The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-03-20
A RAGING BLIZZARD
In Northwest Whelms Trains
Under Mountains of Snow.
ALL TRAFFIC IS PARALYzED
Starvation Threatens Passengers Tied
Up In North Dakota-Blizzard
Is Worst Experienced
In Years.

According to Sundays dispatches
from st. Paul, North Dakota and
the Canadian northwest has expert.
enced the worst snow storm in many
years, and railroad traffic is practically
paralyzed. The Northern Pacific and
the Great Northern have not moved
wheel for nearly thirty-six hours IN
the blizzard-stricken district and have
abandoned all efforts to do so until
the fury of the storm shall abate. The
high wind has piled the snow in the
mountains and packed it in solid
masses, many deep cuts being entirely
filed. The temperature has been
gradully falling and is now at or below
the zero mark. Not transcontinental
train has arrived at St. Paul since Fri
day, and none is expected for several
days. The Northern Pacific reports
It's westbound coast trains, which left
st. Paul Saturday morning, tied up at
Fargo, the road beyond there being
blocked. 1t will start coast-bound
train at once, and hopes to be able
to get it through. The eastbound train
due in St. Paul Saturday morning is
held at Mandan, n. Oak, and no at
tempt will be made to move 1t. Every
effort is being made by the road to
keep it's passengers who are snow
bound warm and we'll fed and for this
reason trains are being held at sta
tions where the accommodations are
good, rather than attempt to get them
through, with a possibility OF being
tied up between stations. The Red
Valley division Of the Northern Pa
ci6c, between Frankfort and Winni-
peg, is entirely abandoned. No trains
have attempted to run since Friday
night, and the exact conditions on this
division are not known by the general
Offices, as most of the telegraph wires
have been carried down by the burden
of sleet that preceded the heavy snow
fall.
The situation on the Great Northern
is equally bad. The line is tied up en-
tirely between Grand Forks and Will
liston, N. Oak a distance Of about
35 miles, and all wires have been lost
beyond Fargo. All communication
with western Dakota and Montana has
been lost So fierce has been the
storm that il has been inadvisable to
attempt to reopen the road until it
abateS.
The branch of the Great Northern
running to Winnipeg is also tied up.
No trains have been started north
ward since Friday night and those that
were caught out on the road by the
ssorm have been held at that station
near the border.
Winnipeg is reported entirely cut off
from railroad communication with the
outside world.
The Canadian Pacific transcoRti-
mental trains are snowbound and no
prospect of relief is yet in sight.
The storm started on Friday, being
preceded by light rainfall and accom-
panied by high winds. The rain soon
turned to sleet and then to snow, and
this has. fallen without cessation for
more than thirty-six hours. The ter
rife gale drifted the snow badly and
it is next to impossible to wade
through it.
So far as known there has been no
loss of life, but owing to the demoral.
lied condition of the wires little news
has been received from the remote
districts. The farmers hail the ad-
lied condition of the wires, little news
has been received from the remote
vent of snow with delight, as the
ground has been very dry, and the
moisture will put it in excellent shape
for the spring seeding.