Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-01-13
Big BLIZZARD IS RECALLED
Twenty-Four Years Ago Forty.0ne
Persisted in This State.
BIG sLEIGHING PARTY CAUGHT
Eight Hundred Omaha People
Overtaken by the BiizKard
While at a Dance At
Council Bluffs.


versary of the big blizzard, which due to
its severity. marked an epoch in the his
tory Of Nebraska. 1t was storm that
left death and suffering in its wake.
not only in this state, but up and down
the Missouri valley for hundreds Of
miles and from the lakes 10 the noun
tains.
The deaths in Nebraska, attributed to
the blizzard, according to reports, NUM-
bered forty-one, with nearly as many
more in Iowa, a large number in the
Dakotas and several in Minnesota. Even
as far south as Texas, people were re-
ported to have frozen to death.
In ISIS Nebraska was more sparsely
settled Than now and in those days the
telephone was in its infancy Tele-
graph lines were few and scattering
and as a result. people were not ap-
prised OF the coming Of the storm and
were not kept advised as TO its move
ments.
The winter Of isST-ss had been a severe
one. There had been numerous severe
storms. but about January l, 1888, there
was what was supposed TO be break
in the backbone Of winter. During the
first few days of the month, the weather
was ideal; this continued until january
II. That day there was a heavy fall
OF snow. continuing all night and well
Into the next day. The snow lay twelve
inches on a level
Bis sleighing Party
Early In January the people OF Omaha
organized a sleighlng carnival. Council
Bluffs being the terminating point Of
the ride. .Peoule took to the idea and
January u was the date agreed upon.
At about noon OF that day, nearly 500
people OF Omaha. in 215 sleighs of about
every description, started across the
river. At the time It was showing hard.
but the weather was mild being about
o degrees above zero. .a.
January. 1855. was before the con-
struction OF the wagon bridge across the
Missouri river and consequently the
Omaha sleighlng party. accompanied by
q hand. crossed the stream on the ice
going direct from the foot Of Douglas
street, On the opposite side the Omaha
contingent was met by a delegation OF
500 citizens of Council Bluffs. all In
sleighs, and accompanied by band OF
their own. The mayors OF the two
cities led the procession across the bot
toms and up into Council Bluffs. through
the streets and finally stopped at the
Ogden house. which at that time was
one OF the best hotels In the west. Din
ner was served and then In one Of the
halls OF the city, a dance was arranged
for.
Blizzard Starts.
Late In the afternoon while the dane
ing was in progress. some one entered
the hall and announced that the wind
had changed from the southeast TO the
northwest and that a blizzard was rag
ing. Jeff
Little did the dancers care for the storm,
for II was 10 be a night OF undissuroed
Joy and pleasure-a union OF the best
people 0; the two cities. However, their
pleasure was soon disturbed. for about
8 O'Clock the wind began to blow with
the velocity OF hurricane: the air be.
came iadened with fine particles Of zee,
the atmosphere being SO completely filled
that Il was impossible to see buildings
across the street. As the hours passed,
the wind increased In velocity and the
storm grew more severe.
IL was impossible TO drive back to
Omaha and many Of the members OF the
sleighing party remained In Council
Bluffs during the night. Thoss who did
return came on the Union PaclfIo's
"Irish Mall" train that made hourly
trips between the transfer and the depot
at the foot Of Tenth street. near the
place where the Omaha union station is
now located. Those who reached this side
Of the river had great difficulty in reach.
ing their homes. The old horse cars,
then the vehicles for transporting people
along the streets, had gone out of COM
mission early in the afternoon. There
were not sufficient hacks to convey the
people to their homes and many set out
on foot. facing wind that was blow.
Ing thirty to forty miles per hour and in
a temperature that had rapidly gone
down to IS degrees below zero.
storm RACES All Night.
The storm ragged all night and until
nearly noon the next day. Then Il was
that peop'e began TO make a survey of
the havoc wrought by the storms All
Of the railroad trains we're snow bound
and the telegraph Inns were down. II
was long time before news commenced