Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-04
VERCES UPON A BLIZZARD
Sunday Brings Chilling Winds and Heavy
Snowfall.
OMAHA ENTeRTAINS A BLEAK NoR'wESTER
Railroads Report the storm PrcvniI-
ing I'm Many Portions of the State,
Interfering Materially with
Train Service.

People were not much surprised yester-
day morning to discover that the bare pave
ments, which have existed all through the
holidays, were covered with feathery snow
1t sifted along the sidewalks and into the
fence corners, and in places accumulated
goody drifts. Last night Old Boreas got
down to business and showed the wiseacres
the true side of his nature by treating them
of the heaviest snowfall of the season.
The snow began coming in little riffs as
early as 2 o'clock Sunday morning About
3 o'clock 1t came down in earnest and con-
tinued with but small cessation all day yes
terday. The local weather bureau reported
n fall of two and half inches at o'clock
last night with more in prospect and cor
responding lowering of the temperature.
The temperature in Omaha at l o'clock
yesterday morning was 10 degrees above
zero The mercury gradually dropped until
at o'clock last evening it had descended
to 3 degrees above. In the morning the
wind showed velocity of twenty weight miles
per hour, giving the storm n tendency toward
the d-time blizzard. The average velocity
during Sunday was eighteen miles per hour.
At railroad headquarters reports began
coming In of the storm as early as l o'clock
Sunday morning. Snow fell steadily all
along the various lines in the state as far
west as Columbus, south into Kansas and
north to the Dakota line. Nearly all the
afternoon trains yesterday, with the eXcep
tion of the Burlington's were reported from
half an hour to two hours late. AT Grand
Island drifts five feet deep In the yards of
the Union Pacific were reported, with about
four inches of the beautiful on the level
where the wind did not affect it. The Co.
lumbus & Norfolk branch of tha Union Pa
cific appeared to catch the worst of the
storm and at o'clock last evening the
trains which had been crawling along at a
snail's pace were sdetracked at the nearest
stations.
Division Superintendent Sutherland or
dered the snowplow crews at Columbus to
be in readiness to go out over the branch
early in the afternoon, and this morning
they started in to clear the road. II ad-
ditional snow does not fall today the road
will be in working order at noon At North
Bend on the main line, numerous heavy
drifts were in evidence, but not suficien:
to retard the through trains to any great
extent Late last night the burlington re-
ported the heaviest fall OF snow between
this point and Lincoln with very little
south of Crete. All trains OF this company
continued to report on time.
The westbound trains over the eastern
trunk lines arrived on time last evening
with the exception of the Rock Island,
which was an hour and a half late. But
little snow was reported in Iowa.
The roads entering the city from the
north reported a heavy fall of snow. At
Sioux City drifts from six to eight feet in
depth we're encountered by the Chicago.
st. Paul, Minneapolis Omaha. with plenty
all along the line clear into this city. On
the Harrington, Bloomington Norfolk
branch the heaviest falls were encountered.
and several of the trains which failed to
make time during the afternoon were side
tracked until the snowplow could clear
UP the rails Division Superintendent Jaynes
ordered out the snowplow crews from this
fn,txT arlt
hour yesterday afternoon, and in view
of the probable cessation of the storm ii
is thought the trains will be running on
time today. The snow on the levels in
the northern and central portions of the
state was about five inches in depth at 10
o'clock last night.
In Omaha traffic was not seriously i'm
peded, although the street car company
kept several of its rotary plows at work
over the various lines all Saturday
night and the greater portion OF yesterday.
Nearly all of the motors were running on
time Yesterday afternoon and evening, The
sidewalks and streets In the business por-
tion OF the city were drifted high in places
with snow, but there were very few pc
destrians abroad and but few vehicles stir
ring.
Snow fell in small quantities at intervals
all night last night. Up to am early hour
this morning all trains on Nebraska lines
were reported moving slowly. Several were
a number of hours late In reacl ing thin
city during the night At North Bend, Grand
Island and North Platte the wind was re-
ported blowing little short of gale and pill
ing the srow into the cuts, where drifts seven
and eight feet in depth were formed. The
drifts, however. were of small extent and
nCne Of the trains were tied up. About five
inches of Snow on the level was reported at
Norfolk with plenty more in sight. The |
street railway kept it's crews on the snow |
plOws at work all night,