Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-10
RAILROADS HARD HIT
Storm Which Strikes This Sect,
Monday Demoralizes Traff 2
MOST SERIOUS TO wESTwA
Trains All the Way From an Hour
to Twelve Hours Late.
NONE OF LINES ARE TIED UP
Snow and Cold Wind Renders it I'M
possible to Make Time.
OMAHA GETS LIGHT END OF IT
While Temperature il Low and the
wind High There is Less snow
Than Either TO the North
or West.
Snow and Cold Wind Renders it I'm
possible to Make Time.
OMAHA GETS LIGHT END OF I

The railroads we're the worst sufferers
from the cold wave which struck the entire
northwest Monday and Tuesday. Locally
the snowfall was not heavy, but to the
west and north It was considerable, and
driven by a high wind. 1t made the progress
OF trains uncertain, they being from one
to twelve hours late on all lines to the
west and north. At I O'Clock last night
there was no indication of a letup in the
storm Huron ard other points to the north
reported snow still falling and tempera-
lures below zero. Locally 1t was above
zero at o'clock and some snow falling.
The velocity of the wind at that hour was
thrty-four miles per hour which was al
most the maximum for the day.
Beginning win a colo, drizzling ram
Monday afternoon, change of weather
came over Omaha and Nebraska Monday
night which, in some sections of the west
was more severe than the storm the latter
part of January. or in the last sixteen
years In Omaha the mercury fell from ~
above to 9 above and the wind kept up
vigorous howl Monday night after the rain
ceased. Trains are having worse time
than they had in the last severe storm
when the wind velocity was sixty-six
miles.
The storm conditions prevailed through
out the state The western limit of the
storm was at Cheyenne. where the maxi
mum velocity of the wind was thirty-six
miles during the early part of the Tues
day, but had fallen to thirty-four miles
per hour at a. m.
Railroads Are Hard Hit.
For the second time this winter the rail-
roads of the west are battling with the
wind and snow, with cuts filling fast.
trains stalled, wires down and the snow
still falling. The rain of Monday after
noon turned into snow in the evening, the
wind increased its speed to gale and
the mercury fell as the cold blasts worked
their way from the northwest.
During the storm of two weeks ago the
northern roads were caught first and so
Tuesday morning no word could be received
OF the two st. Paul trains the wires
were down. The early morning train from
Sioux City arrived about on time. Wires
were down on the Northwestern line west
of Fremont and no word reaches Omaha
from that section of the state. The North
western started a train for the northwest
at O'Clock Tuesday afternoon, the train
being made up light to help it through.
Trains Caught In Snow.
The Union Pacific had the worst trouble
to report of any of the lines. Three of its
through trains were caught IN the snow
west of Grand Island, where snow plows
and extra engines were necessary to ex-
tricate them. This was done after about
twelve hours delay. The trouble started
when a motor car got stalled and held
trains Nos. 8, and 10 back of 1t until it
could be dug out of the snow. The snow
piled up around the waiting trains until
they were unable TO move and had to be
pulled out by additional engines from
Grand Island. The track was cleared about
noon Tuesday. Snow plows were also called
into use to help clear the track.
Snow was general all over Nebraska. The
Burlington reports show that at 7 O'Clock
Tuesday morning there was from four to
twelve inches of snow all over the Lincoln
division. with snow stlll falling, a heavy
northwest wind and the thermometer rang
ing from above to 10 below.
Trains from the east were practically on
time. but the trains from the west were
being caught by the storm and were getting
later and later. A slight derailment on the
Union Pacific bridge forced the Burlington
trains to come in via Plattsmouth, and the
fast mail arrived on time. The Burlington
trains to the northwest were reported from
one to two hours late and the trains from
the northwest were about four hours late,
Tho Missouri Pacific arrived two hours late
and the Wabash but one hour late