Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-17
TIED UP BY SNOW.
Worst Blizzard for Many Years
in Northwest.
No Northern Pacific and Great North
ern Trains for Sc Hours.
Temperature Around Zero and All CUTS
Plugged With Snow.

St Paul. Mimi, March 16.-North
Dakota and the Canadian Northwest
has experienced the worst snow storm
In many years and railroad traffic is
practically paralyZed. The Northern
Pacific ana Great Northern have not
moved a wheel for nearly Sc hours IN
the blizzard stricken districts and have
abandoned all efforts To do so until the
fury of the storm shall abate. The high
wind has piled the snow in mountain
Gus drifts and packed it in solid mas
SEES, many deep cuts being entirely
filled.
The temperature has been gradually
falling and is now at or below the
zero mark. Not a trans-continental
train has arrived at ST. Paul snce FIJI
day and none is expected for several
days. The Northern Pacific reports It's
west bound coast train, which LETT ST.
Paul, yesterday morning, tied up at
Fargo. the road beyond there being
blocked 1t will start coast bound
train. tomorrow morning, and hopes to
be able 10 get it through. The east
bound coast train due here, Saturday
morning, is held at Mandan, N. d., and
no attempt will be madesto move ii be-
fore tomorrow.
| Every effort is being made by the
road to keep its passengers who are
snowbound, warm and well fed, and for
this reason trains are being held at
stations where the accommodations are
good, rather than attempt to get them
througf1.with possibility of being tied
up between stations.
The Red River valley division of the
Northern Pacific, between Frankfort
ana winnipeg is entirely abandoned.
No trains have attempted to run since
Friday night and the exact conditions
on Atlais:tlivision are not known by the
general officers here as the telegraph
wires have been carried down by the
fsburden of sleet that preceded the heavy
snow fall.
The situation on the Great Northern
is seuually bad. The line is tied up
entirely between Grand Forks and Will
! fisten, N. D., a distance of about 80
i.iniles. and all wires have been lost be-
ENond Fargo. So fierce has been the
fstorm that it has been deemed mad
visable to attempt to reopen the road
J until it abates. Reports received at
| the general offices, today, indicate that
| the gale has somewhat subsided, but
that the snow still continues to fall.
The branch of the Great Northern
running to Winnipeg is also tied up.
No trains have been started northward
since Friday night and those that
| were caught out on the road by the
storm have been held at the station
| near the border.
Winnepeg is reported entirely cut
off from railroad communication with
the outside world. The Canadian Pa
| cific Trans Continental trains are
snowbound somewhere west of there
and no prospects of relief are yet in
| sight.
| So far as known there has been no
loss of life. but owing to the democrat
lied condition of the wires little news
has been received from the remoter
districts The farmers hail the advent
of snow with delight. as the ground
has been very dry and this abundance
of moisture will put it in excellent
shape for the spring seeding.