The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-12-30
Practically All Traffic on Two
Roads Is Aba ndOned.
Other Roads Were Also Hit
Hard BY the Gale.
Cold Wave Continues to Sweep
Over the Country.
From Wednesdays Daily.

The worst of the storm is over with,
but tomorrow is likely to be colder than
today in actual degrees. The cold that
one feels and that gets into houses is
really regulated by the wind, and for
this reason today has not been as dis
agreeable as yesterday. The mercury
fell all day yesterday, and the storm
did not abate until evening" when the
snow ceased to fall and the wind went
down partly. Drifts were piled high,
and it was hard to get about the city.
This morning the mercury stood at
fourteen degrees below zero, with a sharp
wind that made it seem twenty below.
Snow shovels were brought into use,
and it was not long before Front street
took on its normal appearance. The
street scraper took the snow out of the
cutters and spread it out in the middle
of the street, where it made the sleigh
ing good. I'm many cases property own
ers were little slow in cleaning the
walks in front of their residences, and
people going b. were put to much ~
venience. 1t is hoped that this condition
will be remedied before night.
People who hal to drive in the coun-
try had hard time, and this was es-
pecially the case with the rural Anil
carriers.
The railroads were great sufferers,
nearly all trains being abandoned last
night. The Chicago & Northwestern
road was in about as. bad shape as
any of the lines ente ing Manlato. All
freight trains were aband@ed last
night and today, but it is bf5pee to get
them running in some SIT o. shape
tomorrow. Fred Morgaf brous,t -
nasseneAr train in from }Ninona a, -4en'
O'Clock last nigr- usee hours late, and
that was the frain to come in un7
til late this af 4, on. Conductor Nor.
gan left with a, train at noon today
and hopes to be able to get through
All passenger trains west of Mankato
We're abandoned last night, but an effort
was made this afternoon to run them.
All of the cuts were full of tightly pack
ed snow, and the road had all OF its
rotary engines and scores of shovelers
at work today.
Conductor Morgan states that the
storm was one of the worst that he
ever saw. 1t seemed to him that it
was worse east of Waseca than west
of that place. His train had two engines
until it reached Waseca and then came in
with one. The storm was so binding
that he could not see the engines to
give the train signals. All trains on
connecting lines were five hours or more
late.
The Omaha road did not suffer as
much as the other roads, and was very
fortunate on the main line. The Fair
mont and Currie branches were complete
ly tied up yesterday and last night but
an effort was made to get them open
light, and Nos. "a and 20 were laid off
completely The morning passenger train
from the west, due at 4:45 a. M, was
five hours late, but No. l6 arrived on
time. Later trains from the west to-
day were somewhat delayed.
The Milwaukee was the hardest hit of
all the roads. Not wheel was turning
on the main line last night or today, nor
On the line between this city and ST.
Paul. An effort was made to run pas
senger trains today between this city
and Wells. No freight trains were run
today. Last night two passenger trains
with heavy engines were laid off at
Wells. 1t may be that the line will not
be open tomorrow, as every cut is drift
ed full All of the shovelers that could
be hired We're sent out from this city
this morning.
On the Chicago Great Western, all
freight trains were abandoned last night
and today, but it is hoped to have them
running again tomorrow Passenger
trains were all running, and were nearly
on time. The train that went ont this
morning was stucF in the snow for two
hours a. little ways this side of Madison
Lake. The noon c.~in was late. The
main line is not affected by the storm.
Andrew Hanson, the star route mail
man, was unable to return from st.
Clair last evening, and did not get in
until late today. The rural carriers all
made their rounds in the face of great
difficulties.
Andrew Hansen, the omnibus man
and rural carrier, running between Man
kato and St. Clair, left St Clair for
Mankato yesterday afternoon at two
O'Clock. Finding the weathervery stormy,