The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-02-12
STOCK LOSSES
NOT so HEAVY.
Meager Reports Indicate Cattle
Fared Well.
ONE BIG RANCH LOST II.
Report from Cattle Country In Holt
County Says Storm Coming up Grad.
ually Gave Stockmen Opportunity to
Get Cattle Into Sheds.

the News: 1t is the verdict of the
"old timers" that Tuesdays blizzard
wasn't as bad as the 1883 production.
However, the snow and wlnG was fear
fully and wonderfully made last Tues
day and O'Neill practically shut down
activities for day, except in the case
of here and there hardy one who had
something that had to be done.
Roads are blocked in every direc-
ton and only those living near were
able to get to town Wednesday. AS
near as can be learned there was no
great loss of live stock in this county.
The Elkhorn Irrigation Ditch company,
who are wintering some 1000 or 5000
steers, report loss of only twenty
seven head. No word has been re-
ceived from other ranches farther
south in the county, but it is believed
their losses will not be out of proper
ton to the ditch company's as most of
them are well provided with shedding
and as the storm developed gradually
the cattle had time TO get to shelter.
Neigh, Neb., Feb. 11.-Special to
The News: For over thirty-six hours
this section of the state experienced
one of the most severe billiards. ever
in it's history.
Electric light service of the city has
been at standstill since the storm
and all business houses were closed
before 6 o'clock Tuesday night
The only service out of Neigh Tues
day was the dispatchers' wire to Nor
folk No telephone communication
from this city was available.
At o'clock the thermometer regis
tered 6 below zero, with the wind
blowing at fifty miles per hour. Drifts
are banked up on the west side of
Main street to the depth of seven
feet. No public school was held and
also that of Gates academy on &C.
count of the blizzard,
Lynch, Neb., Feb. 11.-Special to
The News: Great drifts and banks of
snow, blocked streets, and mo mails"
all testified to the genuineness of the
old fashioned blizzard, that ragged here
the past two days. A light snow be-
gan falling, driven by a strong north
east wind. Toward the late afternoon
the wind changed to northwest, bring
ing with it a heavier snow. At about
o'clock in the evening a big storm
10 NfyipI nil
ing the snow into drifts. All night
the storm continued with no let-up
Tuesday. No trains were run, school
was dismissed and business generally
suspended. Stock in the open with
no shelter could not live, and it is
feared the quail have persisted. 1t is
believed that it rivals any storm in
this section of the country, and it will
be several days before normal condi-
tons are restored. One of the
peculiarities of the storm was the pres
ence of great amount of electricity
everywhere, noticed especially in the
swapping of telephone and telegraph
wires, and when touching a piece of
metal, by the snap and small spark
that would follow the action.
West Point, Neb. Feb. 11.-Special
to The News, What was undoubtedly
the worst storm of the winter ragged
severely throughout this section of the
state, with great violence. Commenc-
ing with slight snow and sleety
rain on Monday afternoon it de-
veloped, by night time into veritable
blizzard, one of the old time driving
SHOWS which Nebraskans Imagined
were things of the past. For thirty
hours the wind blew a gale of at least
fifty miles per hour-snow falling all
the time in thick fakes and the wind
sweeping everything before it in
furious gusts. All travel and business
was totally suspended, it being utterly
impossible for residents of the out
lying districts to get to town and
dangerous for the town jewellers to go
to and from the neighbors' houses.
The local telephone service is in bad
condition and long distance connec-
lions are out of the question-simply
cannot be made. Telegraph lines
were out of commission entirely. No
fatalities or serious consequences of
the storm have been so far reported.
Clearwater. Neb., Feb. 11.-Special
to The News: Snowbound for two
nights and day: that was the fate of
c. & N. w. towns west of Norfolk dur
ing Monday night, Tuesday and Tues
day night.
Not since the town of Clearwater
was started has so long a time elapsed
without a train going through from
either direction.
1t will be remembered that the bliz-
card of 'SS tied up traffic on this line
for less than twenty-four hours. The
storm started about noon of one day
and trains were running again the
next forenoon.
After thirty-five hours without a
train the whistle of the snow-plow en-
CINE at 8 o'clock yesterday morning
was most welcome note, and people
who were in convenient distance hast.