The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-04
Drifts Piled Up to the Second-Story
Windows of Benighted Residences
I'm Windy City suburbs,
RAILWAY TRAINS DELAYED
TRAFFIC. ALMOST SUSPENDED ON A
FEW WESTERN LINES.
Snow Beneficial TO Wheat-The Storm
Followed by n Decided Fall I'm
the Temperature.

CHICAGO, Feb. 3.-Dispatches from Ne
hraska, Iowa. Kansas. Missouri. Wisconsin.
Michigan and many points in Illinois and
Northern Indiana tell of the heaviest snow
fall of the season. At some points a bliz-
depth from three inches to two feet on a
level. and from three feet to ten feet In
drifts.
In Chicago the snow is six inches deep
on the level, and in many cases. in the out
lying districts. the drifts are piled as high
as second-story windows. The snow began
to fall early in the day. and by the middle
Of the afternoon a regular blizzard was
raging, with the wind blowing a gale from
the west. Toward night the wind died
down somewhat, and as the temperature
began to rise the snow turned into sleet.
The street car lines, with the exception OF
the elevated roads. were the worst suf-
ferers. Many of the surface lines were
compelled to abandon their schedules en-
tirely until the worst OF the storm had
passed, when they were able TO clear the
tracks and resume traffic. Oficials OF the
railroads centering in Chicago report trains
generally on time, or nearly so, and claim
that unless the temperature should drop
suddenly they will be able TO keep the
tracks clear.
Kansas City reports that the greatest
snowstorm of the winter visited there last
night and this morning. The storm was
general over Missouri and Kansas. vary
ing in depth from three TO fourteen inches.
A strong wind followed the fall Of snow.
and in places the snow drifted badly. No
serious interference with railroad trafic has
been reported, except on the central
branch of the Missouri Pacific. Passenger
trains, as a rule, running on schedule
time, and none is delayed more than one
hour behind time here. There is some suf-
fering among unsheitered cattle in western
Kansas. but the temperature is not low
enough to cause any serious losses. In
some of the smaller towns, where the facili-
ties for sweeping the tracks are not good.
the street car lines are tied up. The snow
will be beneficial TO wheat The winter has
been mild, but the ground was dry and
needed moisture. Tonight the sky Is clear
at Kansas City, and the indications are
that the storm is over.
Advices from Omaha say the storm be-
gan Saturday night. and continued until
noon to-day. 1t was general throughout
Nebraska and western Iowa Three inches
of snow FELL and strong wind blew II
into deep drifts. which somewhat impeded
the movement Of trains, but not to seri-
Gus extent Wire communication suffered
most, telegraph and telephone wires being
badly blown down. Owing to the short du-
ration of the storm. 1t is not expected live
stock will suffer. In Omaha street cars
were blocked for a short ime In the morn
ing. but the sweepers cleared the tracks at
an early hour.
Joliet, Ill, reports that the storm began
early this morning and has ragged without
interruption II is accompanied by high
winds, piling the snow in drifts and block
aiding street cars and other traffic Nearly
a foot of snow has fallen