The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-01-06
MERCURY CRAWlS INTO HOLE
AND DRAGs oRlFIcE IN BE.
HIND 1T.
M|LE-A MINUTE WIND
Tops and Government Thermometers
Register as Low as 40 Degrees Be-
low Zero-Nine Is Limit in MissouIa
Trains Are Stalled.

1t is a far cry from July to Janu-
ary, as those who crossed the bridge
early yesterday morning are willing
to testify, During the earlier hours of
the night the first blizzard of the sea-
son was born high up in the noun
tains, and by two hours after mid
night he had acquired all the strength
of full-grown wind storm. Driving
before him fine, cutting particles of
sleety snow, he descended to the val
ley, and before the fury of his rush
the mercury took refuge many, many
degrees below the zero mark. Faster
and faster came the wind and colder
and colder 1t grew. Down, down,
down dropped the mercury, 10, 20, 80.
40 degrees below no degrees at all. 1t
was a biting wind, asearching wind,
wind that sought out all of the un-
protected things and made them suf-
fer, wind that nipped the ears of
brakemen and stopped passenger
trains: a wind that sent trees, snapped
at the base, crashing down mountain
sides; a wind that swept the canyons
and valleys, sending everything that
breathed and lived in headlong flight
for sanctuary from his pitiless assault
One of the most severe cold snaps
ever experienced in this portion Of the
state of Montana struck this place
early yesterday morning, quickly driv-
ing the mercury to point consid-
erably below zero. The temperature
remained below zero all day long, re-
fusing to make any particular ad-
vance. A severe blast from the north
east accompanied the decline in the
mercury and prevailed at high We
locity all day long without Interrupt
tion. The extreme affected business
few people venturing out
of the zone of their own firesides.
Horses and Men Suffer.
Out on the streets men and horses
suffered severely from the extreme
cold and long before quitting time few
signs of life or business activity were
visible on Higgins avenue.
Missoula, from all indications and
reports, was favored with fairly mild |
weather when compared with that at
other points east of here. At Bloss-
burg, probably one of the coolest |
places in the state, the mercury regis |
tered lower than in any other place |
from which official reports were re- |
,eived. At Weed, another station on |
the Helena mountain, it is said that |
he thermometer registered AZ below,
out this figure Is regarded as an ex-
Helena reported "a de-
srees colder than nothing, while Gar
'ison claimed 35 below as it's record.
At Deer Lodge the mercury chased |
tself down to 25 in the hole, while
Butte gave Is as it's official figures l.
Railroad reports gave "a as the low
'st temperature at Evaro, but Dixon
'ould not show lower record than 10
lear the bulb. Trout Creek came in
With a belated report of 20 above
zero, therefore could not be consid-
.red in the running.
Mercury Drops so Degrees.
In the course of "a hours the obser-
'ations show a perpendicular drop of
It least 60 degrees in the mercury,
which is going some for Montana.
Snow accompanied the cold wave,
specially at Helena mountain where
ii railroad traffic had to be tied up
ntil the storm abated. West of Mis-
oula the accompanying snow was
ght, with the exception of Lookout,
where nearly a foot and a half of the
beautiful coldness descended in huge |
lakes. At that place the snow now
es feet 6 inches in depth and is
till falling, while the minimum
was reported at Is be-
Nv At Wallace. farther down the
lope of the Occur d'Alene mountain,
degrees of real cold existed and two
eet of snow fell. y
Trains Tied Up. ,
Great difficulty was experienced in {
loving trains over the Rocky Noun
ain division, especially in an easterly {
ERECTION from Garrison. During the {
arly hours of yesterday morning ii q
'as found eXpedient to send three '
aims in on the sidings at Ellens- a
urga nd one at Blossburg. The en- {
rgies of the train and engine crews G
ere devoted to keeping up a suf- !
cient amount of steam to prevent v
he engines from freezing up.
Lucky Brakeman.
While a high wind prevailed all over
lie district between Helena and Trout
reek, it attained it's greatest velocity
the summit of the Helena noun
I'm. Railroad reports show that sew =
al brakemen suffered frozen faces
nd fingers. while one man, in an ef- :, :,
'rt to find a place on the train :.
laded from the wind, alighted from =
lie top of box car and sought
fuge from the wintry blast in the :
cesses of a coal car. Scarcely had :
reached his retreat when the g
hole roof Of the box car on which he q
Id a few moments before been stand
g was raised and blown entirely
ear of the right of way
All passenger trains were more or
SIS late In reaching Missoula from
9TH directions. No. arrived about Y
ur hours behind schedule and No. Il