The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-02-28
SEVERITY IF WINTER CAUSED LITTLE
SUFFERING IN NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA

fact that the immense yield of grain
had handicapped the railroads to such
an extent that cars could not be had
for the purpose Of shipping in sup
plies; that the elevators had become
filled with grain which could not be
moved to market. There were no
deaths reported from freezing from
this locality.
We're Unanimous.
The delegates from the western
part Of Ward county and also from
McHenry county We're unanimous in
the statement that there had heen
practically no suffering whatever
from the severity of the winter, and
there has been but one case of a per-
son freezing to death in this section
of the state The case is that of a
woman past seventy years of age who
resided on a claim near Ryder in Nc
Lean county about thirty-five miles
south of Minot. This woman was sick
with pneumonia and was left alone
in her shack while her nephew came
to Minot for r,,dical assistance:
when he returned to the claim he
found that his aunt had frozen to
death by reason Of the fact that she
was helpless. In this case there was
plenty of fuel and provisions in the
shack.
While in some OF the outlying towns
there was a scare in the early part
of December with regard to the short
age of fuel there was no suffering as
a consequence Of this shortage ana
when the authorities took notice of
the fact that there would be a fuel
famine in their locality unless AID
came to them within short time
they appealed to legislative and con-
sressional representatives and also to
the railroads which appeal resulted
in getting the fuel to the districts
most in need before there was any au-
tual suffering.
In Minot there has been plenty of
everything at all times. On the cold
est day of the winter when the ther-
mometer reached forty-five degrees be-
low zero a Russian farmer named
Mocha Kazima who resides twenty
five miles south OF Minot drove to the
city from his home leaving there at
eight o'clock in the morning and ar
irving in Minot in the early part of
the afternoon apparently oblivious of
the fact that this was the coolest day
of the winter. His business was not
urgent. He did not come for fuel,
provisions or medicine but come simp-
ly to transact business which he felt
commanded his personal attention.
No Severe Blizzard.
This section of North Dakota did
not have what is generally termed a
blizzard during the entire winter
From Dec. 6 to Feb. the weather was
cold-unusually so-but on any day
during this time the farmers were able
to get to town by reason of the fact
that there was very little wind and
the cold was not noticed like it would
have been under other conditions.
Made Regular Trips.
The daily stage from Minot to Ry-
der, distance of forty-two miles has
made regular trips and the driver
and passengers have not suffered.
With regard to the fuel shortage
the delegates reported that where
there was native coal the people were
able to get to the mines and secure
a sufficient supply, but in sections
where the people had to depend en-
tirely on the railroads to bring in
their fuel. there was times when the
supply was low, and the people were
forced to economic and secure such
other fuel as was at hand in order to
keep warm until the railroads GOULD
get coal to them.
Amount of Business.
The fact of the matter is. there was
no suffering in Ward or Mclean coun-
ties, and had the railroads been able
to handle the immense amount of
business that was demanded of them
in western North Dakota, there would
nave been no cry of shortage in either
supplies or fuel. And further, there
mas not been single suggestion on
the part of anyone that the settlers
Or business men Of this entire section
OF country do not have the money
with which to pay for anything they
need, and more than the railroads
have been able to bring into the coun-
try providing they have been here
long enough to harvest one crop.
Following the reports of the dele
gates the committee has taken the
facts as whole and prepared COM
prehensive summary calling attention
to the facts which make North Dakota
prosperous country and showing
what harm these exaggerated reports
have DONE
The letter as whole is a through
summing up of the conditions here
during the entire winter and a we'll
worded denial Of the outside stories.
\I|M cal NM MCu