Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1910-01-20

y
swift and furious. Other storms have
exended over a longer period and often
there has been heavier fall of snow,
accompanied with an equal degree of
cold, but there has rarely been such a
sudden rush of winter hurricane and
such w Id rage of the Storm King. 1t
was the demoniac commingling CT
howling, sweeping blasts with blind
ing masses OF chaotic snow which gave
he storm crown of added terrors.
The following is from the COURIER of
Jan. Is, 1888:
The worst storm that has visited
this section for the past velve or fifteen
years, struck us OF Thursday, about two
O'clock in the afternoon and ragged wi h
perfect fury until about twelve O'Clock
at night. The storm was wide. spread,
extending over Iowa, Minnesota, Da-
kota, Nebraska and Montana, and the
loss Of life teported is simply appalling.
lost their lives in this storm, rs of them
being credited to Dakott. Commencing
as it did In the middle of the day a
large number of peope were caught
away from home and endeavoring to re-
tcrn were overcome by the storm and
frozen TO death. Another bad feature
b.. fn oil ha
schools These schools were in session
at the time the storm commenced, and
in large number of cases The schools
were dismissed and the children started
for home. many of them b .ing over
come and froZe TO death on the prairies.
A great many teachers, however, had
cool heads, and absolutely refused to
let the children leave the school houses
keeping them all night-thus saving
many lives. Thus far no loss of human
life has been reported in this county, for
which we are all thankful. However,
there were some very close calls. Miss
Johnnie Northrup, teacher in District
No. IL, refused to allow any of her
scholars to leave the school house, keep
ing them all night. she is a brave.
level headed girl and did the proper
thing. The scholars in the kiplnger
District below town remained in the
school house all night. 1t is reported
that Mr.. Cyrus Knapp an old resident of
this county, but now living over in
Iowa, near the BroNen Kettle, went to
the school house 10 get his children and
that he and live children perished be-
fore reaching home. Neva Legget, who
is teaching in the Poor Farm District,
dismissed her school and in company
with another young lady, Miss John
so :, started for her boarding house.
Miss johnson speedily succumbed TO the
fury of the storm and lying down, it re-
quircd the utmost exertion OF Miss
Legget to rouse her to proceed. She
again b came exhausted and dropping
"a last resort, iss Legget calleu for help
TO her utmost, and miraculously was
heard, she being almost under the win
dows of her boarding house, from which
help rescued them bo.h. The Ham
mond boys started FIR their farm to
| look after their ock and after advent
| ure sufficient TO ill book, and an ex'
ceeding narrow escape from perishing,
passed the night at Mr.. Shattuck's S.
Jack Ward had lively experience,
coming up from tie Sioux bridge cling.
ing to the rail with one foot. He says
| lie ''never saw the like" Pat Ca rev
with his three ch ldren, on their way
home, got lost on his own farm. He had
resolved to turn mis- horses heads from
! the storm and go until he struck hay
stack, fire the same and thus keep from
| freezing. Before doing so, he made
one more attempt and guiding hi1nscl
by barbed wire fence,--the only bene
fit ever received. from barbed w,re-h'
walked and led his horses, bringing ul
Immediately in his own grove. 5. 4
Aiken got lost, wandered about and for
tunately for him, ran against straw
stack, then a stable, at which latte
place he found the owner who led hir
to the house. Ike Kline started to tow
for his children anticipating that h
would have no trouble, with his back
| ho cfn lIa hnx Hn< n
Will Mains fence. he followed that
the house. Taking fresh start he fina
" reached a house ON The nnfskirtS