped
and jostled one another in the streets,
while space in the street cars was at
nrQY71iIJpn ioh A,7Hc1
snow soon began to drift and interfered
not only with walking, but also threat
ened to disable the car system Real
izing the seriousness of the situation,
Supt. Smith, of the street car
company, ordered out all Of the re-
serve street force at an early hour, and
all night long both cars and snow plows
were kept running so that the tracks
might be kept open. Men with shovels
followed the plows to clear away the
drifts which almost Immediately fol-
lowed their passage. The efforts were
only partially successful, however, and
not only were the Fort Smelling, Ham
line, Minnehaha and other suburban
lines in both cities completely blocked,
but even the interurban ran on an ir-
regular hit-or-rniss basis that was
scarcely half the equivalent of it's
scheduled service.
All places Of amusement suffered
from the effects of the storm, and by
the time the theaters let out those
who had had the temerity to risk a
blockade found walking almost i'm
possible. The greatest volume of snow
had fallen by this time, and the feath-
cry fakes were six inches deep on the
level, while drifts and eddies covered
the walks in some places to a depth
of two feet and more. 1t was a wild
night to be abroad, and, with the ex-
ceptior Of those who had not antici-
pated so severe a storm or whom busi-
ness called forth, the streets were
practically deserted. Policemen sought
the seclusion Of doorways when not
making their rounds, and the "owl'
hack drivers housed themselves in their
carriages, while the blanketed horses
resembled huge snow piles with the
light fakes clinging to their coverings
About midnight the snow fall abated
to some extent, but did not cease until
morning, and then but for a brief
time, to begin again and continue dur
ing most of yesterday. The fall in St
Paul during the storm reached a depth
of rs inches.
No sooner had the snow storm moved
along on its journey through Wiscon-
S1ll l1IdIl lIlc lOCdl W0dlnoT bureau re-
ceived instructions to hoist the cold
wave flag, and at IL yesterday morn
ing the white emblem with it's ominous
black center hOated in an eVer-increaS-
ing wind over the chamber of COM
merce building. The cold wave had it's
inception in the Canadian Northwest
whence came it's forerunner the snow
storm, and, according to the rate 1t
was moving, is due to be central over
st. Paul today. The cold is likely to
be more severe than any experienced
In the city this winter, and, in addi-
ton, will be accompanied by high
winds, making a genuine old-time COM
bination Of Minnesota weather. In
the territory already covered by the
cold wave, the temperature has fallen
from zero to s and 10 degrees below.
AT Bismarck, N. D., the conditions
which may be expected here today were
prevalent yesterday. 1t was excep-
tlonally cold and the wind blowing at
the rate Of forty-four miles an hour.
While it is thought that such condi-
tions on the prairies will somewhat
impede railroad traffic, none of the
trains due in st. Paul have as yet been
more than an hour behind scheduled
time, and 1t is possible that no serious
delays will be experienced.
While the heaviest snow fall in the
time covered by the storm, that Of
Saturday night, has been surpassed
twice before this winter, once Nov. 8,
when the fall registered nine and one
half inches, and Jan. 3, when it reached
a depth of nine inches With the cold
weather, which is scheduled to prevail
today, there will be a general clearing
to fair atmospherical conditions with
a chance for the sun to make it's dur.
nal journey in full view of the shiver-
ing humanity in this section so rudely
hxy 40 RIO l.;