The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-13
NEAR BOTTOM.
Mercury Reaches Lowest Point
In 20 Years.
Cold Wave Extends Over Kansas,
Missouri and Oklahoma.
SNOW is PILED HIGH.
All Trains Many Hours Late and
Some Are AnnulIed.
Herds of Cattle Stampeded By
the Fierce Gale.
SNOW is PILED HIGH.

Kansas City, Mo, Feb. 13.-Missouri,
Kansas and the territories are today in
the grasp of the most severe cold wave
in 20 years Great suffering to man
and beast is being experienced and
train service is demoralized. In Okla
homa at different points five persons,
negroes and Indians have been frozen
to death and the loss to stock in west
ern Kansas, Oklahoma and Indian Ter
ritory is the greatest in a score of
years.
In Kansas City the temperature re-
ported by the weather bureau was %
degrees below zero. equalling the rec
ord of February II, 1899, which is the
coolest in the history of the local ser
vice. In other portions of Missouri "a
was reported.
In central and western Kansas the
wind became a gale, piling the snow
high in the cuts. and the temperature
went to % degrees below zero. Practi-
cally no snow has fallen in the past "a
hours but the SHOWS of three days pre-
vious were blown into huge drifts that
effectually blocked railroad traffic. All
trains on the Santa F'e, Missouri Pa
cific, Rock Island and Union Pacific
west of Kansas City were many hours
late and some of the through trains
On the plains of western Kansas hun
dreds of herds of cattle were stamped
ed by the fierce gale.
In Oklahoma and Indian Territory
the weather was the coldest on record,
reaching eight degrees below zero. The
supply of coal is short and fear is ex-
pressed that many of the poorer IN
dians will succumb. CattIemen in the
Chickasaw nation report many cattle
frozen to death.
In Kansas City there was intense suf-
fering among the poor. and negro
woman was found frozen to death in
her hovel near the river.
The following temperatures are re-
Standardization, 25; sedalia, "a;
Kansas City, %; Springfield. 20; ST.
Louis Is.
Kansas-ottawa %; Concordia %;
Lawrence and Dodge City 20; Wich-
Oklahoma City 10: Fort Smith.
Ark, 8.
Chicago's Coldest Day.
Chicago. Feb. 13.-Today was the
coldest ok the winter in Chicago. AT
Z a. m. the government thermometer
recorded 10 degrees below zero, a fall of
% degrees in u hours. At a.. m the
mercury stood Is below and the OBJ
server predicted that 1t would not rise
much higher during the day. The in
tense cold was accompanied by a high
wind from the northwest. Snow ceased
falling early last night and the sky was
clear today. Street traffic was not in
terrupted, but incoming trains on the
steam railways were from 1 to hours
late.
Previous to today the co1dest record
here this winter was 1 4 degrees below
zero February ?. Not since February
g. 1899 when the mercury touched 21
below, has today's cold been exceeded.
At the water cribs off shore in Lake
Michigan the therm ometer registered
hafxxaRr and 20 degrees below zero.
Men engaged in keeping the ice from
clogging the intakes governing the
city water supply were forced to work
in Is minute shifts. Huge icebergs
surrounded the cribs.
1S Below at Wichita.
wichita, Kas., Feb. 13.-Weather
Observer Todd reports that the tenn
perature during the early morning
hours was IS below zero. This is the
coolest it has been here for six years,