The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-17
A MARCH BLIZZARD
THE NORTHWEST HAS A SEVERE
EXPERIENCE.
WORST SNoWsToRM IN YEARS
RAILROADS TIED UP AND TRAINS
SNOWBOUND.

Wind Has Piled the Snow In Noun
tains and Packed 1t i'm Solid Mas
es-Traffic on the Great Trnnscon-
tinental Lines Is Practically Par
aIyxed-Fcw Wheels Moving on the
Great Northern and the Northern
Pacihc-Places Like Winnipeg Are
Entirely Cut on From the World
by Roth Rail and Wire.
st. Paul, Mimi, March 16.-North
Dakota and the Canadian Northwest
has experienced the worst snowstorm
in many years, and railroad traffic Is
practically paralyzed. The Northern
Pacific and Great Northern have not
moved a 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 filled. The tem2era-
ture has been gradually fall
ing, and is now at or be-
low the zero mark. Not
trans-continental train has arrived at
ST. Paul since Friday and none is ex-
pected for several days. The Northern
Pacific reports it's west-bound coast
trains, which left st. Paul yesterday
morning, tied up at Fargo, the road
beyond there being blocked. 1t will
start a coast bound train tomorrow
morning and hopes to be able to get
it through. The east bound train, due
here Saturday morning, is held at
Mandan, N. D., and no attempt will
be made to move it before tomorrow.
Every effort is being made by the
road to keep its passengers,
who are snow bound, warm and
we'll fed, and for this reason trains
are being held at stations where the
accommodations are good rather than
attempting to get them through with
possibility of being tied up between
stations. The Red Valley division Of
the Northern Pacific between Frank
fort and Winnipeg is entirely ADAM
doned. No trains have attempted to
run since Friday night and the exact
conditions on this division are not
| known by the general officers here, as
| the telegraph wires have been carried
| down by the burden of sleet that pre-
coded the heavy snowfall.
The Grent Northern's Plight.
The situation on the Great Northern
is equally bad The line is tied UP
entirely between Grand Forks and
WilIiston. N. d., distance OF about
thirty-five miles, and all wires have
been lost beyond Fargo. All commu-
nication with Western Dakota and
Montana points has been lost So
fierce has been the storm it has been
inadvtsable to attempt to reopon the
road until it abates. Reports receiv-
ed at the general offices tonight in
dictate that the gale has somewhat
subsidized. but that the snow still con-
tinues 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.
Winnipeg is reported entirely cut off
from railroad communication with the
outside world. The Canadian Pacific
trans continental trains are snow
bound somewhere west of there, and no
prospects of relief are yet in sight.
The Conditions i'm st Paul.
The storm started on Friday, being
preceded by a 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 almost impossible to wade through
the streets. Business of all kinds has
been at a standstill since Friday night.
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 remote dis
tricts The farmers hail the advent of
the snow with delight, as the ground
has been very dry, and this abundance
of moisture will put 1t in excellent
shape for the spring seeding.