Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-28
Traffic Is Blocked and Business
Brought to standstill by
Worst Blizzard In Years
PASSENGER TRAINS SHOWED IN
Tuesday Evenings Trains Have Not
Yet Reached the city-West Bound
Traffic on Northwestern Kept Nov
ins-stores Close and Mail Carriers
Unable to Get About.

Central Iowa, this city and its vicin-
ity were overwhelmed by the storm
which began with the rain and sleet
of Monday afternoon, and which devel-
oped into blizzard and ragged all day
Tuesday and far into the night. BY
noon Tuesday railroad traffic was
practically at a standstill, business was
suspended and the city lay enveloped
and motionless in the grasp Of the
worst storm in years. Today the rail-
roads are still inactive, and passen-
ger trains on all Of the lines are snow
ed is unable to move. How soon bust
ness will be resumed Is not known,
and railroad officials only venture
guess. BY tonight 1t is thought some
of the trains Of Tuesday may he able to
reach the city, but their arrival is
matter Of the greatest uncertainty.
Central's Trains Snowbound.
The Iowa Central has not had pas
senger train thru this city since Tues
day morning, and freight traffic went
push its passenger trains thru. No. 2,
south-bound, due to reach here at $3.50
Tuesday night, is stuck in drift from
five to eight feet deep two miles south
Of Hampton. No. 3, north bound. due
here at ASS last evening, is In a drift
three miles north of Searsboro. The
night trains were held at Hampton and
Oskaloosa. All the men available were
secured in the towns in the vicinity of
the snowbound trains and were set to
work shoveling out the cuts this MORN
ing. The Story City branch train,
which left here Tuesday evening at
O'Clock. got stalled three quarters of
miles west of Bromley, and the engine
went dead at midnight. The company
was not able to send it's snow plow out
yesterday, but a plow left Monmouth
to come north during the night and
reached Oskaloosa about noon.
Northwestern in Bad Shape.
The Northwestern managed to keep
it's west-bound trans moving, but all
of them were hours behind time, and
the night trains did not reach here I'M
til this morning Up to noon no east
bound trains had passed thru the city
oliSC luCSddy 1NO IL, Quc
here at 1893 Tuesday afternoon was
stuck in the snow a short distance east
of Ames. but it was expected that it
would arrive here some time during the
afternoon. Two freight trains were
left in the yards here yesterday and
their engines sent to the aid of passen-
ger trains.
Great Western AnnuIs Trains.
Everything in the shape Of trains,
both freight and passenger, was an
nulled on the Chicago Great Western
today, and it Is not expected that a
passenger train in either direction will
be run until about 5 or o'clock this
evening. There has been no train in
or out Of the city since the regular
trains of Tuesday morning, when No.
4, due at 1890, reached the city at
1885, and No. 5, due at $50, got in
bound train here ALI the cuts along
huge drifts are not at all uncommon
The largest drift is at Fairbank, where
for half mile, there is an embank-
ment of snow from four to twelve feet
in depth. This immense drift is just
about 1000 feet in width.
vice, which was interfered with Tues
day, was resumed before noon today.
Business at ! standstil.
After noon Tuesday business was
practically at standstill, and many
of the stores closed UP during the at
ternoon, At o'clock the business Sec
ton of the city was deserted excepting
by two or three drug stores and the
cigar stores Firms having delivery
wagons called them off at noon. Along
many of the business streets the snow
heaped into drifts higher than man,
and this morning the sidewalk along
the north side Of Main street resembled
rifle pit. Every available man, both |
was pressed into the snow shoveling |
service this morning, and by noon
most Of the streets were passable.
Rural Carriers Turned Back. !
Both the city and rural mail SER
vice was seriously interferred with both
Tuesday and today. Tuesday morning
the rural carriers started out, but all
but one returned after going two or
three miles Carrier Walker, on route
No. 2, got as far as Dillon, where he
was compelled to tie up. He has not
been able to get back home. Another
attempt was made this morning, but
the carriers could not get thru, and had
to return. One was stuck in drift
near the fair grounds, and left his
sleigh, tying his horse in a neighboring
barn, and returning on foot. The
delivery in the city was made
and one collection. A partial delivery
was made in the business section dur
ing the afternoon. All of the city car
riers started out this morning
Wires Better Today.
The condition Of the service over
both the telephone and telegraph lines
is better today than it was yesterday,
and not nearly so bad as might be ex-
pected. Both telephone companies re-
port but a comparatively few crosses
and most of the toll and rural lines
are in working order. The Postal Tele-
graph Cornpanys wires are said to be
all in good shape, and the Western
Union are nearly SO. The Chicago SER
City in Darkness.
The entire city was in darkness last |
night and those who were unfortunate
enough as to have to be out of doors
s,,,;,, tho evening or night had the |