The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-13
MAN WHO FACED Il
Wichita Citizen Tells of Worst
Blizzard in History,
WAS FIFTEEN YEARS AGO
And 1t Left Heaps of Dead in
Western Kansas.

To the Editor OF the Eagle: Your men
/ ton the other morning that Fifteen
+ years ago occurred the fearful blizzard
/ etc. reminded me of the fact that I had
a wee bit of an acquaintance with that
I self-same affair.
1 was foreman Of a newspaper al
+ WaKeeney, OUT on the line of the Union
/ Pacific in Trego county. at that time.
/ The storm struck US at p. m. At 5.3a
+ when I started for home the air was
j flied with needIe-like particles Of snow
and ice, being driven with demoniac fury
+ in every conceivable direction by vio-
lent wind. 1t was binding, confusing
Ny home was only six blocks from the
Office and in a direct line south yet I
landed al my next door neighbors 5. forty
OF fifty feet east of my homeland when
/ essayed to cover even that short dis
lance I became confused and drifted up
against one of my sheds. had presence
of mind enough to feel for the clothes
line, which I knew, If one should be
there, would lead to some dwelling; but
was by no means assured that IT would
be my own. Fortunately it was, else /
would never have had the pleasure of re-
counting my escape.
We Of the beautiful valley of the Ar
kansas have no conception of the blizzard
in its wild fury. Even in the early seven
ties our Billiards were pretty well whip
ped to pieces before they reached US
They were interesting enough to be re-
membered by those who quarreled with
them. But they were never so severe as
those encountered nearer the Colorado
line, where there is nothing but barb
wire fence to stay their fierce rush Over
those high and barren prairies. devoid of
timber their terrible devastating and
marrow hardening influences can be i'm
agined only. No one can live through
full grown an dthoroughly equipped liz
Yard to tell how fierce they are unless
he be thoroughly hardened and well pro
tected
Why, friend Of mine riding a short
quarter Of mile with me. well mounted.
and going at a long swinging gallop, lost
the top of an ear which he allowed to
go uncovered; and the freezing was done
so quickly that he did not realize il.
In a district known as Happy Hollow.
few miles from WaKeeney. a lady
school teacher stepped out to test that
blizzard fifteen years ago, to see whether
it were safe to allow the children to start
for their homes. She never returned to
them. After the storm was over thor
ough search was made for her, but no
trace was ever found until the sun had
melted the snow. Then her body was
found in a little draw not a hundred
yards from the building where she taught
school
Mrs. and Mrs Marsh. now residents of
Wichita, were keeping tavern at Ashland
at that time. A man and woman with
small child drove by in a covered wagon
Mr.. and Mrs. Marsh halted them. warned
them of the dangers of the blizzard and
invited them TO enjoy the comforts Of the
tavern. But the storm was not yet on IN
full force, and the people had no con-
cepuon of the fury therein, and refused
the Inequalities so freely extended them
Next morning the party was found frozen
to death--the horses even having sue
eumbed to the icy blast, the reins fast
in the dead mans hands. X O.
Wichita, January - 1901
Touching on this memorable storm the
Wellington Mail says. "The italian
character of southern Kansas weather
during January encourages the old-timers
in telling stories of the awful bizzaris
with which the country was devastated
in the early days Fifteen years ago to-
day jim Lawrence, Alb Sherman. Can
tain i. X. Myers and Newt Caldwell
were in Meade county and reported fr 2
en- to death. They We're interested in the