Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-30

SLEET COVERS STATE
CONTINUED from First pase.)

NSohbihuSd AFOIn FiFsb EdBtsJ
state since Tuesday morning. The rain
and sleet caused great damage. to electric
wires, both the telephone and telegraph
companies being heavy losers. The damage
to shade trees in this city was great and
deplorable. On every hand may be seen
fine trees with limbs torn from them by
the weight Of ice. Fruit was completely
ruined and all flowers and garden truck
which had been planted out Of doors was
incased in Ice. 1t is not thought that farm
crops were injured oats are not far
enough advanced to suffer from the cold.
M'CooK, Neb., April 2s.-(special Tele-
gram)-A snowstorm, which commenced
last night, has continued here all day with
mild blizzard tendencies. Fruit has been
seriously damaged by the ice and snow,
while small grain has been really benefited.
The storm is Of unusual severity and con-
tinues undated tonight. Stock will suffer.
BEATRICE, Neb., April 2s.-tspecial Tel
egram.)-A driving snow storm set in here
this afternoon about 4 O'Clock and has con-
tinued without abatement ever since. The
ground is covered with snow and the mer-
curry Is down. to % degrees above zero. II
is the worst storm visiting this section in
years and the fruit crop and vegetation Of
all kinds will suffer as a result. The Their
mometer has. fallen 4 degrees in the last
hour.
SHELBY. Eeb.. April 29.-tspecial.l-The
rain last night turned into a sleet. The
fruit blossoms are incased in ice. The
trees in leaf are weighted down with many
OF their larger limbs split off and some
of the phone and electric wires are broken.
1t had not begun melting this morning and
If the wind raises much more damage will
be done to the trees. There will be little
fruit in this. section. The children will
have a difficult time filling their May
baskets with flowers for tomorrow night.
SUTHERLAND. Neb.. April 29.-(Special.
Telegram.l-It commenced here about mid
niRht and the storm is still increasing.
Fruit trees are greatly injured.
PAPILLION. Neb.. April >29.-(Special.l-
A heavy downpour OF, rain started to fall
about $40 last night and continued
throughout the night This is the first
heavy raid fall this year and will be very
beneficial to PASTURES and mall grain.
Flowing is about completed and a number
Of farmers have been planting corn. The
weather is still threatening and much
colder.
CHARLESTON, Neb., April 29.-(special.)
After a high wind from the south for
three days, 1t changed to northeast yester-
day at noon and commenced to rain at 3
D. m. After raining at intervals until near
daylight this morning. 1t commenced to
freeze. At Z a. m. everything was covered
with ice. Oats all sown. Some corn was
planted last week.
wires Are Down.
DAVID CITY, Neb., April 2s.-(special)
Owing to the cold weather. spring work
on the farm has been greatly retarded. Yes
terday the wind turned to the northwest
- 49, -,oronry raofafarad at q ahOVe
freezing. About 4 O'Clock 1t commenced
to rain, and freezing as fast as it fell, con-
tinuing all night. 'sEfhis morning the trees
are loaded with l4ce and many OF the
branches are broken of. IT is thought that
the fruit Is all killed. Telegraph and tele-
phone wires are all down and no %out-of-
town communication was obtalnable this
forenoon except With Ware, a small tele-
phone station eight'miles southeast of town.
1t is still raining this forenoon and turn
ing colder.
YORK, Neb.,. April 29.-(speciai. Rain
commenced falling yesterday afternoon,
continuing all night, soaking the winter
wheat, oat, timothy, clover and alfalfa
fields. This morning the temperature
dropped, ice forming on trees so heavily as
to break large limbs. The oldest resident
does not remember anything like this. Har-
TlSOu bTObs VI u ANNAotAy SShA
pany believe fruit is injured, depending on
conditions that will follow the freeze. The
loss Of fruit in York county would amount
to thousands OF dollars.
FREMONT. Neb.s April 2s.-(special.)-
There was a heavy, fall of rain here last
night, almost enough to bring the total
precipitation up to the average. The mer-
curry dropped to the freezing point and
there were icicles on the trees and tele-
phone wires. Fruit trees are all in bloom
and 1t is feared that the freeze may have
done them considerable damage.
Fruit GrOwths Damaged.
LEIGH, Neb., April 29.-(special. Rain
fell here nearly all day yesterday and dur
ing the night the weather turned colder
and this morning all outdoors is covered
with a coat Of ice from a quarter to a hall
inch thick. 1t has already done much dam
age to trees by breaking the branches, espe-
cially TO those which we're leayed out, the
ice being so heavy that the limbs could moi