Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-30
Western Blizzard In
pedes Railroad Traffic.
S|eet, Snow and Rain Cause
Havoc With Wires.
Some Trains Late, Others Abandon.
ed...No Freights.

Chicago, JAM 29-The storm of Sleet,
snow and rain, which swlrled along
by high wind during the last "a
hours. has Frustrated telegraph and
telephone wires. stalled trains, wrecked
buildings and isolated whole cOmmu-
mites, struck Chicago tonight and was
reported as central. in the vicinity OF
Detroit. The first bit of the storm was
felt in Chicago at neon and it continued
to increase in fury as the hours pass
ed.
The wind blew 40 miles an hour and
the thermometer registered a drop Of
over 20 degrees to 10 above zero. Snow
covered the streets and Assistant
Chief of Police Schuetler ordered eV-
cry police station in the city to turn
no ShelterleSS person away. At the
weather bureau it was predicted that
the snow would cease by morning, but
the wind and cold would continue. The
indications We're that the storm. pass
ing through Detroit, would find it's way
out through the st. Lawrence valley.
The day was one long fight by the
telegraph and railroad companies to
restore wires and rescue trains. Early
in the day all the roads warned all
employees to prepare for bllZZards. NO
freight trains are running tonight in
the storm belt in Iowa, and Few IN
Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Chica-
go, milwaukee, & St. Paul Road re-
ported that practically all of it's wires
are down. Their limited train from the
Poetic coast, due here a. noon today,
was nine hours late in reaching Mari
on. Ia, and is not expected here until
early tomorrow morning. On the Min
nesota division a freight train was
stalled and passenger trains We're held
up behind it. Another passenger train
from La Crosse was reported as miss
ing. as was a train which started to its
relief. Tho best information obtaina-
bic 1T Lacrosse was that both trains
were stuck in the snow in South Da-
kota. At the general offices here no
news was received concerning the
wanderers. That the passengers would
suffer from cold and lack of food was
taken for granted
Madison. Wis, was one of the cities
cut off from the outside world The wind
and sleet cut communication in every d.
rection. A wire to Chicago was restored
in the afternoon long enough for brief
dispatch to be gotten through, but the
wire was quickly lost.
Tonight the telegraph companies had
succeeded in patching up the service
north and west in sections where it was
abandoned during the day. Further loss
of wires at other points in the storms
path. however, is feared and according
to the weather bureau with good reason.
rhe most serious damage reported in
early dispatches was at Lamonte, Mo.
where the roof of the Opera house was
blown against a freight train standing
block away, injuring two persons.
West of Chicago it was possible or
only two states and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
MIA, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona--to
get in their reports, which was accom-
pisled by using unaffected wires south
along the Mexican border
The wind blew 70 miles an hour at
Springfield. Mo-, 46 at ST Louis and IS
miles at Omaha. At the time these re-
ports were received the velocity in Chi
cago was only eight miles. but the route
of the storm. moving towards Lake Mich
igan. apparently justified the prediction
of a gale before shutdown, accompanied
by snow and a sharp fall in temperature.
New York. Jan. 9-Accurding to j
warning issued by the local weather
bureau today. a snow fan OF two hours
this afternoon. which was followed Ly
a drlZzling rain, is forerunner of the
storm now raging in the West To-
light a high wind set in and the indi-
cations We're that the severe storm was
rot far Oft
st. Louis, Jan. 29.-At Madison, Ills.
Erwin Mikesell. blinded by the snow
today, failed to notice an approaching
train and was killed. In the same town
Charles Jackowitch was swept from his
feet by the gale and fell so heavily
that his neck was broken. Near Venice
Ills, two children and their mother
Mrs Frank Carroll. We're mortally
injured when a tree was blown upon
a tent under which they were sleeping
Property damage was confined mainly
To broken windows. uprooted trees or
shattered signs.
In southern Illinois the greatest force
of the wind was reported at Cairo.
where the gauge showed a rate of 80
miles an hour. Late reports tonight are
of decreasing winds, but increasing
cold, and in many instances greater
snow fan.
Nelsop Hac Reef of M;IIotfc