The Greeley tribune., 1911-01-12
Our Annual
January
Clearance Sale
Now
Going On

Those of us who were here in
Greeley before more than half Of It's
present population were born, are
often asked questions about the
weather; what we think of any par
ticularly unpleasant features of 1t,
and what we think is likely to be
the outcome for an immediate FIXTURE
in any case. A few OF us
answer that we know what has been.
but that God Almighty only knows
what Colorado can do in an emer-
gency as to temperatures In or after
storms. l am myself in the habit OF
saying that having only been here
short time l am not competent to
even guess on the subject. pro-
pose, however, in this and perhaps
another paper to tell of some Of the
snow storms and billiards We have
known in the past.
In the fall of our first year here,
in 1870. we had our usual ideal
weather up to about the middle OF
December. During the night Of De
cember 18th. II my memory eervea
me, it began showing and the snow
continued to fall the larger part OF
the following day; then 1t cleared
OF along in the Afternoon leaxina
perhaps eight inches pretty evenly
spread over this part Of the country
for there had been no accompanyinl
wind. I had previously put out u
pasture with Robert Boyd the one
horse had left of the team of brood
mares Lad brought with me from
Kentucky in the spring. and one
Of which had died while 1 was dig.
ging my cellar as mentioned In my
little volume Of Colonial Days" Or
the morning OF December 14th,
therefore. let Us say, which opened
up bright and clear. although little
frosty. 1t seemed to me, l concluded
that as there could be now nothing
for my old mare to eat up there
I would 90 up and bring her back to
Greeley. Accordingly l procured 4
horse and saddle from a neighbol
and after breakfast started after
her. We had not then been fully
accustomed to the deceptive sunshine
OF clear winter day in Colorado
when there happens to be foot OF
less OF snow upon the ground but
as l proceeded upon my way with
my ordinary felt hat upon my head
nothing about my face and ears tc
protect them and only pair of short
wristed br ckskin gloves on my hands
1t occurred to me for. the first time
that the weather was a little siren
uous as to temperature. | managed
however, by continually slapping my
arms around my body and rubbing
my ears and nose to avoid freezing
Getting back into Greeley about ter
0 CLOCK | put the old mare in the
stable and proteeded down town,
! Arriving on the street | took a look
at thermometer hanging out or
the north side OF one of the buildings
and 10 and behold my surprise tc
4 md the mercury standing even al
mat late hour ten below zero. Others
did not escape so we'll. A party OF
three on the beautiful morning had
started out over the river for hunt
Antelope were numerous at the time
anu othef game. GEORGE Wymar
was one of this party, long since
dead. Augustus Camp was another
ana Mr. Hotchkiss, our present mod
est but very efficient City Clerk. was
the third. People who NAV have
noticed a slight limp in Wits gait
mad better take this account OF II nj
its race value, an make no further
inquiries about the matter. He los,
several of his toes by frost bite or
that beautiful sunshiny morning and
ne may be even now some what sen.
sitive on the subject.
The early snow of that first winte,
soon passed away, and contrary tr
che usual result of December snow
storms since then, the winter fol.
lowing was not severe one com.
pared with many which came to u,
later.
About the middle of November
1871, the sixteenth according to m,
memory, the snow began falIins
early in the morning and Continued